NFL Divisional Playoffs Schedule
Wow. They don’t call it the Wild Card round for nothing. If you missed last week’s first round of NFL playoffs, then you missed some of the most exciting football games of the year. All 4 road teams won their Wild Card matchup, which has literally never happened before.
Who would have guessed that the Chiefs would shut-out the Texans? Who would have thought that the Vikings would lose by only a missed a field goal? So many surprises so far, and yet there is so much more to come. If you’re ready for some football, here are the games you’ll be watching this week:
Saturday, January 16, 2016
CBS – Kansas City Chiefs vs. New England Patriots, 4:35 PM ET
Taking this matchup at face value, you might think that the Patriots will be coming into this game with a huge advantage over the Chiefs, who had a rough start to the season. But you would be wrong. The Patriots are a strong team; but the Chiefs are 4th in the league for defensive sacks, second for highest pick total, and ranked third for fewest points allowed per game. If Brady wants to earn himself another ring, he’s going to have to put on a Super Bowl performance this coming Saturday.
NBC – Green Bay Packers vs. Arizona Cardinals, 8:15 PM ET
When the Packers last met the Cardinals three weeks ago, they suffered and embarrassing 38-8 loss. Looking for a little payback, expect the Packers to play their hearts in this upcoming game. With a previous win against the Packers already feathered in their cap, the Cardinals will try to repeat what they did last time. With Aaron Rodgers at QB, the Packers have yet to defeat an NFC West team on the road during the playoffs. However, they also play much better as the underdogs, so this can be anyone’s game.
Sunday, January 17, 2016
Fox – Seattle Seahawks vs. Carolina Panthers, 1:05 PM ET
In week six of the regular season, the Panthers barely survived their encounter with the Seahawks and this weekend won’t be any different. Although Seattle QB Russell Wilson doesn’t get the press like players from other teams, he is still one of the best in the league and one of the most dangerous. Luckily for Carolina, they have Cam Newton as their QB and the home team advantage. But whether that will be enough, can only answered on the gridiron.
CBS – Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Denver Broncos, 4:40 PM ET
This is going to be a great matchup between two great teams. On the Steelers side, you’ve got Big Ben Roethlisberger at the helm as head QB; and whenever he’s on the field, there’s always a chance to win. But on the Denver side of the equation you have another living legend, Peyton Manning, returning to the field. With both teams a little banged up from the regular season, this won’t be an easy win for either juggernaut.
Watching Playoff Football Over-the-Air and Online
In order to watch these games, all you need is a simple over-the-air TV antenna. They can range anywhere from $20-$150 (from smaller indoor options ideal for folks in urban areas to larger outdoor options if you live farther from the towers). After that initial cost, this investment can deliver thousands of hours of HD television to your home for free, and the average cord-cutter saves an estimated $1,200 per year. Even if you’re not a football fanatic, it’s still well money spent (from educational children’s programming on PBS to local news and major events).
On the off chance that you don’t want an antenna (HINT: you should), you can always sign up for a free 7 trial for NFL Game Pass. With it, you’ll be able to stream every playoff game this weekend; although you’ll have to wait until AFTER it airs.
So now that we know what and when to watch, and the only question left is what your playoff picks are going to be? Can the Seahawks dampen Carolina’s Super Bowl dreams? Will the Patriots outpace the Chiefs? Let us know in the comments below or sound off on social media!
