The regular season in the NFL is now a thing of the past and the playoffs are about to start with teams we expected and others we expected less.
With 14-3 records, the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles were the top teams this season. The Chiefs will thus get a passage to the 1st round of the playoffs of the American Association. The Eagles will do the same in the National Association.
Here are the fights of the 1st round.
National Association
The Philadelphia Eagles (14-3) will be the team to beat in the National Conference, having earned a first-round bye.
The Niners have been a force all season. Despite the departure of two quarterbacks, Jimmy Garoppolo and Trey Lance, it was little-known Brock Purdy who shone. It must be said that the arrival of carrier Christian McAffrey, of the Carolina Panthers, has not hurt. Kyle Shanahan’s men will reunite with the rival Seattle Seahawks, who qualified after a loss to the Green Bay Packers on the final day of the regular season.
The Vikings’ big purple machine is well oiled and will face the Giants, who haven’t qualified for the playoffs since 2016.
Tom Brady’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-9) advanced to the playoffs with their mediocre South Division championship. The Bucs became the sixth team in history to qualify for the playoffs with a losing record. But Brady has never lost to the Cowboys, winning all seven games he played against America’s Team.
American Association
The Kansas City Chiefs (14-3) emulate the Eagles and will not make it to the first round due to their dominance in the AFC.
The Bills are a force in the NFL. Thanks to their quarterback Josh Allen, they have the third best offense behind the Chiefs and Eagles. Also, they will have extra motivation as they will definitely want to go the distance in the playoffs for teammate Damar Hamlin who recently suffered cardiac arrest in a game against the Bengals. The Dolphins, who finished just ahead of the New England Patriots in the East Division standings, qualify for the first time in six years.
The last Super Bowl finalists, the Bengals, had a superb season, unlike the recent champions, the Los Angeles Rams, who were eliminated. Joe Burrow’s gang won’t have it easy though, as they cross swords with Lamar Jackson and the Ravens.
The Jaguars hadn’t qualified for the playoffs since 2017. But they enjoyed a five-game hitting streak to end the season and, admittedly, a pretty weak section to secure qualification.
