With Week 18 of the NFL season over, it’s that time of the year. Playoff time! Some people believe Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year, but not me. With the season turning from regular to post, all 14 teams that qualified have one thing on their mind: winning a Super Bowl. Some are looking to validate a dominant campaign, while others are looking to climb the mountain top for the first time. Let’s glance over the NFL’s Wild Card schedule!
NFL Playoffs Begin In Carolina
The opening game of the 2026 postseason features the 12-5 Los Angeles Rams taking on the 8-9 NFC South champions, the Carolina Panthers. These two teams played each other back on November 30th. In that game, we saw the Rams appear to lose some of their ‘mojo.’ MVP candidate Matthew Stafford had three turnovers, including two interceptions, with one of them being returned for a touchdown. With the game kicking off at 4:20 PM EST Saturday, this could lead to a sluggish Rams start and a Panthers upset.
The sportsbooks think this game will be a blowout, with LA as a 10.5-point favorite. I believe that travel from the West Coast to the East Coast could be closer than people think. Are the Panthers a scary team when you look at the rest of the NFC playoff teams? No, however, on a one-game scenario, anything can happen. Just look at last week’s CFP Playoff game in which Ole Miss defeated UGA. Anything can happen.
NFC North Round Three
The Chicago Bears are hosting the Green Bay Packers for round three of their 2026 saga. These two division rivals split the regular season one game apiece, with the home team winning on both occasions. The total points between both games were 44 for the Packers and 43 for the Bears. If that doesn’t show you how close these two are, I don’t know what will.
With Green Bay being without Micah Parsons, who suffered a torn ACL in their loss to the Broncos, their defense hasn’t been the same. Despite that, it took a 4th & goal touchdown for the Bears to force overtime in their second meeting, the game Parsons missed. It’s always special to see teams from the same division face off in the NFL Playoffs. Who will win the rubber match on Saturday at 8 PM EST?
Offensive Explosion Or Smothering Aerial Defenses?
Brock Purdy and the San Francisco 49ers are heading to the City of Brotherly Love to take on the defending Super Bowl Champion Philadelphia Eagles at 4:30 PM EST on Sunday. Before their double-digit loss to the Seahawks, the 9ers were one of the hottest teams in the NFL, scoring 26+ in five of their previous six games. With their offense being top 10 in points per game and top five in passing yards, it’ll be interesting to see what they can do against this top-flight Eagles defense.
Despite Philly’s ups and downs throughout the regular season, their defense has been elite. They rank top-10 in points allowed, passing yards allowed, offensive touchdowns allowed, and takeaways. If their secondary can limit Purdy’s immediate, on-target passes and let their front four get home, that’ll be a recipe for success.
Final Thoughts
It’s the most wonderful time of the year for NFL fans. An 18-week regular season has come down to these next four weeks. Who do you think will represent the NFC in Super Bowl LX? I’ll be putting out the AFC playoff field and schedule tomorrow morning!
As always, thank you so much for checking out the NFC Playoff field, schedule, and my quick thoughts on each game! Be sure to check out our other amazing content here at New Leaf News! We hope you’re enjoying your day and look forward to seeing you again soon.
