Website: centerfornewsanddesign.com BANNER AREA LEAVE BLANK LIVE AREA TOP AFC NFC NFL PLAYOFFS 1. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS 1. DALLAS COWBOYS Coach Bill Belichick and Rookie stars Dak Prescott Tom Brady, who will be 40 and Ezekiel Elliott lifted by next season, begin the Cowboys to their best their quest for a fifth season since 2007, the Super Bowl championship last time the team earned against either Houston, a bye. That year Dallas Oakland or Miami on lost its only playoff game Jan. 14 at 8:15 p.m. to rival New York, which also beat this season’s Cowboys twice. The Cowboys will open against New York, Green Bay or Detroit on Jan. 15 at 4:40 p.m. 2. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS Coach Andy Reid is 3-0 in divisional playoff games when his team has a bye. All three wins came with the Eagles. The Chiefs open against Pittsburgh, 2. ATLANTA FALCONS Houston or Oakland on The Dirty Birds are back Jan. 15 at 1:05 p.m. in the playoffs for the first time since 2012. They will host Seattle, Green Bay or New York on Jan. 14 at Familiar Foes 4:35 p.m. Aaron Rodgers, Eli Manning meet again in the playoffs. Plus: Teams filled with uncertainty entering wild-card games 3. PITTSBURGH STEELERS aron Rodgers tossed four the Lions lost three straight. The Raiders (12-4) fell from No. 2 Riding a seven-game Atouchdown passes to help the Matt Ryan and the Atlanta to the fifth spot and will open the winning streak, Ben Green Bay Packers capture the NFC Falcons (11-5) secured a first-round playoffs on the road at Houston Roethlisberger is aiming for his fourth Super Bowl North title with a 31-24 victory bye with a 38-32 win over New (9-7). That matchup could feature 3. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS ring. Big Ben, Le'Veon Bell over the Detroit Lions during the Orleans. The Seahawks beat San rookie quarterback Connor Cook Russell Wilson and the and Antonio Brown sat final night game of the regular Francisco 25-23 and earned the No. making his first career start for the Seahawks start their out an OT win Sunday season. The Packers (10-6) will 3 seed. Raiders after they lost Derek Carr drive for a third NFC over Cleveland in host the Giants (11-5) on Sunday The Cowboys (13-3) already last week and backup Matt McGloin championship title in four preparation for the while the Lions (9-7) visit Seattle locked up the NFC's No. 1 seed went down in the second quarter seasons against the Dolphins. (10-5-1) on Saturday night. before they played last week. against the Broncos. Lions. New York’s 19-10 win at Wash- In the AFC, Tom Brady and the The Texans also have uncertainty ington in the season finale elimi- Patriots (14-2) beat Miami 35-14 to at quarterback. Tom Savage nated the Redskins (8-7-1) and secure the No. 1 seed and sustained a concussion in a loss at allowed the Packers and Lions to home-field advantage throughout Tennessee and was replaced by secure playoff spots before their the playoffs. The Chiefs (12-4) former starter Brock Osweiler. game kicked off. But the teams are clinched a first-round bye thanks to The Steelers (11-5) will host the heading in opposite directions. The Denver's win over Oakland coupled Dolphins (10-6) in the AFC's other 4. HOUSTON TEXANS Packers have won six in a row while with their victory over San Diego. wild-card game. 4. GREEN BAY PACKERS Houston’s NRG Stadium Aaron Rodgers has the hosts the Super Bowl and WILD-CARD ROUND All times EST Packers riding high into no team has yet to reach their eighth straight the championship game playoffs. They were a No. OAKLAND (12-4) when played in its home MIAMI (10-6) 6 seed in 2010 when they at HOUSTON (9-7) stadium. If the Texans are at PITTSBURGH (11-5) last won a Super Bowl. Kickoff: to end this NFL curse, Kickoff: Sunday at Saturday at they’ll need to sort out 1:05 p.m., (CBS) 4:35 p.m., (ESPN) Regular-season series record their quarterback issues. Regular-season series record Steelers lead 12-11, but Dolphins won in October. Texans lead 6-4, Raiders won 27-20 in Mexico City on Nov. Postseason series record 21. Dolphins lead 2-1 Postseason series record Most impressive win First meeting Dolphins: Fittingly, they beat Pittsburgh 30-15 after Most impressive win Raiders: opening 1-4. Win began six-game string. Beat Denver 30-20 as part of six-game win streak. 5. NEW YORK GIANTS Texans: A 19-12 win over Kansas City back in Week 2. Steelers: They dominated the Giants 24-14 in November, Eli Manning has won two Worst loss snapping New York's six-game winning streak. playoff games at Raiders: Being swept by Chiefs cost them division title. 5. OAKLAND RAIDERS Worst loss Lambeau Field, including Texans: Managed to lose to Chargers at home in Week 12, Derek Carr's season-end- Dolphins: Routed 38-6 at Baltimore on Dec. 4, ending win beating Brett Favre and San Diego's last win. ing injury has deflated a streak. the Packers in a frigid team making its first Steelers: To Dolphins. NFC championship game playoff appearance since following the 2007 losing the 2003 Super NEW YORK GIANTS (11-5) DETROIT (9-7) season. Bowl to Tampa Bay. at GREEN BAY (10-6) at SEATTLE (10-5-1) Kickoff: Sunday at 4:40 Kickoff: Saturday at p.m., (FOX) 8:15 p.m., (NBC) Regular-season series record Regular-season series record Packers lead 28-23-2, beat Giants 23-16 in October. Seahawks lead 8-5. Didn’t play this season. Postseason series record Postseason series record Packers lead 4-3 First meeting Most impressive win Most impressive win Giants: Beat NFC top seed Dallas twice, in season opener Lions: A 20-16 decision at Minnesota in early November, 6. DETROIT LIONS 6. MIAMI DOLPHINS and in Game 13. sparking a run to top of division. Matthew Stafford hopes It's unknown whether QB Packers: Swept Detroit to win NFC North, including Seahawks: Held on with goal-line stand to win 31-24 at to lead Detroit to its first Ryan Tannehill will return Sunday night at Lions in showdown for division crown. Patriots in Game 9. playoff win since the 1991 from injury when the Worst loss Worst loss season. Dolphins play their first Giants: Game 4 loss at Minnesota 24-10 in which line Lions: Falling to Packers twice, especially in season finale playoff game in eight couldn't protect Eli Manning. to lose NFC North title. years. Matt Moore was Packers: Routed by Titans 47-25 in midst of four-game Seahawks: Somehow they stunk it up against Rams in 2-1 in Tannehill's absence, slide. Week 2, though it was LA debut for Rams. with the loss to the No. 1 Patriots. REST OF PLAYOFFS Saturday, Jan. 14 Sunday, Jan. 15 Sunday, Jan. 22 Sunday, Feb. 5 Seattle, Green Bay or N.Y. Giants at Pittsburgh, Houston or Oakland at Conference Super Bowl Atlanta, 4:35 p.m. (FOX) Kansas City, 1:05 p.m. (NBC) Championships At Houston 6:30 p.m. (FOX) Content by The Associated Houston, Oakland or Miami at New Green Bay, N.Y. Giants or Detroit at Press; page designed by GateHouse Media’s Center ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTOS England, 8:15 p.m. (CBS) Dallas, 4:40 p.m. (FOX) for News & Design. LIVE AREA BOTTOM AD AREA LEAVE BLANK.