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NFL Playoffs bracket explained: Seeding, potential Divisional Round games for AFC, NFC

The NFL Playoffs are here and we know the matchups for the Wild Card games this weekend.

But who could be facing off in the Divisional Round next week?

Take a look at the NFL Playoff bracket for the AFC and NFC, with an explanation of how the matchups for the Divisional Round are determined, which has a wrinkle not seen in other major sports tournaments.

The top seed in each conference gets a bye in the Wild Card round of the NFL postseason and the other division winners get the No. 2 through No. 4 seeds.

The No. 5, No. 6 and No. 7 seeds go to the non-division winners with the best records.

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NFL Playoffs bracket: AFC

In the first round of the AFC postseason, the No. 7 Pittsburgh Steelers (last Wild Card)) face the No. 2 Buffalo Bills (AFC East winner), the No. 6 Miami Dolphins (second Wild Card) take on the No. 3 Kansas City Chiefs (AFC West winner) and the No. 5 Cleveland Browns (first Wild Card) are at the No. 4 Houston Texans (AFC South winner).

The No. 1 Baltimore Ravens (AFC North winner) have a bye as the team with the best record in the regular season.

In other sports, postseason tournaments are straight brackets, with no reseeding. Everyone knows who they will face in the next round, should they win that round because the next opponent is already determined based on seed.

Not in the NFL. In the NFL postseason, matchups in the Divisional Round are based on seeding after the Wild Card round.

In the AFC, the Ravens will play the highest remaining seed in the second round of the playoffs, so they would face the Steelers if Pittsburgh upsets Buffalo. Baltimore would face the Dolphins if the Bills beat the Steelers and the Dolphins upset the Chiefs.

If the Bills and Chiefs win their games, the Ravens would face the winner of the Browns vs. Texans game.

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NFL Playoffs bracket: Possible AFC Divisional Round matchups

  • No. 7 Steelers at No. 1 Ravens (if Steelers beat Bills)

  • No. 6 Dolphins at No. 5 Browns (if Steelers beat Bills, Dolphins beat Chiefs, Browns beat Texans)

  • No. 6 Dolphins at No. 4 Texans (if Steelers beat Bills, Dolphins beat Chiefs, Texans beat Browns)

  • No. 6 Dolphins at No. 1 Ravens (if Bills beat Steelers, Dolphins beat Chiefs)

  • No. 5 Browns at No. 3 Chiefs (if Steelers beat Bills, Chiefs beat Dolphins, Browns beat Texans)

  • No. 5 Browns at No. 2 Bills (if Bills beat Steelers, Dolphins beat Chiefs, Browns beat Texans

  • No. 5 Browns at No. 1 Ravens (if Bills beat Steelers, Chiefs beat Dolphins,  Browns beat Texans)

  • No. 4 Texans at No. 3 Chiefs (if Steelers beat Bills, Chiefs beat Dolphins, Texans beat Browns)

  • No. 4 Texans at No. 2 Bills (if Bills beat Steelers, Dolphins beat Chiefs, Texans beat Browns)

  • No. 4 Texans at No. 1 Ravens (if Bills beat Steelers, Chiefs beat Dolphins, Texans beat Browns)

  • No. 3 Chiefs at No. 2 Bills (if Bills beat Steelers, Chiefs beat Dolphins)

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NFL Playoffs bracket: NFC

In the first round of the NFC postseason, the No. 7 Green Bay Packers (final Wild Card) face the No. 2 Dallas Cowboys (NFC East winner), the No. 6 Los Angeles Rams (second Wild Card) take on the No. 3 Detroit Lions (NFC North winner) and the No. 5 Philadelphia Eagles (first Wild Card) are at the No. 4 Tampa Bay Buccaneers (NFC South winner).

The No. 1 San Francisco 49ers (NFC West winner) have a bye as the team with the best record in the regular season.

In the NFC, the 49ers will play the Packers if Green Bay upsets Dallas. San Francisco would face the Rams if the Cowboys beat the Packers and the Rams upset the Lions.

If the Cowboys and Lions win their games, the 49ers would face the winner of the Eagles vs. Buccaneers game.

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NFL Playoffs bracket: Possible NFC Divisional Round matchups

  • No. 7 Packers at No. 1 49ers (if Packers beat Cowboys)

  • No. 6 Rams at No. 5 Eagles (if Packers beat Cowboys, Rams beat Lions, Eagles beat Buccaneers)

  • No. 6 Rams at No. 4 Buccaneers (if Packers beat Cowboys, Rams beat Lions, Buccaneers beat Eagles)

  • No. 6 Rams at No. 1 49ers (if Cowboys beat Packers, Rams beat Lions)

  • No. 5 Eagles at No. 3 Lions (if Packers beat Cowboys, Lions beat Rams, Eagles beat Buccaneers)

  • No. 5 Eagles at No. 2 Cowboys (if Cowboys beat Packers, Rams beat Lions, Eagles beat Buccaneers)

  • No. 5 Eagles at No. 1 49ers (if Cowboys beat Packers, Lions beat Rams, Eagles beat Buccaneers)

  • No. 4 Buccaneers at No. 3 Lions (if Packers beat Cowboys, Lions beat Rams, Buccaneers beat Eagles)

  • No. 4 Buccaneers at No. 2 Cowboys (if Cowboys beat Packers, Rams beat Lions, Buccaneers beat Eagles)

  • No. 4 Buccaneers at No. 1 49ers (if Cowboys beat Packers, Lions beat Rams, Buccaneers beat Eagles)

  • No. 3 Lions at No. 2 Cowboys (if Cowboys beat Packers, Lions beat Rams)

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NFL Playoffs bracket for NFC, AFC Championship Games, Super Bowl

The NFL Playoffs work as a straight tournament after the Divisional Round, with the winner of the two AFC Divisional Round games facing off in the AFC Championship Game and the winners of the two NFC Divisional Round games playing in the NFC Championship Game.

The winners of the conference championship games will then face off in Super Bowl 58 on Feb. 11 in Las Vegas.

As shown above, there are a lot of different scenarios for potential matchups in the Divisional Round, then the AFC and NFC Championship Games, and then the Super Bowl.

Who is going to end up winning the AFC and NFC to face off in Las Vegas?

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Reach Jeremy Cluff at jeremy.cluff@arizonarepublic.com. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter @Jeremy_Cluff.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: NFL Playoffs bracket: Possible Divisional Round NFC, AFC playoff games