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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 1/5/16 http://twitter.com/nfl345

IT’S PLAYOFF TIME!

After an exciting finish to the regular season, the NFL’s second season has arrived.

“We’re in the dance and we’ve got to win,” says defensive end WALLACE GILBERRY. “It’s a new season and a new year. If we stay undefeated, it means we’ve done something special. We’ll take it one day at a time, one game at a time and just get it done.”

Week 17 came right down to the wire as 11 of the 16 games played on the final day of the regular season had playoff implications. Sunday’s excitement was due in part to having 16 divisional games played on the season’s final day, a tradition instituted in 2010. And three divisions were decided on the last day of the regular season, including the NFC North in game No. 256 of 256 as Minnesota defeated Green Bay.

“We are excited,” says Pittsburgh head coach MIKE TOMLIN. “It’s been a tough 16-game fight for us but we are where we want to be. We are where we need to be. We have an opportunity like the others in the field and for that, we’re grateful.”

The final 12 teams are now set. It doesn’t matter how you got here. All that matters is that you’re here.

“We’ve enjoyed the journey and the journey’s not over yet,” says RUSSELL WILSON. “We want to be able to tell our story and hopefully we’ll be able to tell it in the right way.”

AFC NFC 1. Denver (12-4, AFC West champion) 1. Carolina (15-1, NFC South champion) 2. New England (12-4, AFC East champion) 2. Arizona (13-3, NFC West champion) 3. Cincinnati (12-4, AFC North champion) 3. Minnesota (11-5, NFC North champion) 4. Houston (9-7, AFC South champion) 4. Washington (9-7, NFC East champion) 5. Kansas City (11-5) 5. Green Bay (10-6) 6. Pittsburgh (10-6) 6. Seattle (10-6)

The NFL playoffs, which conclude on February 7 with 50 at Levi’s Stadium (CBS, 6:30 PM ET), begin this Saturday and Sunday with Wild Card Weekend.

“I’m proud of this football team,” says Minnesota head coach MIKE ZIMMER. “We started out two years ago trying to build something special. It’s not a surprise we are where we are at. These players have earned this opportunity and now we have to go out there and take it.”

The Vikings are one of four new teams in this year’s playoff field, joining Houston, Kansas City and Washington. Since the 12- team playoff format was adopted in 1990, at least four teams have qualified for the playoffs that were not in the postseason the year before. A look at the four games on Wild Card Weekend:

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (11-5) at HOUSTON TEXANS (9-7) (Saturday, ESPN/ABC, 4:35 PM ET)

The Chiefs enter the postseason riding a 10-game winning streak. Kansas City is the first team in NFL history to win 11 games in a season in which it had a five-game losing streak.

“It’s playoff time and there is no tomorrow,” says Chiefs quarterback , who has nine passes and no in three career postseason games. “The mindset in the playoffs is to execute the offense and score points.”

The Chiefs defeated the Texans 27-20 in Week 1 as Smith threw three touchdown passes, including two to tight end TRAVIS KELCE, who finished with six catches for 106 yards.

Houston won the AFC South for the third time in franchise history (2011, 2012). The Texans have won seven of their past nine games, allowing just 12.7 points per game over that stretch and holding opponents to six points or fewer in five of those contests.

“It’s great to be in the playoffs,” says Texans Pro Bowl defensive end J.J. WATT, who led the NFL in sacks (17.5). “It’s great for our team, great for our fans, great for our city. This is what we expect. We expect to win the division and we expect to be in the playoffs. Now we go into the playoffs and we look forward to the opportunity and the challenge ahead.”

PITTSBURGH STEELERS (10-6) at (12-4) (Saturday, CBS, 8:15 PM ET)

AFC North rivals Cincinnati and Pittsburgh will meet on Saturday night at Paul Brown Stadium. The clubs split the season series with each team winning on the road.

Pittsburgh clinched a playoff spot on the final day of the regular season and defeated Cleveland 28-12. Pro Bowl wide receiver ANTONIO BROWN finished the season with 136 catches for 1,834 yards and 10 and is the only player in NFL history with at least 125 catches, 1,800 receiving yards and 10 receiving touchdowns in a single season.

“It’s gratifying to be back in the playoffs,” says Brown. “As a Pittsburgh Steeler, the expectation is to make the playoffs and hoist the Lombardi Trophy. For us to get the opportunity, it’s a step in the right direction.”

