2022–23 NFL playoffs: Difference between revisions

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The cancellation of the Bills–Bengals game, however, affected the playoff implications involving four teams: the Bills, Bengals, [[2022 Kansas City Chiefs season|Kansas City Chiefs]], and [[2022 Baltimore Ravens season|Baltimore Ravens]]. Going into the game, Cincinnati held an 11–4 record and only needed a win to clinch the [[AFC North]] division title over Baltimore (which was 10–6 after finishing their week 17 game, and losing the conference record tiebreaker to the 10–6 [[2022 Los Angeles Chargers season|Los Angeles Chargers]] for wild card seeding). The Bengals and the 12–3 Bills were still fighting the 13–3 Chiefs for the top seed in the AFC.<ref name="BUF-CIN"/>
The cancellation of the Bills–Bengals game, however, affected the playoff implications involving four teams: the Bills, Bengals, [[2022 Kansas City Chiefs season|Kansas City Chiefs]], and [[2022 Baltimore Ravens season|Baltimore Ravens]]. Going into the game, Cincinnati held an 11–4 record and only needed a win to clinch the [[AFC North]] division title over Baltimore (which was 10–6 after finishing their week 17 game, and losing the conference record tiebreaker to the 10–6 [[2022 Los Angeles Chargers season|Los Angeles Chargers]] for wild card seeding). The Bengals and the 12–3 Bills were still fighting the 13–3 Chiefs for the top seed in the AFC.<ref name="BUF-CIN"/>


The league confirmed that for the purpose of determining playoff matchups, seeding would still be determined by [[winning percentage]], which the NFL has always formally used to rank teams. By canceling the game, the Bengals automatically clinched the AFC North division championship based on winning percentage. (Had Cincinnati lost the canceled game to go to 11–5, the Week 18 Raven–Bengals game would have been for the AFC North championship, with the Ravens having the head-to-head victory tiebreaker if both teams finished at 11–6.) The Chiefs were then put into a position to clinch the AFC top seed with a win against the [[2022 Las Vegas Raiders season|Las Vegas Raiders]] to go to 14–3, or for the Bills to finish at 12–4 by losing to the [[2022 New England Patriots season|New England Patriots]]. (Had Buffalo won the canceled game, and both the Bills and Kansas City ended the season at 14–3, Buffalo held the head-to-head victory tiebreaker; had Cincinnati won the canceled game, and both the Bengals and Chiefs ended the season at 13–4, Cincinnati would have held the better conference record at 9–3 vs. a Kansas City 8–4.)<ref name="BUF-CIN"/><ref>{{cite web |last1=Around the NFL Staff |title=Changes to AFC playoffs approved by NFL owners: What you need to know |url=https://www.nfl.com/news/proposed-afc-playoff-contingencies-what-you-need-to-know |website=NFL |publisher=NFL |access-date=2022-01-06 |date=2022-01-06}}</ref>
The league confirmed that for the purpose of determining playoff matchups, seeding would still be determined by [[winning percentage]], which the NFL has always formally used to rank teams. By canceling the game, the Bengals automatically clinched the AFC North division championship based on winning percentage. (Had Cincinnati lost the canceled game to go to 11–5, the Week 18 Raven–Bengals game would have been for the AFC North championship, with the Ravens having the head-to-head victory tiebreaker if both teams finished at 11–6.) The Chiefs were then put into a position to clinch the AFC top seed with a win against the [[2022 Las Vegas Raiders season|Las Vegas Raiders]] to go to 14–3, or for the Bills to finish at 12–4 by losing to the [[2022 New England Patriots season|New England Patriots]]. (Had Buffalo won the canceled game, and both the Bills and Kansas City ended the season at 14–3, Buffalo held the head-to-head victory tiebreaker; had Cincinnati won the canceled game, and both the Bengals and Chiefs ended the season at 13–4, Cincinnati held the head-to-head victory tiebreaker.)<ref name="BUF-CIN"/><ref>{{cite web |last1=Around the NFL Staff |title=Changes to AFC playoffs approved by NFL owners: What you need to know |url=https://www.nfl.com/news/proposed-afc-playoff-contingencies-what-you-need-to-know |website=NFL |publisher=NFL |access-date=2022-01-06 |date=2022-01-06}}</ref>


