The playoffs for the 2010 season get underway today with four teams battling it out in this always popular win-and-move-on football tournament. The late-afternoon game scheduled is between the defending champion New Orleans Saints traveling all the way to Seattle to take on the Seahawks who were the first team in NFL history to make the post-season with a losing record at 7-9.
The evening game features the defending-AFC Champion Indianapolis Colts who are hosting the New York Jets.
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Joel Thorman at SBNation.com has the full schedule breakdown:
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New Orleans Saints vs. Seattle Seahawks, 4:30 p.m. (ET), NBC: The Seahawks enter the game as heavy underdogs -- 10-11 points -- and no one is giving them a real shot to win. The Saints are the defending Super Bowl champs and enters the game as the No. 5 seed with an 11-5 record. The Seahawks, 7-9, are the first losing team to win their division, which got them a home playoff game.
New York Jets vs. Indianapolis Colts, 8:00 p.m. (ET), NBC: The Colts are 2.5 point favorites entering this game and Peyton Manning has Rex Ryan's number with a 5-1 record against Ryan-coached defenses since 2005. Ryan has been talking the Jets up all year so they'll be looking to back up what they've been saying. This game takes place in Indy's Lucas Oil Dome where they've been highly successful.
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NFL Playoffs Schedule: TV Schedule For Wild Card Saturday
NFL Playoff Scenarios: Week 17 Playoff Picture Coming Into Focus, Or Is It
As we wrap up the regular season of the NFL, all eyes turn towards the playoff picture. With a handful of games left on the schedule that matter for seeding and scenarios the fans of those teams lucky enough to still have teams good enough to be relevant are in for a treat. In Arizona, however, the only mystery that remains is which of the two teams most people picked to win the NFC West will end up on the bottom.
The Cardinals and 49ers are fighting out in the futility bowl while in other NFC action there are two actual playoff spots up for the taking. The New York Giants, Green Bay Packers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (technically) are vying for the wildcard. And of course the one remaining division title comes down to the league's worst division, your NFC West. The Seattle Seahawks and St. Louis Rams were flexed by NBC to get the prime time spot so see which .500 team gets the honors of advancing to the post season.
For the NFC wildcard the scenarios are simple. If the Packers beat the Bears they are in. If the Packers lose and the Giants beat the Redskins then New York gets in. If both the Packers and the Giants lose then the team once considered the best in the NFC -- by their coach -- backs into the playoffs. Simple.
In the AFC, all the playoff spots have been locked in but the seeding is very much up for grabs.
The New England Patriots won the AFC East and a first-round bye and home-field advantage in playoffs. The Pittsburgh Steelers clinched playoff spot and can clinch the AFC North division and a first-round bye with a win; a tie and a Ravens loss or tie; OR a Ravens loss.
The Kansas City Chiefs clinched AFC West and can get the No. 3 seed with a win/tie against the Raiders or a Colts loss/tie. The Chiefs could drop to the No. 4 seed if they lose and the Colts win. The Indianapolis Colts can win the AFC South division with a win/tie against the Titans or a Jaguars loss at the Texans. Indy can still become the AFC's No. 3 seed if they win and the Chiefs lose to the Raiders.
The Baltimore Ravens have secured their playoff berth and can't do worse than the No. 5 seed. They can can win the AFC North, No. 2 seed and a first-round bye by beating the Bengals along with a Steelers loss/tie vs. the Browns.
The New York Jets are in the playoffs and can secure the 5th seed with a win against the Bills Sunday, along with a Ravens win/tie versus the Bengals and a Steelers loss at the Browns.
The Jacksonville Jaguars need to both win and hope that the Colts lose so they can lock up AFC South title and the 4th seed. A loss/tie or a Colts win/tie would eliminate Jacksonville.
How much more clear could it be?
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