Which NFL Teams Have Byes in the First Round of the Playoffs?

The NFL playoffs are upon us and as we look ahead to the first round bye teams, we break down which squads have the week off.

NFL Teams With Byes in the First Round of the Playoffs

The NFL playoffs are nearly here, and four teams have already clinched a spot in the divisional round. The divisional round is when the bye weeks come into play. Each conference has two division winners that earn a bye in the first round. In the NFC, the Green Bay Packers and New Orleans Saints have clinched the divisional round bye. In the AFC, the Baltimore Ravens and Kansas City Chiefs have clinched the divisional round bye.

New England Patriots

The New England Patriots, who have a first-round bye, are the defending Super Bowl champions. The team with the best record in each conference is guaranteed a spot in the divisional round of the playoffs. The other two divisional round spots are reserved for the teams with the next two best records, regardless of conference. In the AFC, those teams are currently the Kansas City Chiefs and Houston Texans.

Pittsburgh Steelers

The Pittsburgh Steelers have a bye in the first round of the playoffs.

Los Angeles Rams

The Los Angeles Rams are one of the four NFL teams who have byes in the first round of the playoffs. The other three teams are the New Orleans Saints, the Kansas City Chiefs, and the Los Angeles Chargers.

Kansas City Chiefs

The Kansas City Chiefs clinched the AFC West and a first-round bye with a 13-1 record. The Chiefs lost their first game of the season to the Las Vegas Raiders but bounced back to win 13 in a row. Patrick Mahomes is the leading MVP candidate and has thrown for 4,208 yards and 38 touchdowns. The Chiefs will have home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs.

How NFL Teams Earn a Bye in the Playoffs

In the NFL, a playoff bye is a privilege that’s reserved for the league’s best teams. Byes give teams an extra week of rest and preparation, and they can be the difference between a deep playoff run and an early exit. So which NFL teams have byes in the first round of the playoffs?

Win their division

An NFL divisional bye means that a team doesn’t have to play during Wild Card Weekend. The four division winners with the best records earn divisional byes. These division winners will automatically advance to the Divisional Playoffs, where they will play the lower-seeded Wild Card Weekend winners.

Earn the best record in their conference

In the NFL, a bye week is a week during the regular season in which a team does not play.
Byes usually occur during Week 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10 of the NFL season.

In order for a team to earn a bye week, they must have one of the best records in their conference. In most cases, this means that the team must have either won their division or had one of the best records in their conference.

The bye week gives teams an extra week to rest and prepare for their next game. This can be beneficial for teams that are dealing with injuries or are coming off of a tough stretch of games.

What are the Benefits of Having a Bye in the Playoffs?

Having a bye in the first round of the playoffs can be a huge advantage for a team. It gives them an extra week to rest and prepare for their next opponent. It also allows them to stay fresher and healthier than the team that has to play an extra game.

Get an extra week of rest

The benefits of having a bye in the playoffs are significant. When a team has a bye, they get an extra week of rest and preparation. This can be a huge advantage, particularly later in the playoffs when teams are fatigued from a long season. Additionally, teams with byes often have home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. This means that they get to play all of their playoff games at home, which is obviously a big advantage. Finally, teams with byes often have more time to game-plan for their opponents since they don’t have to play in the first round of the playoffs.

Get an extra week of practice

It’s an age-old debate in the NFL: Is it better to get a first-round bye in the playoffs or to win your way into the postseason?

The answer, of course, is complicated. There are benefits and drawbacks to both scenarios.

For example, let’s say your team is fighting for a playoff spot in the final week of the regular season. If you win, you’ll advance to the playoffs but you’ll likely have to play a tough road game against a well-rested opponent.

On the other hand, if you lose and a team with a worse record than yours secures a Wild Card berth, you’ll get an extra week of practice and you’ll be at home for your first playoff game.

So, which is better? It depends on your perspective. Some coaches believe that it’s better to get hot at the end of the season and carry that momentum into the playoffs. Others believe that it’s better to rest key players in the final week of the regular season and make sure they’re fresh for the playoffs.

At the end of the day, it’s up to each individual coach to decide what’s best for their team. But there are advantages and disadvantages to both scenarios, and it’s worth considering both before making a decision.

Avoid playing a wild card team

Having a bye in the first round of the playoffs gives a team several advantages. The most obvious is that they get to sit out the wild card round and watch as the other teams beat up on each other. This gives them an extra week to rest and recover from any injuries that they may have suffered during the regular season. In addition, it gives them a chance to scout their potential opponents and come up with a game plan specifically for that team.