Therefore during a special league meeting on January 6, NFL owners approved the following changes for this postseason:<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nfl.com/news/nfl-owners-approve-resolution-to-adjust-afc-postseason-including-potential-neutr|title=NFL owners approve resolution to adjust AFC playoffs, including potential neutral title game site|publisher=NFL Media|date=January 6, 2023|access-date=January 6, 2023}}</ref>
Therefore during a special league meeting on January 6, NFL owners approved the following changes for this postseason:<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nfl.com/news/nfl-owners-approve-resolution-to-adjust-afc-postseason-including-potential-neutr|title=NFL owners approve resolution to adjust AFC playoffs, including potential neutral title game site|publisher=NFL Media|date=January 6, 2023|access-date=January 6, 2023}}</ref>

Revision as of 16:11, 9 January 2023

2022–23 NFL playoffs
DatesJanuary 14 – February 12, 2023
Season2022
Teams14
Games played13
Super Bowl LVII site
Defending championsLos Angeles Rams
(did not qualify)
NFL playoffs
← 2021–22

The National Football League playoffs for the 2022 season are scheduled to begin on January 14, 2023, and will conclude with Super Bowl LVII on February 12 at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.

Fourteen teams will participate in the playoffs. In each of the two conferences – the NFC and the AFC – the four division winners advance to the playoffs, along with three wild card teams, which are the teams with the best won-loss records that did not win their divisions. The division winner with the best record gets a first round bye.[1]

The format of the playoffs was changed to accommodate the cancellation of the January 2, 2023 game between Buffalo and Cincinnati with 5:58 remaining in the first quarter, caused by a life-threatening injury to Damar Hamlin during that game.[2]

Format changes following Week 17 canceled Bills–Bengals game

See also: 2022 NFL season § Damar Hamlin cardiac arrest, and Damar Hamlin § In-game collapse

During the Week 17 game on January 2 between the Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals, Buffalo safety Damar Hamlin collapsed and remained motionless after making a tackle on Cincinnati wide receiver Tee Higgins. At the time of Hamlin's collapse, there was 5:58 remaining in the first quarter with Cincinnati leading 7–3. It was later revealed that he had suffered cardiac arrest and was in critical condition. The remainder of the game was then postponed for the rest of the night, and on the following day the NFL initially said that it would not be resumed that week.[3] Then on January 5, the league announced that the game would be canceled entirely, and both teams would finish the regular season with only 16 regular season games, saying that it was "difficult, but necessary" under the "extraordinary circumstances."[4]

The cancellation of the Bills–Bengals game, however, affected the playoff implications involving four teams: the Bills, Bengals, Kansas City Chiefs, and Baltimore Ravens. Going into the game, Cincinnati held an 11–4 record and only needed a win to clinch the AFC North division title over Baltimore (which was 10–6 after finishing their week 17 game, and losing the conference record tiebreaker to the 10–6 Los Angeles Chargers for wild card seeding). The Bengals and the 12–3 Bills were still fighting the 13–3 Chiefs for the top seed in the AFC.[2]

The league confirmed that for the purpose of determining playoff matchups, seeding would still be determined by winning percentage, which the NFL has always formally used to rank teams. By canceling the game, the Bengals automatically clinched the AFC North division championship based on winning percentage. (Had Cincinnati lost the canceled game to go to 11–5, the Week 18 Raven–Bengals game would have been for the AFC North championship, with the Ravens having the head-to-head victory tiebreaker if both teams finished at 11–6.) The Chiefs were then put into a position to clinch the AFC top seed with a win against the Las Vegas Raiders to go to 14–3, or for the Bills to finish at 12–4 by losing to the New England Patriots. (Had Buffalo won the canceled game, and both the Bills and Kansas City ended the season at 14–3, Buffalo held the head-to-head victory tiebreaker; had Cincinnati won the canceled game, and both the Bengals and Chiefs ended the season at 13–4, Cincinnati held the head-to-head victory tiebreaker.)[2][5]

