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Then there were eight. The Wild Card Round of the 2023 NFL Playoffs is officially in the books, and the season's end is inching ever closer. Wild Card Weekend featured some great games (for the most part), so the Divisional Round has a tough act to follow as we take a look at the NFL playoff bracket.
Additionally, these divisional games will also have to follow last year's insane slate. The 2022 Divisional Round gave us four of the best playoff games in recent memory, including the Bills-Chiefs overtime thriller. If this year's slate is even half as good as last year's, NFL fans are in for a treat.
Wild Card Weekend was just the appetizer, now the quest for the Lombardi really heats up. With that said, here's where the NFL playoff bracket stands heading into the divisional round.
AFC Playoff Bracket
(1) Kansas City Chiefs vs. (4) Jacksonville Jaguars
The Kansas City Chiefs got some much-needed rest on Wild Card Weekend after earning the AFC's top seed with a 14-3 record. Although, that top seed comes with the caveat of a neutral-site AFC Championship Game in Atlanta if the Chiefs were to play the Bills in that game. Still, likely MVP Patrick Mahomes and co. will be as tough as a foe as ever, and they are Super Bowl favorites for a reason, per FanDuel.
Meanwhile, their opponent had to fight tooth-and-nail just to get to this point. The Jacksonville Jaguars trailed 27-0 against the Los Angeles Chargers before mounting a miraculous comeback to pull out a 31-30 win. After a historically bad start, Trevor Lawrence showed his resolve to earn a statement win for Jacksonville.
This game is a rematch of a Week 10 game in Kansas City, which the Chiefs won, 27-17.
(2) Buffalo Bills vs. (3) Cincinnati Bengals
These two teams were supposed to meet in Week 17 in Cincinnati, but the frightening Damar Hamlin injury led to the game being canceled. Now they will get to face off without incident (hopefully), this time in Buffalo. With both teams being clear-cut Super Bowl contenders, this could easily be the best game of the weekend.
Both of these teams had close calls against seemingly inferior opponents in the Wild Card Round. Buffalo barely survived against the Miami Dolphins and third-string quarterback Skylar Thompson in a 34-31 win. Meanwhile, Cincinnati escaped the Lamar-Jackson-less Baltimore Ravens 24-17 thanks to Sam Hubbard's 98-yard go-ahead scoop-and-score.
NFC Playoff Bracket
(1) Philadelphia Eagles vs. (6) New York Giants
Much like Kansas City, Philadelphia enjoyed a week off after clinching the NFC's top seed at 14-3. The Eagles let the race for the top seed come down to the wire, but Jalen Hurts' return in Week 18 allowed them to win and clinch a first-round bye. Despite their stellar record, the Eagles are not the Super Bowl favorite out of the NFC, so they likely have a chip on their shoulders.
New York was the lone betting underdog to win this weekend, defeating the Minnesota Vikings 31-24 on the road. Daniel Jones impressed in his playoff debut with 379 total yards and two touchdowns, while Saquon Barkley scored two as well. Brian Daboll continues to build his case for Coach of the Year as his Giants continue to defy all odds.
These two NFC East rivals met twice during the regular season, with Philadelphia winning both times. The Eagles won 48-22 on the road in Week 14 and 22-16 at home in Week 18, although the Giants were resting their starters in the latter game. This is the first playoff meeting between these rivals since the 2009 Wild Card Round.
(2) San Francisco 49ers vs. (5) Dallas Cowboys
This game is another strong contender for the game of the week. The two most impressive teams in the Wild Card Round, a rematch from last year's NFL Playoffs and an old rivalry reignited, this game has it all.
After a slow start, San Francisco caught fire in a 41-23 win over the NFC West rival Seattle Seahawks. Brock Purdy, Christian McCaffrey and Deebo Samuel all had great performances to help the 49ers pull away. Meanwhile, Dallas defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 31-14 thanks to Dak Prescott's five touchdowns and a dominant defensive showing.
While these two teams didn't meet in the regular season, they did meet in last year's Wild Card Round. The 49ers won that game 23-17, as Prescott's slide left the Cowboys unable to stop the clock in time. Dallas will be looking for revenge this time, while San Francisco will look to extend its winning streak to 12 games.
These two teams are very familiar with each other in the playoffs, having played each other eight times previously. This was especially true in the '90s, when they met in the NFC Championship Game three times in a row. With all the storylines surrounding this game, NFL fans won't want to miss it as the Divisional Round wraps up.