The Bengals tied a franchise-record with 12 wins and won the division for the fourth time under head coach MARVIN LEWIS.

“Every year we’ve improved and now we’re 12-4,” says 10-year veteran tackle ANDREW WHITWORTH, who was selected to his second Pro Bowl. “That’s a heck of an accomplishment. It’s something we’re extremely proud of. We want to keep it rolling.”

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (10-6) at MINNESOTA VIKINGS (11-5) (Sunday, NBC, 1:05 PM ET)

The Seahawks are back in the postseason and aiming to return to the Super Bowl for the third consecutive season. Pro Bowl quarterback RUSSELL WILSON led the NFL with a 110.1 and threw 24 touchdown passes with only one over the team’s final seven games, the only player in NFL history with at least 24 touchdown passes and one or fewer interceptions over a seven-game span in a season. Wilson scored four touchdowns (three passing, one rushing) in Seattle’s 38-7 win at Minnesota in Week 13.

“We know we’ve got a lot of football to play,” says Seahawks wide receiver , who tied for the NFL lead with 14 receiving touchdowns. “We’re on the path we’re supposed to be on and that’s what you want to see heading into the playoffs.”

The Vikings have won three in a row, including a Week 17 victory at Green Bay (20-13) to clinch the NFC North division title. Pro Bowl running back led the league with 1,485 rushing yards and joined Pro Football Hall of Famers MARION MOTLEY (1950) and CURTIS MARTIN (2004) as the only players 30+ years old to win the rushing title.

“It feels amazing to be the NFC North champions,” says Peterson. “It puts us in a position now to make a run to the Super Bowl.”

GREEN BAY PACKERS (10-6) at WASHINGTON REDSKINS (9-7) (Sunday, FOX, 4:40 PM ET)

Wild Card Weekend concludes when Washington hosts Green Bay. The teams have previously met twice in the postseason: 1936 NFL Championship Game (Packers 21, Boston Redskins 6) and 1972 Divisional Playoffs (Redskins 16, Packers 3).

The Packers have won five of the past six meetings between the two teams. The last time the two clubs met (September 15, 2013), Green Bay quarterback passed for 480 yards and four touchdowns in Green Bay’s 38-20 victory. Rodgers, who was selected to his fifth Pro Bowl, enters the 2015 playoffs with a 101.0 postseason passer rating, the third-best mark in NFL history.

“We have to prove to ourselves we can win the big games,” says Rodgers. “There’s belief there but we have to prove it to ourselves. We have to be consistent. If we do that, we have a chance to make a run.”

The Redskins won the NFC East, the team’s first division title since 2012. Washington quarterback completed 192 of 257 passes at home for a 74.7 completion percentage, the highest in NFL history in home games in a season. Cousins set a franchise-record with 4,166 passing yards and is the only quarterback in team history to pass for at least 4,000 yards and 25 touchdowns (29) in a single season. He joined Pro Football Hall of Famer (14 games in 1967) as the only players in franchise history to throw a touchdown pass in every game in a season.

“It’s important to go into the playoffs with some momentum and a rhythm,” says Cousins about the Redskins’ current four-game winning streak. “To put together four wins in a row in the fourth quarter of the season is important. It’s crucial to keep that momentum and carry it into what will be the biggest game of the year.”

FINAL 2015 NFL STANDINGS

American Football Conference East Division Team W L T Pct PF PA Home Away Conf Div Streak y-New England Patriots 12 4 0 .750 465 315 7-1 5-3 9-3-0 4-2-0 Lost 2 New York Jets 10 6 0 .625 387 314 6-2 4-4 7-5-0 3-3-0 Lost 1 8 8 0 .500 379 359 5-3 3-5 7-5-0 4-2-0 Won 2 Miami Dolphins 6 10 0 .375 310 389 3-5 3-5 4-8-0 1-5-0 Won 1

North Division

Team W L T Pct PF PA Home Away Conf Div Streak y-Cincinnati Bengals 12 4 0 .750 419 279 6-2 6-2 9-3-0 5-1-0 Won 1 x-Pittsburgh Steelers 10 6 0 .625 423 319 6-2 4-4 7-5-0 3-3-0 Won 1 Baltimore Ravens 5 11 0 .312 328 401 3-5 2-6 4-8-0 3-3-0 Lost 1 Cleveland Browns 3 13 0 .188 278 432 2-6 1-7 2-10-0 1-5-0 Lost 3

