NFL playoff picks, 2019 mock draft and all the wild-card weekend essentials you need
The playoffs are here!
Twelve teams enter. Only one emerges as champion.
Over the course of the next month on the road to Super Bowl LIII in Atlanta on Feb. 3, stars will be made, legacies will be formed and, perhaps, an all-time NFL classic or two will be played.
That's exciting stuff, football fans!
The fun starts Saturday, when the Texans host the Colts in the two teams' third meeting this season and the Seahawks visit Jerry World to play the Cowboys. On Sunday, the Chargers take on the Ravens in Baltimore and the defending Super Bowl champion Eagles play the Bears at Soldier Field.
Here are your essentials for wild-card weekend:
Playoff picks, burning questions & more!
- Playoff picks: Paste BN Sports' panel of NFL experts has provided their predictions for which teams will win on wild-card weekend, as well as providing their latest Super Bowl LIII predictions.
- Bell Tolls for wild-card weekend: Paste BN Sports' Jarrett Bell breaks down the keys to the wild-card weekend, including the importance of several wide receivers, a few young QBs and a crazy stat about all the close games during the 2018 season.
- One pressing question for each playoff team: The road to Super Bowl LIII is built on hope, hype and the promise of glory along with pitfalls, surprises and so many questions.
- One weakness for every playoff team: Just like coaching staffs across the playoff field are trying to exploit soft spots in their opponents, we examine one glaring weakness from each squad in the postseason.
- Playoff X-factors: We dig into the key matchups for each wild-card game, and here are the key players for each team.
- Nagy finds right formula for Bears: Coach Matt Nagy has made a significant impact on a franchise desperate for a winner.
- Crawford preps for playoff return: A week after a "scary" neck injury, the Cowboys' Tyrone Crawford discusses the challenge of returning to play in Saturday's NFC wild-card game.
- Colts-Texans preview: Houston and Indianapolis split their regular-season series, leaving plenty of mystery for the third showdown in the wild-card round.
- Seahawks-Cowboys preview: The Seahawks triumphed in a Week 3 meeting with the Cowboys, but both teams have undergone significant changes since that first meeting.
- Chargers-Ravens preview: The Ravens are hoping to recapture the winning formula of their late-season victory over Los Angeles, while the Chargers are looking for a change.
- Eagles-Bears preview: Philadelphia defied the odds to make it into the postseason, but Nick Foles and Co. have a tough test waiting in Chicago's staunch defense.
Top NFL storylines
- Could Kingsbury be a good NFL fit? Kliff Kingsbury's record at Texas Tech makes him an odd choice to get NFL head coaching interviews. But if you dig deeper, going to the NFL might make sense.
- Eight possible landing spots for Brown: Antonio Brown has had — how do we say this nicely? — an interesting week. If the Steelers decide to move on, here are eight teams that are potential trade partners for Brown.
- Hall of Fame finalists: Fifteen modern-era finalists have been selected for this year's Pro Football Hall of Fame class, which will be announced on Feb. 2, one day before Super Bowl LIII.
- Ranking NFL head coaching vacancies: There are currently eight head-coaching vacancies in the NFL for 2019. But which opening is the most conducive to a candidate finding success?
- NFL coach firings reveal accountability problem: Monday was unkind to several coaches throughout the NFL, but that wasn't the case for GMs. That dichotomy is problematic.
- Power rankings: With the regular season complete, all 12 playoff teams dominate our poll — including a new one in the Top 5.
TOP PICS: Best of the 2018 season | Cheerleaders | Celebrations | Fans
Wild-card playoff schedule
Click on team name to get updated news on your team from our NFL wire sites.
(All times Eastern)
Saturday
Indianapolis Colts at Houston Texans, 4:35 p.m. ET (ESPN/ABC)
Seattle Seahawks at Dallas Cowboys, 8:15 p.m. ET (FOX)
Sunday
Los Angeles Chargers at Baltimore Ravens, 1:05 p.m. ET (CBS)
Philadelphia Eagles at Chicago Bears, 4:40 p.m. ET (NBC)
2019 NFL draft
- Mock draft 1.0: With four months until the draft, here is an initial look at how the first round might shake out.
- 2019 NFL draft first-round order: Picks Nos. 1-20 are set, and the Arizona Cardinals are on the clock.
- Underclassmen heading for the draft: It's that time of year when college underclassmen declare their intentions to enter the 2019 NFL draft. Here are those players who already have announced their plans to go pro.
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