Fourteen teams reach the NFL playoffs, seven from each conference. The bracket runs four rounds and ends at the Super Bowl.
Who Gets In
Each conference sends its four division winners and three wild cards, the next three best records regardless of division. Division winners take seeds one through four, ordered by record. Wild cards take five through seven.
A division winner is always seeded above a wild card, even if the wild card has a better record. That is how a 9-8 division champion can host an 11-6 team.
The Rounds
| Round | Format |
|---|---|
| Wild Card weekend | 2 vs. 7, 3 vs. 6, 4 vs. 5 in each conference. The top seed rests. |
| Divisional round | The top seed plays the lowest remaining seed. The other two survivors meet. |
| Conference championship | Winner goes to the Super Bowl |
| Super Bowl | AFC champion vs. NFC champion at a neutral site |
The Bye Is the Prize
Only the number one seed in each conference gets a first-round bye. That is worth more than it sounds: a week of rest, and three wins needed for a title instead of four. It is the main reason teams already assured of a playoff spot keep starters in during the final weeks.
Reseeding
The bracket is not fixed. After the wild card round, the highest remaining seed plays the lowest remaining seed. So an upset early can change who the top seed faces next.
Home Field
The higher seed hosts every round through the conference championship. The Super Bowl is at a predetermined neutral site awarded years in advance.
Overtime Is Different
Playoff overtime periods are 15 minutes rather than 10, both teams are guaranteed a possession, and the game cannot end in a tie. Teams keep playing periods until someone wins.
Related
How many teams make it · Seeding explained · How the wild card works · Overtime rules
The Bottom Line
Seven teams per conference, one bye for the top seed, reseeding after each round, and the higher seed hosting until the Super Bowl.