The Detroit Lions aren’t in the 2017 NFL playoffs, and that’s a big bummer. They were literally inches away from making it this year, but that’s the way the league works. Would’ve, should’ve, could’ve. The Lions were just one of five 9-7 teams that didn’t make the postseason, meaning there are at least four other fanbases out there thinking “If we just would have... we be playing this week.”
But as much as we’re all disappointed the Lions won’t be participating in this year’s postseason, there is plenty to like about this year’s field. Of the 12 teams in the playoffs, there are a whopping eight teams that didn’t make it last year. Along the same lines, the AFC field includes the Titans, Jaguars and Bills—three teams that haven’t made the postseason in at least nine years.
So without further ado, here are the Wild Card matchups for this weekend:
Saturday
No. 4 Kansas City Chiefs vs. No. 5 Tennessee Titans
Location: Arrowhead Stadium — Kansas City, MO
Time: 4:35 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN (simulcast on ABC)
No. 3 Los Angeles Rams vs. No. 6 Atlanta Falcons
Location: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum — Los Angeles, CA
Time: 8:15 p.m. ET
TV: NBC
Sunday
No. 3 Jacksonville Jaguars vs. No. 6 Buffalo Bills
Location: Everbank Field — Jacksonville, FL
Time: 1:05 p.m. ET
TV: CBS
No. 4 New Orleans Saints vs. No. 5 Carolina Panthers
Location: Mercedes-Benz Superdome — New Orleans, LA
Time: 4:40 p.m. ET
TV: FOX
Who are you picking in the first round of the playoffs?