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A dynasty has crumbled, established stars have stumbled, and former also-rans have surged into Super Bowl contention.

Veteran NFL commentator Cris Collinsworth stated, "this is the most unusual year I can remember in the NFL."

The playoff field is set with 14 teams, marking the first time in over a decade that the Kansas City Chiefs are not participating.

The defending champion Philadelphia Eagles have not displayed the same dominance as last season, while preseason favorites like the Buffalo Bills have failed to meet lofty expectations.

However, in a rare statistical twist, 11 of the 14 playoff teams secured at least 11 victories during the regular season, a feat achieved only twice in the past 35 years.

A record five teams qualified after suffering 11 or more losses the previous year, with two—New England and Chicago—completing a "worst-to-first" turnaround in their divisions.

Collinsworth further explained, "Selecting a frontrunner is challenging because compelling arguments exist for each contender."

"Witnessing these emerging quarterbacks compete will be incredible, given their unknown ceilings. These moments are where football legends start their journeys."

How Do the NFL Playoffs Function?

Fourteen teams enter the postseason, split evenly with seven representatives from both the AFC and NFC.

The conferences remain separate throughout a three-week, 12-game knockout tournament that determines each conference's representative in Super Bowl 60 on February 8.

The highest-seeded team in each matchup enjoys home-field advantage, with the top seeds—Denver and Seattle—receiving a first-round bye during Wildcard Weekend.

Denver and Seattle start their playoff runs in the Divisional Round. The AFC and NFC champions, decided in the Conference Championship games, will play for the Lombardi Trophy at Levi's Stadium.

The possibility exists for a Seattle-Denver Super Bowl replay from 2014, despite Denver's subsequent victory in the last Super Bowl held at Levi's Stadium back in 2016.

An Unprecedentedly Open Path to the AFC Title

A staple of recent playoffs, Patrick Mahomes of the Chiefs, is not participating for the first time in his professional journey.

Adding to the change, Super Bowl 60 will lack both Mahomes and Joe Burrow of Cincinnati, breaking a streak dating back to 2019.

With recent MVPs Mahomes and Lamar Jackson (Baltimore) also out, the AFC playoff field lacks its recent dominant forces, creating a void for new contenders.

The path to the AFC title is therefore unobstructed, allowing rising talents including Bo Nix of Denver and New England's Drake Maye to pursue playoff immortality.

A mere three clubs have captured the AFC Championship since 2016, and their championship rosters have completely turned over.

The AFC's number one seed, Denver, has barely played in the postseason lately, and Pittsburgh joins them as the only current AFC playoff teams with Super Bowl experience in the last 30 years.

The AFC does feature established quarterbacks such as Pittsburgh's Aaron Rodgers and Buffalo's Josh Allen, whose playoff experience might prove decisive against the influx of youth.

Who Are the Super Bowl and MVP Favorites?

The NFC boasts more recent playoff pedigree, with Philadelphia, Los Angeles, or San Francisco appearing in seven of the last eight Super Bowls.

The Rams and 49ers have felt postseason pressure for a while, competing intensely with Seattle in what is considered the NFL's toughest division, the NFC West.

Seattle won the NFC West with 14 victories, carrying a seven-game win streak into the playoffs following critical late-season wins over its division foes.

As the NFC's top seed, the Seahawks are now narrow favorites for the Super Bowl, while Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford is the player most likely to win MVP honors.

The 37-year-old Stafford, a Super Bowl winner with the Rams in 2022, seeks his first MVP award and is currently favored over New England's promising second-year QB, Drake Maye.

Maye has thrived under new head coach Mike Vrabel, helping New England dramatically improve from a 4-13 record last season to 14-3.

Chicago's Caleb Williams is another second-year quarterback excelling under a new coach, with Ben Johnson guiding the Bears from 5-12 to 11-6 and the NFC's second seed.

Wildcard Weekend: The Complete Fixture List

All times are in GMT

Saturday, 10 January

The Rams travel to face the Carolina Panthers (21:30)

Green Bay Packers @ Chicago Bears (01:00 Sunday)

Sunday, 11 January

Buffalo Bills @ Jacksonville Jaguars (18:00)

The 49ers take on the defending champion Philadelphia Eagles (21:30)

New England Patriots host the Los Angeles Chargers (01:00 Monday)

Monday, 12 January

The Texans meet the Pittsburgh Steelers (01:00 Tuesday)

Major Plotlines Heading into Wildcard Weekend

Wildcard Weekend opens with the Rams at Carolina, a Panthers squad that historically qualified for the postseason despite a sub-.500 8-9 finish as division champions.

Los Angeles must play away, but quarterback Matthew Stafford led the league in passing yards and touchdowns, with receiver Puka Nacua posting a career-high 1,715 receiving yards.

The Packers, slowed by key injuries, get quarterback Jordan Love back from concussion for a rare playoff meeting in football's longest-standing rivalry.

Winning the NFC North was an achievement for Chicago, but the Bears now aim to prevent a three-game losing streak from ending their playoff run abruptly.

Another NFC wildcard clash sees an injury-plagued San Francisco team visit the defending champion Eagles, who rested starters after clinching the NFC East.

Reigning MVP Josh Allen of Buffalo dreams of his first Super Bowl, but the Bills face a difficult road test against a red-hot Jacksonville team on an eight-game win streak.

{New England aims to avoid an upset at home against the Los Angeles Chargers, whose quarterback Justin Herbert seeks his first playoff win in his sixth season.|The Patriots hope to defend their home field against the Chargers, as LA's quarterback Justin Herbert looks for his inaugural postseason victory in year six.|At home, New England tries to stave off the Chargers, with Justin Herbert attempting to secure his first career playoff