South Division Team W L T Pct PF PA Home Away Conf Div Streak y-Houston Texans 9 7 0 .562 339 313 5-3 4-4 7-5-0 5-1-0 Won 3 Indianapolis Colts 8 8 0 .500 333 408 4-4 4-4 6-6-0 4-2-0 Won 2 Jacksonville Jaguars 5 11 0 .312 376 448 4-4 1-7 5-7-0 2-4-0 Lost 3 Tennessee Titans 3 13 0 .188 299 423 1-7 2-6 1-11-0 1-5-0 Lost 4

West Division Team W L T Pct PF PA Home Away Conf Div Streak z- 12 4 0 .750 355 296 6-2 6-2 8-4-0 4-2-0 Won 2 x- 11 5 0 .688 405 287 6-2 5-3 10-2-0 5-1-0 Won 10 Oakland Raiders 7 9 0 .438 359 399 3-5 4-4 7-5-0 3-3-0 Lost 1 San Diego Chargers 4 12 0 .250 320 398 3-5 1-7 3-9-0 0-6-0 Lost 2

National Football Conference East Division Team W L T Pct PF PA Home Away Conf Div Streak y-Washington Redskins 9 7 0 .562 388 379 6-2 3-5 8-4-0 4-2-0 Won 4 Philadelphia Eagles 7 9 0 .438 377 430 3-5 4-4 4-8-0 3-3-0 Won 1 6 10 0 .375 420 442 3-5 3-5 4-8-0 2-4-0 Lost 3 4 12 0 .250 275 374 1-7 3-5 3-9-0 3-3-0 Lost 4

North Division Team W L T Pct PF PA Home Away Conf Div Streak y-Minnesota Vikings 11 5 0 .688 365 302 6-2 5-3 8-4-0 5-1-0 Won 3 x-Green Bay Packers 10 6 0 .625 368 323 5-3 5-3 7-5-0 3-3-0 Lost 2 7 9 0 .438 358 400 4-4 3-5 5-6-0 3-3-0 Won 3 Chicago Bears 6 10 0 .375 335 397 1-7 5-3 3-8-0 1-5-0 Lost 1

South Division Team W L T Pct PF PA Home Away Conf Div Streak z-Carolina Panthers 15 1 0 .938 500 308 8-0 7-1 11-1-0 5-1-0 Won 1 Atlanta Falcons 8 8 0 .500 339 345 4-4 4-4 5-7-0 1-5-0 Lost 1 New Orleans Saints 7 9 0 .438 408 476 4-4 3-5 5-7-0 3-3-0 Won 2 6 10 0 .375 342 417 3-5 3-5 5-7-0 3-3-0 Lost 4

West Division Team W L T Pct PF PA Home Away Conf Div Streak y-Arizona Cardinals 13 3 0 .812 489 313 6-2 7-1 10-2-0 4-2-0 Lost 1 x- 10 6 0 .625 423 277 5-3 5-3 7-5-0 3-3-0 Won 1 St. Louis Rams 7 9 0 .438 280 330 5-3 2-6 6-6-0 4-2-0 Lost 1 5 11 0 .312 238 387 4-4 1-7 4-8-0 1-5-0 Won 1 x - Clinched Playoffs; y - Clinched Division; z - Clinched Conference LAST WEEK’S RESULTS JANUARY 3 (Home Team in Caps)

Sunday, January 3 Sunday, January 3 (cont’d) New Orleans 20, ATLANTA 17 MIAMI 20, New England 10 BUFFALO 22, New York Jets 17 Philadelphia 35, NEW YORK GIANTS 30 Pittsburgh 28, CLEVELAND 12 Seattle 36, ARIZONA 6 Detroit 24, CHICAGO 20 CAROLINA 38, Tampa Bay 10 CINCINNATI 24, Baltimore 16 DENVER 27, San Diego 20 Washington 34, DALLAS 23 KANSAS CITY 23, Oakland 17 HOUSTON 30, Jacksonville 6 SAN FRANCISCO 19, St. Louis 16 (OT) INDIANAPOLIS 30, Tennessee 24 Minnesota 20, GREEN BAY 13

2015 WILD CARD WEEKEND SCHEDULE (JANUARY 9-10) (All times local)

Saturday, January 9 Sunday, January 10 Kansas City at Houston 3:35 PM (ESPN/ABC) Seattle at Minnesota 12:05 PM (NBC) Pittsburgh at Cincinnati 8:15 PM (CBS) Green Bay at Washington 4:40 PM (FOX)