2017 NFL Playoff Schedule: Times, dates and TV for the divisional round
Here's the NFL playoff schedule for the divisional round and championship Sunday
If you like rematches, then you're going to love the divisional round of the NFL playoffs, and if you love arguing about whether or not Dez caught it, then you're going to love this round even more.
The second week of the NFL postseason kicks off on Saturday and will feature four games that are all rematches from the regular season. It's probably safe to say that the headliner will be the Packers trip to Dallas on Sunday.
That game will mark the first playoff game between the Cowboys and Packers since January 2015 when Green Bay beat the Cowboys 26-21. Most people remember that game for one thing: The Dez Bryant catch controversy. If you turn on your TV this week, you'll probably see that highlight once or twice.
It only seems right if they #FinishThisFight by facing the Packers in the divisional round... #FinishThisFightpic.twitter.com/dGiw3iExGt
— Taylor Stern (@TayStern) January 9, 2017
That's not the only other controversy we'll be revisiting this week. In the other NFC game, the Seahawks and Falcons will tango in Atlanta in a rematch of a controversial Week 5 game that the Seahawks won 26-24. In that game, the Falcons left Seattle unhappy after a no-call on a possible pass interference against Julio Jones in the fourth quarter.
The Seahawks-Falcons game is also a rematch of a wild playoff game from January 2013. In that game, the Falcons blew a 27-7 lead in the fourth quarter when the Seahawks went ahead 28-27 with just 31 seconds left. However, Atlanta ended up winning 30-27 after Matt Ryan put them in range for a game-winning 49-yard field goal.
In the AFC, we'll also be getting two rematches.
The Steelers will be traveling to Kansas City, and they'll be hoping that things go a lot like they did during the regular season. Back in Week 4, the Steelers beat the Chiefs 43-14.
In the other AFC game, we'll be getting a rematch of a regular-season blowout. Back in Week 3, the Patriots beat the Texans 27-0 without Tom Brady. With Brady now playing, the oddsmakers in Las Vegas don't seem to like Houston's chances as the Texans opened as a 16-point underdog. That's the biggest opening point spread for a playoff game since the 1998 season.
By the way, with the Texans now the lowest seed remaining in the AFC, that means there won't be another game played in Houston until Feb. 5 when NRG Stadium hosts Super Bowl LI.
So when and where will everyone be playing in the divisional round?
Let's get to the postseason schedule and find out. The schedule below also includes the results from Wild Card weekend.
Wild Card Weekend
Saturday, Jan. 7
Texans 27, Raiders 14: Putting a rookie quarterback up against the top defense in the NFL is generally a receipt for disaster, which the Raiders found out first-hand against the Texans. Houston had no problem shutting down Oakland's offense, which was led by Raiders rookie quarterback Connor Cook. Speaking of quarterbacks, the Texans were probably pleasantly surprised by Brock Osweiler's performance. The beleaguered quarterback played arguably his best game of the season. For more on Houston's win, be sure to check out our takeaways by clicking here.
Seattle 26, Detroit 6: With Marshawn Lynch in retirement, Seahawks running back Thomas Rawls decided to honor him by going Beast Mode on the Lions. Rawls rushed for 161 yards against the Lions, breaking Lynch's franchise postseason record of 157. The Seahawks also got a huge game from Doug Baldwin, who caught 11 passes for 104 yards. The win over the Lions means that the Seahawks will be heading to Atlanta for the divisional round. For more on Seattle's win, be sure to check out our takeaways by clicking here.
Sunday, Jan. 8
Pittsburgh 30, Miami 12: For the first time ever, Ben Roethlisbeger, Antonio Brown and Le'Veon Bell all played together in a playoff game, which turned out to be horrible news for Miami. The Dolphins defense had no answer for Bell (29 carries, 167 yards, 2 TDs) or Brown (five catches, 124 yards, two TDs) as the Steelers rolled. For more on Pittsburgh's win, be sure to check out our takeaways by clicking here.