Therefore during a special league meeting on January 6, NFL owners approved the following changes for this postseason:[6]

  • The AFC Championship Game will be held at a neutral site in the following circumstances:
    • Buffalo and Kansas City both win or tie in Week 18 and both teams advance to the AFC Championship.
    • Buffalo and Kansas City both lose and Cincinnati loses or ties in Week 18, and Buffalo and Kansas City advance to the AFC Championship.
    • Buffalo and Kansas City both lose and Cincinnati wins in Week 18, and Kansas City and either Buffalo or Cincinnati advance to the AFC Championship.
  • The site of the Wild Card game between Baltimore and Cincinnati will be determined by coin flip if Baltimore and the Los Angeles Chargers both win in Week 18.

Otherwise, the playoff format would be same as previous seasons. (see NFL playoffs#Current playoff system)

The results of Week 18 simplified these possibilities greatly:

  • If the AFC Championship Game is Buffalo vs. Kansas City, it will be held at a neutral site.
  • The other situations covered by the January 6 decision are no longer possible.

Participants

Further information: NFL playoffs § Current playoff system

Within each conference, the four division winners and the top three non-division winners with the best overall regular season records qualified for the playoffs. The four division winners are seeded 1–4 based on their overall won-lost-tied record, and the wild card teams are seeded 5–7. The NFL does not use a fixed bracket playoff system, and there are no restrictions regarding teams from the same division matching up in any round. In the first round, dubbed the Wild Card playoffs or Super Wild Card Weekend, the second-seeded division winner hosts the seventh seed wild card, the third seed hosts the sixth seed, and the fourth seed hosts the fifth seed. The 1 seed from each conference receives a first-round bye. In the second round, the Divisional playoffs, the number 1 seed hosts the lowest-seeded surviving team from the first round (seed 4, 5, 6, or 7), while the other two surviving teams play each other, with the higher-seeded team hosting. The two surviving teams from each conference's divisional playoff games then meet in the respective AFC and NFC Conference Championships, hosted by the higher seed. Although the Super Bowl, the championship round of the playoffs, is played at a neutral site, the designated home team is based on an annual rotation by conference.[7]

Playoff seeds
Seed AFC NFC
1 Kansas City Chiefs (West winner) Philadelphia Eagles (East winner)
2 Buffalo Bills (East winner) San Francisco 49ers (West winner)
3 Cincinnati Bengals (North winner) Minnesota Vikings (North winner)
4 Jacksonville Jaguars (South winner) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (South winner)
5 Los Angeles Chargers (wild card) Dallas Cowboys (wild card)
6 Baltimore Ravens (wild card) New York Giants (wild card)
7 Miami Dolphins (wild card) Seattle Seahawks (wild card)


Bracket

Jan 15 – Paycor Stadium Jan 22 – Highmark Stadium
6 Baltimore 17
3 Cincinnati 24
3 Cincinnati 27
Jan 29 – Arrowhead Stadium
Jan 15 – Highmark Stadium 2 Buffalo 10
AFC
7 Miami 31 3 Cincinnati 20
Jan 21 – Arrowhead Stadium
2 Buffalo 34 1 Kansas City 23
AFC Championship
Jan 14 – TIAA Bank Field 4 Jacksonville 20
1 Kansas City 27
5 LA Chargers 30
Divisional playoffs Feb 12 – State Farm Stadium
4 Jacksonville 31
Wild Card playoffs
A1 Kansas City 38
Jan 16 – Raymond James Stadium Jan 22 – Levi's Stadium N1 Philadelphia 35
Super Bowl LVII
5 Dallas 31
4 Tampa Bay 14
5 Dallas 12
Jan 29 – Lincoln Financial Field
Jan 14 – Levi's Stadium 2 San Francisco 19
NFC
7 Seattle 23 2 San Francisco 7
Jan 21 – Lincoln Financial Field
2 San Francisco 41 1 Philadelphia 31
NFC Championship
Jan 15 – U.S. Bank Stadium 6 NY Giants 7
1 Philadelphia 38
6 NY Giants 31
3 Minnesota 24
This bracket:

