NFL Playoff Schedule 2019

NFL Playoff Schedule 2019: Dates, times and TV for every round of the AFC and NFC postseason

You might want to go ahead and clear your weekend schedule because the NFL playoffs are here and they're starting on Saturday. 

After a wild Week 17, you won't have much time to catch your breath and that's because the postseason will be kicking off in Houston on Jan. 5 when the AFC South champion Texans play host to the Colts. This game will mark the third time this year that these two teams have met, and if the two earlier games are any indication, this one could get wild. In Week 4, the Texans won 37-34 in overtime. The Colts then got revenge with a 24-21 win on the road in Week 14. 

In the AFC's other wild-card showdown, Philip Rivers and the Chargers will make their first playoff appearance in five years when they travel to Baltimore. The two teams met earlier this season in a game where the Chargers got shut down at home by Baltimore's defense during a 22-10 Ravens win. 

The postseason field is set and the NFL postseason schedule is largely locked in. Now it's time to make some picks. There's no better way than to get really out there and project the full 2019 NFL playoff bracket, which is what I'll do in between every single round. 

For now that involves looking at the actual wild-card matchups and ripping through those, then continuing on with all the matchups. It's a projection, not a prediction, but you won't care when you yell at me on Twitter (@WillBrinson). 

Make sure and check out all of our picks for the playoffs on the Pick Six Podcast -- the daily NFL pod hosted by yours truly, subscribe right here -- and listen to our breakdown of the playoff field and Week 17 recap below.

ooking at the playoff picture this year, what should we expect to see unfold over the next four weeks? How far will the defending champions go in their quest to repeat? Is the talk about the Patriots' demise premature? Who's going to win Super Bowl LIII?

We'll delve into answers for those questions. But first, take a look at the dates and game times for each playoff contest to keep track of the action.

The 2019 NFL Playoffs get underway this weekend with an exciting Wild Card round that will showcase eight teams all looking to jump-start a Super Bowl run across four matchups. The action begins on Saturday with an all-AFC South showdown—the first in postseason history—between the No. 3 Houston Texans and No. 6 Indianapolis Colts, followed by a clash between the No. 4 Dallas Cowboys—champions of the NFC East—and the No. 5 Seattle Seahawks. Things resume on Sunday afternoon when the AFC North Baltimore Ravens, the No. 4 seed in the conference, take on the No. 5 Los Angeles Chargers. The round wraps up with the No. 3 Chicago Bears—the NFC North champs—going head-to-head with the defending champion Philadelphia Eagles, who snuck in to the playoffs as a No. 6 seed this year.  

Wild Card Weekend

Saturday, January 5

No. 6 Indianapolis at No. 3 Houston, 4:35 p.m. ET (ESPN/ABC)

No. 5 Seattle at No. 4 Dallas, 8:15 p.m. ET (Fox)

Sunday, January 6

No. 5 Los Angeles Chargers at No. 4 Baltimore, 1:05 p.m. ET (CBS)

No. 6 Philadelphia at No. 3 Chicago, 4:40 p.m. ET (NBC)

(6) Colts at (3) Texans (-2.5) - Sat., Jan. 5, 4:35 p.m. ET (ESPN)

The two division rivals meet for the third time this year in a rubber match to see who will move on to the next round. This is a total toss-up for me: their previous two meetings were decided by a total of six points and I think Andrew Luck and Deshaun Watson are a wash in a big-stage game. The one edge I like here? The Colts offensive line can potentially neutralize the Texans' biggest strength of J.J. Watt and Jadeveon Clowney. I'll lean Colts in an upset. 

(5) Seahawks at (4) Cowboys (-2.5) - Sat., Jan. 5, 8:15 p.m. ET (NBC)

Maybe I'm too confident in Russell Wilson but I can't find myself looking any direction but the Seahawks here. They have the playoff experience at coach and quarterback and that's a huge plus. Jason Garrett will go back to playing conservative and I believe the Seahawks defense can contain the Cowboys offense enough to steal a road win. 

Stream Saturday night's and Sunday's games on fuboTV, try it for free, and stream the CBS games on CBS All Access.  

(5) Chargers at (4) Ravens (-2.5) - Sun., Jan. 6, 1:05 p.m. ET (CBS)

The last time a rookie quarterback beat a top-10 defense in a playoff game? 2008, when Joe Flacco pulled it off. I love me some Lamar Jackson, but the Chargers defense and Joey Bosa come to play in this one. I don't believe the Ravens defense can fool Philip Rivers twice and I think we see the Chargers eek out a road win. 

