NFL playoffs schedule: The full slate with kickoff times for wild-card weekend
When the Green Bay Packers beat the Detroit Lions in the NFL’s regular-season finale Sunday night, they won the NFC North championship and the playoff field was officially set.
Here is the schedule, with kickoff times and television information, for the four games of wild-card weekend:
Oakland Raiders (12-4) at Houston Texans (9-7)
Saturday, 4:35 p.m. ET
ESPN
The Raiders, who are making their first playoff appearance since 2002, were having a storybook season but it has gone sideways since quarterback Derek Carr broke his leg. His replacement Matt McGloin was knocked out of Oakland’s Week 17 game with a shoulder injury, and if McGloin can’t play then rookie Connor Cook would make his first career start in a playoff game. The Texans have their own quarterback issues. Brock Osweiler was benched for Tom Savage late in the season, but Savage suffered a concussion in Week 17.
Detroit Lions (9-7) at Seattle Seahawks (10-5-1)
Saturday, 8:15 p.m. ET
NBC
Detroit won a lot of close games early in the season and then made the playoffs despite losing three straight games to finish the season. The Lions got their playoff spot when the Washington Redskins lost in Week 17. Matthew Stafford has had a fine season but he has a big challenge against Seattle. The Seahawks have been strangely inconsistent this season, and have even looked beatable at home. But they’ve been very tough at CenturyLink Field the past few years. Russell Wilson is coming off another productive season, the defense is still full of stars – although All-Pro safety Earl Thomas is done for the season with a broken leg – and the Seahawks still have championship dreams.
Miami Dolphins (10-6) at Pittsburgh Steelers (11-5)
Sunday, 1:05 p.m. ET
CBS
The Dolphins started 1-4 and then won nine of 10 to clinch a playoff spot before losing in Week 17. The Dolphins are without their starting quarterback, as Ryan Tannehill has been sidelined with a knee injury. Matt Moore has done a solid job replacing him, however. The Steelers clinched the AFC North championship on Christmas with a dramatic win over the Baltimore Ravens, so they had the luxury of resting their starters in Week 17. This is the first time the Steelers’ high-powered offensive trio of Ben Roethlisberger, Le’Veon Bell and Antonio Brown are all healthy going into the playoffs.
New York Giants (11-5) at Green Bay Packers (10-6)
Sunday, 4:40 p.m. ET
FOX
A stout defense, bolstered by some big-money free agents signed this past offseason, has carried the Giants. They also have Odell Beckham, one of the best receivers in football. This is just the Giants’ second playoff berth since 2008, but the only other trip in that stretch was when they won a Super Bowl in 2011. Green Bay looked like it was in trouble when it started this season 4-6. The Packers haven’t lost since. Led by red-hot quarterback Aaron Rodgers, the Packers ran the table (as he promised) and made the playoffs for the eighth straight season.
AFC byes: New England Patriots (14-2), Kansas City Chiefs (12-4)
NFC byes: Dallas Cowboys (13-3), Atlanta Falcons (11-5)
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Frank Schwab is the editor of Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at shutdown.corner@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
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