NFL playoffs schedule, bracket update for divisional round games

When the winners are determined, draw no. 1 seed in each conference the lowest remaining seed for the divisional round. This can be any team seeded from no. 4-7, depending on the results of the game; in 2025, the AFC’s top-seeded Chiefs drew a matchup with the 4-seeded Texans, while the NFC’s no. 1-seeded Lions played a match with the no. 6-seeded Commanders.

The other conference semifinals are between the two remaining teams on either side of the bracket. Once these matchups are set, the bracket becomes fixed. The winners of the divisional round games will play each other in their respective conference championship games to determine which team will go to the Super Bowl.

This differs slightly from the NFL’s previous playoff bracket, where the No. The 2 seed in each conference also got a bye week. The NFL changed this rule in 2020 when it expanded its playoff field from 12 to 14 and began having the No. 2 seed opposite no. 7 seed, the latter of which previously failed to reach the postseason.

The new format creates a wider variety of potential matchups for the divisional round, as the No. The 1 seed faces the possibility of playing one of four teams instead of just three. It also creates a greater advantage for teams that get a bye, since they don’t have to win an extra game as they look to make a Super Bowl run.