NFL wild-card weekend: What to watch as Rams' Matthew Stafford faces his old team in Detroit
The NFL playoffs begin with Super Wild Card Weekend, featuring six games spanning from Saturday to Monday night. Here are the matchups and storylines, as well as how to watch on the NFL+ streaming service, which you can sign up for here. Catch all games in your local market and prime-time games during the regular season on NFL+. (All times ET.)
Saturday, Jan. 13
No. 5 Cleveland Browns vs. No. 4 Houston Texans, 4:30 p.m.
Cleveland's 38-year-old Joe Flacco vs. Houston rookie C.J. Stroud is not a QB matchup many would've expected in the playoffs, but here we are. These are two teams on the rise, and a playoff win would be a huge step forward for either franchise. Watch this game on NFL+ here.
No. 6 Miami Dolphins vs. No. 3 Kansas City Chiefs, 8:15 p.m.
This is probably not the first-round playoff matchup Miami had in mind a few weeks ago before it let a potential AFC East title slip away after back-to-back losses. The late-season stumble means the Dolphins have to travel to frigid Arrowhead Stadium to face Patrick Mahomes and the defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs. Kansas City hasn't looked as dominant as it did in years past, but it's hard to count out Mahomes and Co. Watch this game on NFL+ here.
Sunday, Jan. 14
No. 7 Pittsburgh Steelers vs. No. 2 Buffalo Bills, 1 p.m.
The Steelers found a way into the playoffs despite an up-and-down season and quarterback issues. Mason Rudolph appears to be the man under center for Pittsburgh, who will travel to Buffalo as a significant underdog against Josh Allen and the surging Bills. The weather forecast looks ugly for Sunday, so it could be a low-scoring grind. Watch this game on NFL+ here.
No. 7 Green Bay Packers vs. No. 2 Dallas Cowboys, 4:30 p.m.
It doesn't get more classic than a Packers-Cowboys matchup in the postseason. Between the Ice Bowl in 1967 and the "Dez caught it" controversy in 2015, there's volumes of history and animosity between these storied franchises in the playoffs. How will the latest chapter of this clash play out? Watch this game on NFL+ here.
No. 6 Los Angeles Rams vs. No. 3 Detroit Lions, 8:15 p.m.
As if Detroit hosting its first playoff game since the 1993 season wasn't enough of a storyline, the Lions will have to face a Rams team led by a familiar face in Matthew Stafford. The quarterback faces the team that drafted him and saw him become a star before trading him away in 2021. Anxiety will be high in Detroit for both sides. Watch this game on NFL+ here.
Monday, Jan. 15
No. 5 Philadelphia Eagles vs. No. 4 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 8:15 p.m.
Can the Eagles right the ship after losing five of their last six games down the stretch? It'll be an interesting matchup between slumping Philadelphia against a Bucs team that narrowly won the NFC South with a 9-8 record. Watch this game on NFL+ here.