Schedule

The playoffs are scheduled to begin on January 14–16, 2023 with the wild-card round, with three wild-card games played in each conference. In the Divisional round scheduled for January 21–22, the top seed in the conference will play the lowest remaining seed and the other two remaining teams will play each other. The winners of those games will advance to the Conference Championship games scheduled for January 29. Super Bowl LVII is scheduled for February 12 at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.[8]

Away team Score Home Team Date Kickoff
(ET / UTC–5)		 TV
Wild Card playoffs[9]
Seattle Seahawks San Francisco 49ers January 14, 2023 4:35 p.m. Fox
Los Angeles Chargers Jacksonville Jaguars January 14, 2023 8:15 p.m. NBC
Miami Dolphins Buffalo Bills January 15, 2023 1:05 p.m. CBS
New York Giants Minnesota Vikings January 15, 2023 4:40 p.m. Fox
Baltimore Ravens Cincinnati Bengals January 15, 2023 8:15 p.m. NBC
Dallas Cowboys Tampa Bay Buccaneers January 16, 2023 8:15 p.m. ABC/ESPN
Divisional playoffs
Lower-seeded team Higher-seeded team January 21, 2023 4:35 p.m. Fox, CBS or NBC
Lower-seeded team Higher-seeded team January 21, 2023 8:15 p.m.
Lower-seeded team Higher-seeded team January 22, 2023 3:05 p.m.
Lower-seeded team Higher-seeded team January 22, 2023 6:40 p.m.
Conference Championships
Lower-seeded NFC team Higher-seeded NFC team January 29, 2023 3:05 p.m. Fox
Lower-seeded AFC team Higher-seeded AFC team January 29, 2023 6:40 p.m. CBS
Super Bowl LVII
State Farm Stadium, Glendale, Arizona
AFC Champion NFC Champion February 12, 2023 6:30 p.m. Fox

NOTE: Fox (NFC) Fox (NFC) getting both of their Divisional playoff games with the AFC Divisional playoff games being spilt between NBC and CBS

Wild Card playoffs

Saturday, January 14, 2023

NFC: Seattle Seahawks vs. San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks vs. San Francisco 49ers – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Seahawks 0 0 000
49ers 0 0 000

at Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, California

This is the second overall playoff meeting in their history. The first meeting was in the 2013 NFC Championship, which the Seahawks won 23–17. In the regular season, the 49ers won both meetings, winning 27–7 in San Francisco in Week 2, and 21–13 in Seattle in Week 15.[10]

AFC: Los Angeles Chargers vs. Jacksonville Jaguars

Los Angeles Chargers vs. Jacksonville Jaguars – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Chargers 0 0 000
Jaguars 0 0 000

at TIAA Bank Field, Jacksonville, Florida

This is the first ever playoff meeting between the Jaguars and the Chargers. The teams met in Los Angeles in Week 3, where the Jaguars won 38–10.[11]

Sunday, January 15, 2023

AFC: Miami Dolphins vs. Buffalo Bills

Miami Dolphins vs. Buffalo Bills – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Dolphins 0 0 000
Bills 0 0 000

at Highmark Stadium, Orchard Park, New York

This is the 4th overall playoff meeting in the history of the rivalry. Their last playoff meeting was in the 1998 AFC Wild Card Game, which the Dolphins won 24–17. The Bills lead 3–1 in the postseason series between the two. The two teams split the regular season series, with the Dolphins winning 21–19 in Week 3 in Miami, and the Bills winning 32–29 in Week 15 in Buffalo.[12]

