NFL Playoffs: Breaking down the wild-card round matchups

Jan 05, 2016, 00:21
NFL Playoffs: Breaking down the wild-card round matchups

Single-game tickets are sold out for the Bengals' Wild Card round playoff game vs. Pittsburgh, presented by Fifth Third Bank.

-If the Bengals beat the Steelers (they play on Saturday, right after the Texans and Chiefs, with kickoff scheduled for 7:15 p.m. CST), the victor of the Texans-Chiefs game would play the Broncos in Denver on Sunday, January 17, 2016 at 3:40 p.m. CST. That means New England can't face Pittsburgh and Denver can't face Cincinnati before the AFC Championship Game.

If Cincinnati defeats Pittsburgh, they will be the visitor at Gillette Stadium in New England's playoff opener. In seven nighttime games against the Steelers, the Bengals have just one win; a 2013 Monday night victory in Cincinnati.

Chicago Bears (5-8) at Minnesota Vikings (8-5)
It was looking as though free safety Harrison Smith would return this week from the knee and hamstring injuries to his left knee. Minnesota (8-5) was able to defeat the Bears 23-20 in Week 8 and the Vikings will be hoping for a similar result this weekend.

The game between the Vikings and the Seahawks will take place on Sunday, 10 January at noon Central time.

The NFC playoff bracket will be finalized tonight. Kansas City finished the year with an 11-5 record and went 8-8 against the spread, while Houston finished 9-7 to win the AFC South and also went 9-7 at the betting window. They've lost in the Wild Card round four consecutive years and five out of the last six.

The 14-1 Carolina Panthers and the 13-3 Arizona Cardinals both earned byes after placing 1st and 2nd in the NFC.

Parliament disruptions: Hamid Ansari calls all-party meeting
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Who and when the victor of the Texans-Chiefs Wild Card game plays depends on the outcome of the other AFC Wild Card game between Bengals and Steelers.

The playoffs get going next Saturday with the wild card round matchups.

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