NFL playoffs: possible first-round matchups
With the playoff picture still fluid heading into the final Sunday of the NFL season, there are no sure-thing matchups in the first round.
All we really know is that Kansas City will be the AFC’s No. 5 seed no matter what.
If the 15 favored teams were to win Sunday, and if San Francisco were to beat Arizona in the weekend’s only pick-’em game, the opening round of the playoffs would look like this:
Miami at Cincinnati – This would be a rematch of a Halloween game which the Dolphins won at home, 22-20. That game was decided when Cameron Wake sacked the Bengals’ Andy Dalton for a safety.
Kansas City at Indianapolis – Another rematch. Last Sunday, the Colts won at Kansas City, 23-7. The Chiefs had four turnovers.
New Orleans at Philadelphia – Philadelphia boasts the NFL’s No. 2 offense, and New Orleans is No. 5. As strange and unpredictable as the NFL is, that would probably wind up being a low-scoring game.
San Francisco at Green Bay – These teams have opened the past two regular seasons against each other, with the 49ers winning both – 30-22 at Green Bay in 2012, and 34-28 at San Francisco in September.
If Arizona were to beat San Francisco in the pick-’em game, and all the favorites won, the NFC matchups would be:
San Francisco at Philadelphia – A showdown between former Pac-10 coaches Jim Harbaugh and Chip Kelly. They were 1-1 against each other when Harbaugh was at Stanford and Kelly was at Oregon.
New Orleans at Green Bay – Drew Brees vs. Aaron Rodgers is always entertaining. The Packers beat the Saints in their last two meetings, both times at Lambeau Field, by scores of 28-27 in 2012, and 42-34 in 2011.
ALSO:
Aaron Rodgers to start for Packers at Chicago
There is no shortage of NFL coach-of-the-year candidates
Go beyond the scoreboard
Get the latest on L.A.'s teams in the daily Sports Report newsletter.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