Green Bay 38, N.Y. Giants 13: The way Aaron Rodgers is playing, the Packers might not ever lose again. Despite constant pressure from the Giants defense, there was no stopping Rodgers on Sunday in Green Bay. The Packers quarterback threw for 362 yards and four touchdowns. Over Green Bay's past seven games, Rodgers now has 22 touchdown passes and zero interceptions. For more on Green Bay's win, be sure to check out our takeaways by clicking here.
Divisional Round
Saturday, Jan. 14
Atlanta 36, Seattle 20: The Seahawks defense had no answer for Matt Ryan, who torched Seattle for 338 yards and three touchdowns. The Falcons scored on five of their first six possessions as they jumped out to a 29-13 lead. The win means that Atlanta will be heading to the NFC title game for just the fourth time in team history. The Falcons are 1-2 all-time in the NFC Championship. For more on Atlanta's win, be sure to check out our takeaways by clicking here.
New England 34, Houston 16: The Patriots got punched in the mouth early, but then recovered and KO'd the Texans in the second half of an 18-point win that was closer than the score indicated. Tom Brady threw as many picks against Houston (two) as he did during the entire regular season. The good news for the Patriots is that ugly wins count the same as every other win. New England will be moving on to the AFC title game for the sixth straight year. That streak sets a new NFL record, breaking the old mark set by the Raiders from 1973-77 and tied by the Patriots last year. For more on New England's win, be sure to check out our takeaways by clicking here.
Sunday, Jan. 15
Green Bay 34, Dallas 31: In one of the wildest playoff games you'll ever see, Aaron Rodgers threw for 356 yards and two touchdowns as the Packers beat the Cowboys to advance to the NFC title game for the third time since 2010. After two straight years of watching the Packers' season end in overtime, Mason Crosby decided not to let the game that far this time around. The Packers kicker nailed a 51-yard field goal as time expired in regulation to give his team the win. For more on Green Bay's win, be sure to check out our takeaways by clicking here.
Pittsburgh 18, Kansas City 16: Antonio Brown, Le'Veon Bell and Big Ben aren't the only "Killer B's" in Pittsburgh, there's also kicker Chris Boswell, who put together one of the most impressive kicking performances in postseason history. The Steelers kicker set an NFL record with six field goals against the Chiefs, and as you can tell by the final score, all six of them were sorely needed. Bell (170 yards rushing) and Brown (108 yards receiving) also came up big in the win. For more on Pittsburgh's win, be sure to check out our takeaways by clicking here.
Championship Weekend
Sunday, Jan. 22
Atlanta 44, Green Bay 21: The Packers had no answer for Matt Ryan or Julio Jones as the Falcons completely steamrolled their way to an 23-point win in the NFC Title game. Ryan threw for 392 yards and four touchdowns, and most of that went to Jones, who tallied 180 receiving yards and two touchdowns. Ryan's four TD passes made him the first QB in eight years (Kurt Warner) to throw four or more touchdown passes in a conference title game. With the win, the Falcons are now headed to the Super Bowl for the second time in franchise history. For more on Atlanta's win, be sure to check out our takeaways by clicking here.
New England 36, Pittsburgh 17: Tom Brady played like a man possessed, which makes sense because the at 39-years-old, the Patriots quarterback might not get too many more shots at the Super Bowl. Brady was almost perfect against the Steelers, going 32 of 42 for 384 yards and three touchdown. The Patriots didn't do much on the ground, but that didn't matter because wide receivers Chris Hogan (180 yards, 2 TD) and Julian Edelman (118 yards, 1 TD) both had huge games for the Patriots. For more on New England's win, be sure to check out our takeaways by clicking here.
Super Bowl LI
Sunday, Feb. 5
New England vs. Atlanta at NRG Stadium in Houston, 6:30 p.m. ET (Fox): The final game of the NFL season should provide us with some fireworks as we'll be getting the NFC's high-scoring team in Atlanta (33.8 points per game), going up against the AFC's highest-scoring team in New England (27.6). This will be Patriots' ninth Super Bowl appearance, which will break that all-time record they had previously held with the Cowboys, Broncos and Steelers. As for the Falcons, they're slightly newer to this whole Super Bowl thing. The game against New England will mark just the second time in franchise history that the Falcons' have reached the Super Bowl (lost in 1998).
