NFC: New York Giants vs. Minnesota Vikings

New York Giants vs. Minnesota Vikings – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Giants 0 0 000
Vikings 0 0 000

at U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota

This is the 4th overall playoff meeting between the two teams. The Giants lead 2–1 in the playoff series, with the last playoff meeting being a 41–0 Giants victory in the 2000 NFC Championship. In Week 16 of the regular season, the Vikings defeated the Giants 27–24 in Minneapolis.[13]

AFC: Baltimore Ravens vs. Cincinnati Bengals

Baltimore Ravens vs. Cincinnati Bengals – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Ravens 0 0 000
Bengals 0 0 000

at Paycor Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio

Monday, January 16, 2023

NFC: Dallas Cowboys vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Dallas Cowboys vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Cowboys 0 0 000
Buccaneers 0 0 000

at Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida

Television coverage

All playoff games will be televised nationally on network television.

During Wild Card Weekend, Fox and NBC will televise two games each, while ESPN and CBS will air one game each. ESPN's game will be simulcast on ABC, with a Manningcast on ESPN2.

Coverage of the AFC Divisional games will be split between CBS and NBC. CBS will have exclusive coverage of the AFC Championship Game. Fox will have exclusive coverage of both NFC Divisional games, the NFC Championship Game, and Super Bowl LVII.

Streaming Coverage of Playoff games follow the game as regular season games with Paramount+ simulcasting all CBS games, Peacock simulcasting all NBC games and ESPN+ streaming all ESPN/ABC games (including Manningcast coverage).

Spanish Language of Playoff games follow the same as the regular season with Fox Deportes airing Fox games, Telemundo (select games) and Universo airing NBC games and ESPN Deportes airing ESPN/ABC and CBS games

Westwood One Radio will air all playoff games on radio nationally alongside local radio stations airing their coverage locally.

Notes

References

  1. ^ Velázquez, Ariel (January 6, 2023). "What Is the Wild Card in the NFL, How Does It Work, When Is It and How Many Teams Play?". AS USA. Retrieved January 8, 2023.
  2. ^ a b c "Week 17 Buffalo-Cincinnati game will not be resumed; neutral AFC Championship Game site being considered". NFL.com. Retrieved 6 January 2023.
  3. ^ "NFL announces Bills-Bengals game will not be resumed this week". NFL.com. Retrieved 2023-01-06.
  4. ^ Vrentas, Jenny (2023-01-06). "N.F.L. Cancels Bills-Bengals Game". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-01-06.
  5. ^ Around the NFL Staff (2022-01-06). "Changes to AFC playoffs approved by NFL owners: What you need to know". NFL. NFL. Retrieved 2022-01-06.
  6. ^ "NFL owners approve resolution to adjust AFC playoffs, including potential neutral title game site". NFL Media. January 6, 2023. Retrieved January 6, 2023.
  7. ^ "What to Know About the NFL's New Expanded Postseason Format". si.com. January 9, 2021. Retrieved December 11, 2022.
  8. ^ Teope, Herbie (May 23, 2018). "Arizona, New Orleans chosen as Super Bowl hosts". Los Angeles: NFL Media. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
  9. ^ Gordon, Grant (January 8, 2023). "Super Wild Card Weekend schedule announced". NFL.com. Retrieved January 8, 2023.
  10. ^ "San Francisco 49ers vs. Seattle Seahawks Results". The Football Database. Retrieved January 9, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  11. ^ "Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Los Angeles Chargers Results". The Football Database. Retrieved January 9, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  12. ^ "Miami Dolphins vs. Buffalo Bills Results". The Football Database. Retrieved January 9, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  13. ^ "Minnesota Vikings vs. New York Giants Results". The Football Database. Retrieved January 9, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)

External links

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