Welcome to the best weekend on the NFL calendar: The divisional playoffs
Welcome to the divisional playoffs, which is arguably the greatest weekend of the NFL season.
Some of the most epic games in league history have taken place during this weekend: The Minneapolis Miracle, the Tuck Rule game, the Fog Bowl, the Epic in Miami, Red Right 88, Ghost to the Post, the Cowboys' Hail Mary game and the Immaculate Reception.
Football fans can only hope that at least one of this weekend's games turns into an all-time classic. The matchups certainly are enticing.
The action kicks off Saturday in Santa Clara, where the NFC's top seed -- the 49ers -- host the Vikings, who are fresh off a stunning upset of the Saints. Then, the Titans -- who might have closed the door on the Patriots' dynasty -- take on the Ravens, the AFC's top seed.
Sunday features two great quarterback duels. The Texans' Deshaun Watson and Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes square off in Kansas City, while the Seahawks' Russell Wilson and Packers' Aaron Rodgers face off in what might be a very winter wonderland-like Lambeau Field.
Divisional playoff schedule
Saturday
Minnesota Vikings at San Francisco 49ers, 4:35 p.m. ET (NBC)
Tennessee Titans at Baltimore Ravens, 8:15 p.m. ET (CBS)
Sunday
Houston Texans at Kansas City Chiefs, 3:05 p.m. (CBS)
Seattle Seahawks at Green Bay Packers, 6:40 p.m. (FOX)
Here are your essentials for the divisional playoffs:
Playoff picks, burning questions & more!
- Divisional playoff picks: Which teams will advance to the conference championship games? Our experts weigh in with their predictions.
- Vikings-49ers preview: After leading the Vikings to their first road playoff win in 15 years, Kirk Cousins faces a familiar figure in 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan.
- Titans-Ravens preview: Get ready for a healthy dose of the run game, as both Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry try to carry their teams to the AFC title game.
- Texans-Chiefs preview: Two of the NFL's most scintillating quarterbacks face off when Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson meet.
- Seahawks-Packers preview: The Seahawks have been strong on the road this season, but toppling the Packers at (possibly very snowy) Lambeau Field might take everything that Seattle has.
- Dream matchups for Super Bowl LIV: Of the eight teams remaining, Lorenzo Reyes identifies which teams would make up the most enticing Super Bowl matchups.
- How ex-GM stepped aside but left NFL contender stocked: Ozzie Newsome no longer holds the official title of Ravens GM, but his fingerprints are all over the top-seeded AFC team, writes Jarrett Bell.
- Lamar Jackson is embarrassing the NFL's scouting process: Jackson's NFL heroics shouldn't be too surprising. Yet four QBs were selected ahead of him in 2018.
- NFL's only true two-way player: In a league filled with specialists, the Ravens' Patrick Ricard is the rare do-everything player, writes Tom Schad.
- More than muscle: Rookie receivers DK Metcalf, A.J. Brown are succeeding for reasons far beyond their impressive physiques, writes Nate Davis.
- Wink Martindale's big fan? Other Wink Martindale: One made his living on TV and radio. The other is known for coaching defense. But, there's mutual admiration between the two Wink Martindales.
- Seahawks LB's playoff vision is wild: An NFC Championship Game in Seattle between two wild-card teams? Don't rule it out, Seahawks linebacker K.J. Wright says.
Top NFL storylines
- 'I heard bells': Jerry Jones didn't have to look for long to find Jason Garrett's replacement.
- McCarthy's to-do list: New Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy will have plenty on his plate as he adjusts to his new team, writes Jori Epstein.
- What we learned from latest coaching hires: With all but one vacancy filled, it's clear that some things have changed in NFL hiring cycles, writes Mike Jones.
- 5 teams fit if Tom Brady splits from Patriots: If Brady hits free agency for the first time in his career, he has some intriguing options writes Nate Davis.
- 2019 AP NFL All-Pro team: Ravens QB Lamar Jackson and Panthers RB Christian McCaffrey are among first-teamers for 2019 Associated Press NFL All-Pro selections.
- TOP PICS: Best of the 2019 season | Cheerleaders | NFL 100
2020 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.
- Draft dominoes could fall if trade materializes: Three NFL teams could trade up for the Lions' No. 3 overall pick to draft Alabama QB Tua Tagovailoa, if the price is right.
- It was too risky for Tua to stay at Alabama: The risks of another injury were too high to keep Tua Tagovailoa from joining the NFL draft, writes Dan Wolken.
- 2020 NFL draft first-round order: Picks Nos. 1-24 are set, and the Cincinnati Bengals are on the clock.
- Underclassmen heading for the draft: These are the players who already have announced their intentions to enter the 2020 NFL draft.
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