The AFC and NFC postseason games get amped up this weekend—division games, the second round of competition on the road to the Super Bowl Feb. 5.
Four teams enter this round with notable regular season win streaks. The New England Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers with seven, the Green Bay Packers with six and the Atlanta Falcons with four.
Each of the playoff teams have seen each other earlier this season. The Houston Texans lost to New England, Pittsburgh beat the Kansas City Chiefs, the Seattle Seahawks beat the Atlanta Falcons and the Dallas Cowboys beat the Packers.
Here is an overview of what’s to come.
The Houston Texans, 9-7, without their three-time Defensive Player of the Year, defensive end JJ Watt who has been out since September, Week 3, when he re-injured his back in a game, beat the 12-4 Oakland Raiders, a team that had no choice but to start an inexperienced third-string quarterback, Connor Cook, because of injuries to starter Derek Carr and their backup Matt McGloin. Oakland had hoped to get through to the next round, although they were decimated at the most important position.
With the AFC Wild Card behind them, the Texans advance to the next round, playing the New England Patriots on Saturday. This game pits Houston’s defensive coordinator, Romeo Crennel, against the Pats, the team where he became known for his defensive coaching skills. Defensive tackle Vince Wilfork, a 2004 New England first-round draft pick who won two Super Bowls with the Patriots, has played with Houston since 2015.
The 11-5 Pittsburgh Steelers were also victorious, outmatching the Miami Dolphins, 30-12. They play the Kansas City Chiefs Sunday, a team that they defeated in their stadium in Week 4. Led by Ben Roethlisberger at quarterback and head coach Mike Tomlin on the sidelines, Pittsburgh hasn’t won a Super Bowl since 2008 or an AFC championship since 2010.
Under head coach Andy Reid, this Chiefs team has been transformed since his takeover in 2013, but fans are waiting for him/them to make a notable mark in the postseason.
The Patriots, 14-2, the best record in the NFL this season, and Kansas City, 12-4, will be the host teams. Both had byes for the opening weekend of postseason AFC Conference games.
New England has the most playoff experience of all the teams participating. Under quarterback Tom Brady and head coach Bill Belichick, the Patriots have been to the Super Bowl six times, winning four. The most recent win was 2014. The Pats lost in the AFC Championship last January to the Denver Broncos, the reigning Super Bowl champs, by only two points.
The NFC will feature the most anticipated game of the weekend, the Green Bay Packers versus the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday.
Dallas, 13-3, is led by two rookies, Dak Prescott at quarterback and running back Ezekiel Elliott, both highly considered for Rookie of the Year honors. Dallas’ major flaw this season was losing to the New York Giants, twice. Because the Packers eliminated New York Sunday, the most watched NFL game this weekend,with an estimated 39 million viewers, there’s no chance of Dallas losing to them again this season. If you listen closely, you’ll hear sighs of relief from Cowboy fans.
Until the beginning of this season, Dallas had been under the helm of quarterback Tony Romo, who was injured (his back) during the team’s third preseason game in August.
Dallas and Green Bay played each other once this season, Week 6, Dallas winning 30-16 in Green Bay with Prescott quarterbacking. The rookie threw for three touchdown passes.
Under Aaron Rodgers, the Packers’ current QB, and head coach Mike McCarthy, Green Bay won a Super Bowl in 2010 but has had an unimpressive postseason appearance record since.
Dallas, the host team, hasn’t won a championship since the 1990s—1992, 1993 and 1995, with different quarterbacks, and different coaches.
The other NFC divisional game scheduled is the Seattle Seahawks, 10-5-1 for the season, versus the 11-5 Atlanta Falcons. The Falcons, who have an indistinguishable postseason record, also received a bye, along with Dallas, for the opening round of games, and will be a host team. Atlanta lost to the Seahawks in Seattle, 26-24 in Week 6.
The Seahawks, who decisively beat the Detroit Lions Saturday, 26-6, to advance to this weekend’s divisional games, has playoff experience under their quarterback Russell Wilson and head coach Pete Carroll, a recent Super Bowl victory in the 2013-14 season and a Super Bowl loss in the 14-15 season to New England.