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A dynasty has crumbled, established stars have stumbled, and former also-rans have surged into Super Bowl contention.

As noted by experienced analyst Cris Collinsworth, "this is the most unusual year I can remember in the NFL."

Fourteen teams will battle in the postseason, and notably, the Kansas City Chiefs are missing for the first time in eleven years.

The defending champion Philadelphia Eagles have not displayed the same dominance as last season, while preseason favorites like the Buffalo Bills have failed to meet lofty expectations.

Demonstrating the season's strength, an impressive 11 out of the 14 playoff entrants notched 11-plus wins, something that has happened merely twice since the late 1980s.

An unprecedented five clubs reached the playoffs following seasons with 11 or more defeats, including New England and Chicago, who each went from last place to first in their divisions.

"If you ask me to pick a favourite, I don't know, because you can put something on all of them," Collinsworth added.

"It's going to be amazing to watch these young quarterbacks go at it because I don't know what they will do. This is when legends begin to be built."

The Mechanics of the NFL Postseason

The NFL playoffs consist of 14 total teams—seven from the American Football Conference (AFC) and seven from the National Football Conference (NFC).

The conferences remain separate throughout a three-week, 12-game knockout tournament that determines each conference's representative in Super Bowl 60 on February 8.

The highest-seeded team in each matchup enjoys home-field advantage, with the top seeds—Denver and Seattle—receiving a first-round bye during Wildcard Weekend.

The top seeds enter in the Divisional Round. Victors in the Conference Championships, which serve as Super Bowl semifinals, advance to the championship at Santa Clara's Levi's Stadium.

A rematch of the 2014 Super Bowl between Seattle and Denver is possible, though Denver later rebounded to win Super Bowl 50 at the same venue in 2016.

The AFC Championship Picture: A Field of Opportunity

The postseason will proceed without Kansas City's Patrick Mahomes, a playoff constant until now, marking a significant shift.

Adding to the change, Super Bowl 60 will lack both Mahomes and Joe Burrow of Cincinnati, breaking a streak dating back to 2019.

With recent MVPs Mahomes and Lamar Jackson (Baltimore) also out, the AFC playoff field lacks its recent dominant forces, creating a void for new contenders.

Consequently, the competition for the AFC crown is remarkably open, presenting a golden opportunity for new quarterbacks such as Denver's Bo Nix and New England's Drake Maye to achieve postseason fame.

The AFC champion has come from a very small group since 2016, and the players from those winning teams have all since moved on.

The AFC's number one seed, Denver, has barely played in the postseason lately, and Pittsburgh joins them as the only current AFC playoff teams with Super Bowl experience in the last 30 years.

The AFC does feature established quarterbacks such as Pittsburgh's Aaron Rodgers and Buffalo's Josh Allen, whose playoff experience might prove decisive against the influx of youth.

Identifying the Frontrunners for the Super Bowl and MVP

The NFC boasts more recent playoff pedigree, with Philadelphia, Los Angeles, or San Francisco appearing in seven of the last eight Super Bowls.

The Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers have essentially been in playoff mode for weeks, battling Seattle in the fiercely competitive NFC West.

The Seahawks claimed the division crown with a 14-3 mark, riding a seven-game victory streak into the postseason after besting both the Rams and 49ers late.

Winning the NFC's number one seed makes Seattle marginal Super Bowl favorites, slightly edging the 12-5 Rams, whose passer Matthew Stafford leads the MVP conversation.

Stafford, who won a Super Bowl in his first season with the Rams in 2022, has never won the MVP but is rated just ahead of New England's second-year quarterback, Drake Maye.

The development of Maye, aided by head coach Mike Vrabel, has been central to the Patriots' remarkable turnaround from four wins to fourteen.

Chicago's Caleb Williams is another second-year quarterback excelling under a new coach, with Ben Johnson guiding the Bears from 5-12 to 11-6 and the NFC's second seed.

Wildcard Weekend: The Complete Fixture List

All times are in GMT

Saturday, 10 January

Los Angeles Rams @ Carolina Panthers (21:30)

Chicago Bears welcome the Green Bay Packers (01:00 Sunday)

Sunday, 11 January

Buffalo Bills @ Jacksonville Jaguars (18:00)

The 49ers take on the defending champion Philadelphia Eagles (21:30)

New England Patriots host the Los Angeles Chargers (01:00 Monday)

Monday, 12 January

The Texans meet the Pittsburgh Steelers (01:00 Tuesday)

Key Storylines for Wildcard Weekend

The Rams begin Wildcard Weekend in Carolina, a team that made history by reaching the playoffs with a losing 8-9 record after stumbling to the NFC South title.

Although on the road, the Rams feature Matthew Stafford, the regular-season leader in passing yards and TDs, and receiver Puka Nacua, who amassed 1,715 receiving yards.

The Packers, slowed by key injuries, get quarterback Jordan Love back from concussion for a rare playoff meeting in football's longest-standing rivalry.

Despite exceeding expectations by winning the NFC North, Chicago faces pressure to avoid a third consecutive loss and an early playoff exit.

In the NFC's other wildcard game, a banged-up San Francisco squad travels to face Philadelphia, the defending champions who rested players after locking up the NFC East.

Reigning MVP Josh Allen of Buffalo dreams of his first Super Bowl, but the Bills face a difficult road test against a red-hot Jacksonville team on an eight-game win streak.

{New England aims to avoid an upset at home against the Los Angeles Chargers, whose quarterback Justin Herbert seeks his first playoff win in his sixth season.|The Patriots hope to defend their home field against the Chargers, as LA's quarterback Justin Herbert looks for his inaugural postseason victory in year six.|At home, New England tries to stave off the Chargers, with Justin Herbert attempting to secure his first career playoff