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The 2020 NFL playoffs continue to roll through the schedule. The Green Bay Packers, the 1-seed in the NFC, will now host the NFC Championship Game on Jan. 24 against the fifth-seeded Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Buffalo Bills, the No. 2-seed in the AFC, will play the top-seeded Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game.
Here is what we know about the AFC and NFC brackets, including seeding, TV times and the schedule of games from wild-card weekend up through Super Bowl LV. Read more
The NFL’s expanded playoff bracket has been a topic of conversation all season, but with the playoffs finally around the corner, it’s worth revisiting exactly how a 14-team field works in the first year of its existence.
The league made the move from 12 teams qualifying to 14 for the 2020 season. A lot of the reasoning comes back to interest and money, but it also creates a different playoff picture than NFL fans may be used to. There’s now a No. 7 seed to play for in each conference. There’s only one bye instead of two on each side, too. It forces a recalibration of how late-season results are viewed. Read more
Patrick Mahomes’ path back to the field for the AFC Championship Game included a stop at a mid-week practice.
The Chiefs quarterback remains in concussion protocol but participated in what was a light practice for the Chiefs on Wednesday.
“He looked good on a limited basis,” coach Andy Reid told reporters. “He took all the snaps and he feels good. We’re going to follow this protocol.”
Mahomes, who is symptom-free and will undergo tolerance tests, is expected to increase his workload as the week carries on, per NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport.
He exited Kansas City’s 22-17 win over Cleveland last weekend after he was tackled awkwardly by Browns linebacker Mack Wilson. Mahomes appeared momentarily unable to stand without assistance before heading to the locker room for further evaluation. His placement in the protocol ended his participation in the Divisional Round meeting with Cleveland and called into question his availability for Sunday’s conference title game against the Buffalo Bills.
Mahomes’ participation in Wednesday’s practice is an encouraging sign for his chances of playing Sunday. And as Rapoport later tweeted, serving as a limited participant doesn’t mean much of a difference at this stage of the season, when most practice work is mental and walkthrough.
The Super Bowl LIV MVP is one win away from returning to the sport’s biggest game. If he can play Sunday, we’re in for an exciting one between the defending champions and the red-hot Bills. Read more
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Regular season is over. Atlanta Falcons are favored by 5 over Green Bay Packers. New England Patriots are favored by 7 over Pittsburgh Steelers. Initially, I wanted to see Aaron Rogers and Tom Brady face-off in the Super Bowl. However, after watching the first half, I can see why Matt Ryan is slated as the Most Valuable Player!
The Pittsburgh Steelers and New England Patriots, two of the most dominant AFC teams in the last decade and a half, are about to square off again in the postseason, but not just a usual playoff game — the AFC Championship game. With a spot in Super Bowl 51 on the line, Las Vegas is leaning towards New England, the home team, when it comes to the odds in this matchup. The opening line had the Patriots as 5-point favorites, and the line has gone up to 6-point favorites for the championship game. Read more
Also, CBS Sports has some nice news reports on the Playoffs & Standings.
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