NFL Wild Card Round | NFL Week 19

Every year, the NFL postseason begins with the Wild Card Round. The Wild Card system started in 1978 and is known as Wild Card Weekend or Super Wild Card Weekend (since 2021). It is the first round of the playoffs, featuring six teams from the AFC and six teams from the NFC, as per the current format.

This round always generates a lot of excitement, even before it starts, because all teams are vying to get into the playoffs weeks before the end of the regular season. Therefore, as week 18 of the regular season ends, the NFL’s playoff picture finally becomes clear, and we get to know which 14 teams have made it to the postseason.

The Wild Card Round, being the first round of the NFL playoffs, has a total of 6 games between 12 teams. Each conference has three games, and the seeding for the teams is decided as per their standings at the end of the regular season. In addition to these 12 teams, there are 2 more teams - 1 in the AFC and 1 in the NFC who get bye weeks and therefore, play directly in the second round of the playoffs.

For the Wild Card Round, teams are seeded according to their regular season records, but all four division winners occupy the top 4 spots. That means the winners of AFC East, AFC West, AFC North, and AFC South will occupy spots 1-4 according to their record over the regular season. A similar structure is followed in the NFC too, and both number one seeds from each conference will get the bye week. Moreover, these two teams will have home-field advantage until the Super Bowl.

After the first four teams are sorted according to the record of the division winners, we are left with the last three teams in each conference for spots 5, 6, and 7. These teams are known as the Wild Card Teams, and these three spots will go to the teams with the best remaining records from the entire conference.

In the end, the Wild Card Round will be played out in the following manner giving us a total of 6 matches on Wild Card Weekend:

• Seeds 1 - Bye week

• Game 1 will be between seeds 2 and seeds 7 - Home field to the higher seed

• Game 2 will be between seeds 3 and seeds 6 - Home field to the higher seed

• Game 3 will be between seeds 4 and seeds 5 - Home field to the higher seed

Wild Card Weekend generally takes place in the middle of January. For the 2023-24 NFL season, the dates of Wild Card Weekend are from January 13 to January 15, 2024.

2023 NFL Season Wild Card Round

The 2023 NFL season Wild Card Round is finally set. We have got our 14 teams that are going through to the playoffs. As the number one seeds in the AFC and the NFC enjoy a relaxing bye-week, the other 12 teams will fight it out amongst themselves for a right to earn a place in the Divisional Round and keep their hopes of a Super Bowl alive.

Wild Card Round Schedule

*Note: Baltimore Ravens (1) and the San Francisco 49ers (1) have a bye-week.

With this being the playoffs, all of the games are important and must-watch for fans of the sport. However, in the Wild Card Round this year, two games stand out due to some recent history between the two teams.

First of all, in the AFC, we have the number 6-seeded Miami Dolphins taking on the number 3-seeded Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium. This matchup is one of the most interesting matches in the playoffs as the Dolphins have a high-flying offense while the Chiefs rely more on their defense this season.

Both teams met earlier this season but the game was played overseas in Germany where the Chiefs won 21-14. Apart from that, the interesting bit is this will be the first time former Chiefs and current Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill makes his first visit to Arrowhead following his departure from Kansas City in 2022.

Over in the NFC, the Los Angeles Rams are visiting the Detroit Lions in what could be a tough matchup. The Lions have remained quite consistent all season long, while the Rams got the momentum going towards the second half of the season. Both teams look nicely matched up for what should be an entertaining game.

In addition to that, this game will also be interesting as Matthew Stafford returns to Detroit to take on Jared Goff’s former team. Both quarterbacks were traded for each other in 2021 and thus, this game has become an important one for both as they try to outdo each other.

FAQs about NFL Wild Card Round

Q. How many teams play in the Wild Card Round of the NFL?

A. A total of 12 teams play in the Wild Card Round as per the current format. 6 teams from the AFC and 6 teams from the NFC make up the first round of the NFL Playoffs.

Q. Which teams won their divisions in the AFC in the 2023 NFL Season?

A. The Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills, Kansas City Chiefs, and the Houston Texans won their respective AFC divisions in the 2023 NFL season.

Q. Which teams have received a bye in the 2023-24 Wild Card Round?

A. The Baltimore Ravens from the AFC and the San Francisco 49ers from the NFC have received a bye for the Wild Card Round.

Q. How many games will be played on Sunday during Wild Card Weekend?

A. Sunday features three games in the Wild Card Round beginning with the Steelers vs Bills, followed by the Packers vs Cowboys, and ending with the Rams vs Lions.

Q. Which is the last Wild Card Round game for the 2023 NFL season?

A. The Eagles take on the Buccaneers in the last Wild Card Game of the 2023 NFL season.