The NFL playoffs are underway and we all know what’s at stake. Whether you’re rooting for a team or hoping for a wild card, here are some things you should keep in mind.
Seahawks vs 49ers
If you’ve been watching the NFL, you may have noticed that the Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers have been battling it out in the NFC playoffs. In this upcoming matchup, the two teams will have a chance to advance to the second round. The Seattle Seahawks have the edge with a 1-0 record against the 49ers in the playoffs.
This week, they will travel to the 49ers’ home field of Santa Clara. These two teams met twice in the regular season and once in the playoffs. Both teams had a winning record in the regular season, but the Seahawks came out on top in the first meeting.
In this game, the 49ers started strong, gaining first and third downs in the opening drive. However, the San Francisco offense couldn’t sustain its momentum. On the next drive, the 49ers got the ball to the Seahawks’ 24-yard line, but the Seahawks offense didn’t make the conversion.
Then, the San Francisco 49ers took control of the game in the second half. The team led 41-17 at the half.
Wild-card round
The NFL Wild Card round is a first-round game in the playoffs. It is the only round in which you can be certain to face a wild card team.
The Wild Card round was introduced in 1970 after the AFL-NFL merger. Originally, the Wild Card was a fourth qualifier. Eventually, two qualifiers were added per conference.
There are two ways to qualify for the Wild Card: First, you can have a perfect regular season. Second, you can have the best record in your conference. You can also qualify by winning your division. Both methods have their advantages and disadvantages.
Since the AFL-NFL merger, the NFL’s wild card has evolved into a much larger role in the playoffs. Today, the playoffs feature three “wild cards” at a conference. These are the teams with the best overall record in their conference.
The playoffs also offer additional competition for fans with the “wild card round” and “Super Wild Card Weekend.” Each weekend, a pair of “wild card” teams will face each other in games that normally would not be played.
Divisional round
The NFL Divisional Round is an exciting weekend of football. Each of the eight teams participating will play two games. The winner of each will move on to the Conference Championship Games. These are played at the end of the season. In the NFC, the winner of the Western Division will face the winner of the Eastern Division.
Traditionally, this playoff round is the most exciting weekend of the NFL season. There are four great matchups throughout the round. One of these will determine who advances to the Super Bowl.
In the past, the top two teams in the league received first-round byes. But in 2010, the playoffs expanded from 12 teams to 14. Now, all eight remaining teams compete.
The Divisional Round is played in a standard bracket format. Teams are seeded one through four, with the highest seed playing the lowest. AFC and NFC conferences each have three wild card teams. Unlike the NCAA tournament, these teams do not have to face each other in the playoffs.
Tiebreakers
Tiebreakers in the NFL playoffs can be confusing. They are used to break ties between two or more teams, but the methods are different for each team. The first tiebreaker is head-to-head. This is used to decide which division the two clubs will be in.
Next, the strength of the schedule is assessed. This is calculated by taking the winning percentages of the two teams against their common opponents. If they have identical percentages, then the tie is broken. However, if they have different percentages, then the tie is not broken.
The next tiebreaker is net points scored. If the teams have the same number of points against their common opponents, then they are considered to be tied. For example, if the AFC team has an average of five touchdowns, and the team from the NFC has six touchdowns, then they are considered to be tied.
Another tiebreaker is the best won-loss percentage. It is the deciding factor when comparing conference records.
