With the two top seeds, Seattle and Denver, getting a week off, the other 12 teams will be playing six games this weekend including three prime time games.
One of the big questions is whether the two seventh seeds, Green Bay or the Chargers, can get a victory. Since the NFL went to seven playoff teams in each conference, the seventh seeds are 1-9.
Here is a look at the six games:
–The weekend starts at 4:30 p.m. Saturday with the Rams at Carolina on FOX. Look for the Rams to win this one even though the Panthers beat the Rams in the regular season. But the Panthers limped into the playoffs by losing three of their last four games.
–The 8 p.m. game on Saturday night features the Packers at the Bears on Prime. The two division rivals split in the regular seasons but the Bears had to overcome a 10-point deficit in final two minutes in the second game with the help of a recovered onside kick and then won in overtime. This one figures to be close and there is a lot of pressure on Green Bay coach Matt LeFleur because he is in his seventh season and has yet to make the Super Bowl.
–The Sunday tripleheader starts with Buffalo at Jacksonville at 1 p.m. on CBS. Jacksonville was a surprise team this year under new coach Liam Coen while Buffalo had a disappointing year and didn’t win their division title. It figures to be a close game. Jacksonville probably has the better team but the Bills have the better quarterback with Josh Allen, although Trevor Lawrence improved in the second half of of the year. Buffalo coach Sean McDermott is in ninth season and yet to get to the Super Bowl so he could be on the hot seat if the Bills lose.
–The 4;30 p.m game on FOX pits San Francisco at defending champion Philadelphia. The Eagles cost themselves the second second seed by resting their starters against Washington but probably have the edge in this game because of the 49ers’ injuries.
–The 8 p.m. Sunday game on NBC features the Chargers at New England. The Chargers will try to win as a seventh seed traveling across the country to cold weather site. They have a difficult task.
–The weekend ends with the 8 p.m. Monday night game on ESPN/ABC with Houston at Pittsburgh. This figures to be low-scoring defensive game decided in fourth quarter as Aaron Rodgers tries to get one more playoff win.
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