(6) Eagles at (3) Bears (-6) - Sun., Jan.6, 4:40 p.m. ET (FOX)

The Eagles are a miracle story thanks to Nick Foles once again dragging them back to the postseason. But this is a different story than last year: asking Philly to go into Chicago and beat the best defense in football is too much. The Bears roll in this game behind a surprisingly huge game from Mitchell Trubisky. v 

Divisional Round

Saturday, January 12

Indianapolis/L.A. Chargers/Baltimore at No. 1 Kansas City, 4:35 p.m. ET (NBC)

Seattle/Dallas/Chicago at No. 2 Los Angeles Rams, 8:15 p.m. ET (Fox)

Sunday, January 13

L.A. Chargers/Baltimore/Houston at No. 2 New England, 1:05 p.m. ET (CBS)

Philadelphia/Seattle/Dallas at No. 1 New Orleans, 4:40 p.m. ET (Fox)

(6) Colts at (1) Chiefs (-6.5) - Sat., Jan. 12, 4:35 p.m. ET (NBC)

Mr. Luck gets to see Mr. Reid again. And the over/under would be skyjacked for this game. The Colts are a team that can beat the Chiefs: they play tough defense and have the kind of methodical running game that can wear down the Chiefs defense. I just always back Andy Reid off a bye and I'm going to back him here with two weeks to prep. 

(3) Bears at (2) Rams (-3.5) - Sat., Jan. 12, 8:15 p.m. ET (FOX)

A rematch from an outstanding Sunday night game (if you like defense and young quarterbacks completely overwhelmed by cold, windy conditions). I'm gonna lean towards the Bears here again, even though it's not going to feature nasty Chicago conditions. 

(5) Chargers at (2) Patriots (-6) - Sun., Jan. 13, 1:05 p.m. ET (CBS)

UPSET TIME BABY. If the Chargers can handle the physical style of the Ravens, they can go into Foxboro and beat the Patriots. Philip Rivers owes Bill Belichick and Tom Brady a measure or two of revenge, and after getting the Chiefs monkey off his back, he can go win one in New England. 

(5) Seahawks at (1) Saints (-7.5) - Sun., Jan. 13, 4:40 p.m. ET (FOX)

This is a spot I'd love to take the Seahawks to win. Maybe that spread is too big? I just don't think anyone is strolling into New Orleans in the playoffs and taking out Drew Brees and Sean Payton. If anyone could do it, it's Russell Wilson, but the Saints are too lethal at home with a week to prepare. 

Championship Sunday

Sunday, January 20

NFC Championship, 3:05 p.m. ET (Fox)

AFC Championship, 6:40 p.m. ET (CBS)

Super Bowl LIII

Sunday, February 3

AFC vs. NFC in Atlanta, 6:30 p.m. ET (CBS)

(5) Chargers at Chiefs (-5) - Sat., Jan. 13, 4:35 p.m. ET (NBC)

What a glorious rematch this would be. The second time these teams played was one of the best games of the year, a thrilling playoff-type matchup that had hearts pounding everywhere. Speaking of hearts, my heart says Philip Rivers can beat the Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes twice in one season and my head is telling me to shut up and pick the Chiefs. This is a pre-playoffs projection, though, so I don't have to listen to my head. Andy Reid vs. Rivers with a chance for the Super Bowl is all the narrative marbles.  

(3) Bears at (1) Saints (-4.5) - Sat., Jan. 13, 4:35 p.m. ET (NBC)

Incredible clash in styles here, with the dangerous Bears defense going up against Brees and the Saints offense. Unfortunately for Chicago, New Orleans can block and run well and I don't know if the Bears have the depth to keep up with the Saints on their home turf. I would probably back the Bears to cover here, but I'll take the Saints to advance. Betting on them to lose at home in the playoffs is not a profitable enterprise.

The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league consisting of 32 teams, divided equally between the National Football Conference (NFC) and the American Football Conference (AFC). The NFL is one of the four major professional sports leagues in North America, and the highest professional level of American football in the world.The NFL’s 17-week regular season runs from early September to late December, with each team playing 16 games and having one bye week. In this post I have shared the latest NFL playoff Picture 2019 and NFL Playoff 2019 Schedule.

The final 4 teams will be: AFC: Kansas City, New EnglandNFC: LA Rams, New Orleans
AFC DARK HORSES: Pittsburgh, LA Chargers, Tennesee
NFC DARK HORSES: Chicago, Seattle, Minnesota