Photo courtesy of Green Bay Packers
In order to reach the Super Bowl this season, teams will have to go through the teams that played in the very first Super Bowl.
With the new 14-team playoff format in the NFL, only one team in each conference receives a first-round bye. Here’s a look at each of them:
Kansas City Chiefs
For the second straight year, Kansas City will go through the playoffs without having to leave the friendly confines of Arrowhead Stadium. Last season, the Chiefs were the No. 2 seed, but never traveled after the top-seeded Baltimore Ravens were upset by the Tennessee Titans in the AFC Divisional round.
Kansas City’s first playoff game will be on either Jan. 16 or 17 and vs. the lowest remaining seed on the AFC side. Since 2003, the Chiefs have a record of 5-8 in the playoffs. They are currently 4-1 in their last five games, including a Super Bowl win over the San Francisco 49ers last year.
Chiefs’ record versus current playoff teams (All-Time)
Chicago Bears, 6-7 New Orleans Saints, 7-5
Seattle Seahawks, 33-19 Washington Football Team, 9-1
Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 6-7 Green Bay Packers, 7-5-1
Los Angeles Rams, 7-5 Buffalo Bills, 22-26-1
Pittsburgh Steelers, 12-13 Tennessee Titans, 30-24
Baltimore Ravens, 7-4 Cleveland Browns, 13-11-2
Indianapolis Colts, 10-17
Green Bay Packers
For the second straight year, the Green Bay Packers have won the NFC North. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers is having an MVP-caliber season.
If the Packers were looking to motivate Rodgers by drafting Utah State quarterback Jordan Love in the first round, it sure seemed to work. They will have the first-round bye and home-field advantage through the playoffs.
The Green Bay Packers will be playing on either Jan. 16 or 17 vs. the lowest remaining seed on the NFC side.
Packers’ record versus current playoff teams (All-Time)
Chicago Bears, 100-94-6 New Orleans Saints, 17-9
Seattle Seahawks, 14-9 Washington Football Team, 21-16-1
Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 33-22-1 Indianapolis Colts, 21-24-1
Los Angeles Rams, 46-47-2 Kansas City Chiefs, 5-7-1
Pittsburgh Steelers, 19-16 Buffalo Bills, 5-8
Baltimore Ravens, 4-2 Tennessee Titans, 6-7
Cleveland Browns, 13-7
Prediction
The Packers will lose in the Divisional round to the fifth-seeded Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Kansas City Chiefs will lose in the AFC Championship to the No. 3 seed Pittsburgh Steelers.