Who’s In The Playoffs? NFL Edition
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It’s that time of year again! The NFL playoffs are just around the corner, and we all know what that means… Who’s In The Playoffs? NFL Edition! This blog will keep you updated on all the latest news and information on who’s in the playoffs and who’s not.
AFC
In the AFC, the Patriots, Steelers, Jaguars, and Chiefs have clinched playoff spots. The Titans and Ravens are battling it out for the final spot. The Patriots have clinched the AFC East and a first-round bye. The Steelers have clinched the AFC North. The Jaguars have clinched the AFC South. The Chiefs have clinched the AFC West.
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional American football team based in Baltimore, Maryland. The Ravens compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. The team is headquartered in Owings Mills.
The Ravens were established in 1996, when Art Modell, the owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced plans to relocate the franchise from Cleveland to Baltimore on November 6, 1995. As part of a settlement between Modell and the city of Cleveland, the Ravens agreed to share its stadium with the Cleveland Browns for three years prior to joining the AFC North in 1999 and becoming the only team ever to switch conferences twice in NFL history.
The Ravens have qualified for the NFL playoffs 11 times since 2000, with two Super Bowl victories (Super Bowl XXXV and XLVII), two AFC Championship titles (2000 and 2012), 15 playoff victories, four AFC North division championships (2003, 2006, 2011, 2018), and are currently tied for the second-longest streak of consecutive playoff appearances with 10 straight seasons.
Buffalo Bills
The Bills have not made the playoffs since the 1999 season, when they lost the AFC Championship game to the Tennessee Titans. That drought is the longest active streak in the NFL, but this year’s squad has a chance to end it. The Bills finished the regular season with a 9-7 record, good for second place in the AFC East behind the New England Patriots. They earned a wild-card spot and will face off against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday.
Houston Texans
After clinching the AFC South for the fourth consecutive year, the Houston Texans are in the playoffs for the fifth time in franchise history. They will look to make a deep run this year after being ousted in the Wild Card round by the Colts last season. The Texans boast one of the best defenses in the league, led by Defensive Player of the Year candidate J.J. Watt. On offense, they will look to quarterback Brock Osweiler to lead them to victory. The Texans will have their work cut out for them as they face off against the Oakland Raiders in the Wild Card round.
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league’s American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The team was founded in 1960 as the Dallas Texans by businessman Lamar Hunt and was a charter member of the American Football League (AFL). In 1963, the team relocated to Kansas City and assumed their current name. The Chiefs joined the NFL as a result of the merger in 1970. The team is valued at over $2 billion.
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston area. The Patriots compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league’s American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The team plays its home games at Gillette Stadium in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts, which is 28 miles (45 km) southwest of downtown Boston.
The Patriots are also headquartered at Gillette Stadium. The team’s ownership group is led by Robert Kraft, who owns the majority stake. The head coach is Bill Belichick, who has been with the team since 2000. The quarterback is Tom Brady, who has played for the team since 2001.
Pittsburgh Steelers
As the top seed in the AFC, the Pittsburgh Steelers have one of the best chances to make it to the Super Bowl this year. With a strong offense and a solid defense, the Steelers are a team to be reckoned with.
Led by quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, the Steelers have one of the most potent offenses in the NFL. With weapons like wide receiver Antonio Brown and running back Le’Veon Bell, the Steelers are capable of scoring points in a hurry. On defense, the Steelers are led by linebacker Ryan Shazier and safety Mike Mitchell. The Steelers defense is stout against both the run and the pass, and they will be a tough test for any team that has to face them.
The Steelers have a bye in the first week of the playoffs, so they will not be in action until divisional weekend. Their opponent will be whoever wins between the Miami Dolphins and the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee. The Titans compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) South division. Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the then-current name was adopted in 1999 when the team relocated to Nashville from Houston, Texas. The Titans play their home games at Nissan Stadium in downtown Nashville.
NFC
The National Football Conference (NFC) is one of the two conferences of the National Football League (NFL), the highest professional level of American football in the world. This conference currently contains sixteen teams, organized into four divisions.
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league’s National Football Conference (NFC) East division. They are one of the most successful teams in the history of the NFL, having appeared in eight Super Bowls, tied with the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Denver Broncos for second most Super Bowl appearances, behind only the New England Patriots’ record eleven Super Bowl appearances. The Cowboys have won five of those Super Bowl appearances, tied with their NFL rivals, the San Francisco 49ers; both teams share the record for most Super Bowl wins by a single franchise.
The Cowboys were founded in 1960 as an expansion team. They played their home games at Cotton Bowl Stadium in Dallas until 1971, when they moved to Texas Stadium in Irving. In 2009, they played their home games at AT&T Stadium in Arlington—a venue that opened as Cowboys Stadium but was renamed after AT&T purchased the naming rights to it in 2013. The franchise has made 24 postseason appearances (tied for 9th all-time), and has an overall playoff record of 34–16 (tied for 2nd all-time).
Green Bay Packers
As of right now, the Packers are the NFC’s first seed with a record of 12-3. They have clinched the NFC North and a first round bye in the playoffs. They will most likely face either the New Orleans Saints, Seattle Seahawks, or Los Angeles Rams in the divisional round.
Los Angeles Rams
The Los Angeles Rams are a professional American football team that compete in the National Football League (NFL). They are a member of the NFC West division, and play their home games at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. The Rams franchise was founded in 1936 as the Cleveland Rams in the short-lived second American Football League before joining the NFL the next year. In 1946, they moved to Los Angeles. The Rams franchise remained in the metro area until 1994, when they moved to St. Louis, Missouri. The Rams franchise returned to Los Angeles in 2016.
The Rams have appeared in three Super Bowls, winning one in 1999 and losing two in 1980 and 2018. They have won six conference championships, including five NFL West titles. The team has 14 NFL divisional championships (11 NFL West titles and three Overall Conference titles), which is tied with their arch-rivals, the San Francisco 49ers for second most among teams currently playing in the NFL (only one’).The Rams have appeared in 14 playoffs since their 1937 formation (including their last two appearances), which ranks fourth among all teams currently playing in the NFL (tied with four other teams). The franchise has gone through three name changes: from Boston Braves to Worcester Tornadoes to Detroit Lions; from Dallas Texans to Kansas City Chiefs; back again to Worcester Tornadoes then finally Los Angeles Rams.”
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League (NFL) as an expansion team in 1960, and first took the field for the 1961 season. The team competes in the National Football Conference (NFC) North division.
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints have clinched the NFC South and are headed to the playoffs for the third consecutive season. The Saints have been one of the best teams in the NFL over the past few years, and they look poised to make a run at the Super Bowl this year.
The Saints have a dynamic offense that is led by quarterback Drew Brees. Brees is one of the best quarterbacks in NFL history, and he has a talented group of weapons at his disposal, including running back Alvin Kamara and wide receiver Michael Thomas.
The Saints also have a solid defense, which is led by defensive end Cam Jordan. Jordan is one of the best pass rushers in the NFL, and he will be a key player for the Saints defense in the playoffs.
The Saints are a dangerous team, and they will be a tough out for any team in the playoffs.
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. The Seahawks compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league’s National Football Conference (NFC) West division. They joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team. The Seahawks are owned by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen and are currently coached by Pete Carroll. Since 2002, the Seahawks have played their home games at CenturyLink Field, located south of downtown Seattle. The Seahawks previously played home games in the Kingdome (1976–1999) and Husky Stadium (1994, 2000–2001).
The Seahawks have made nine appearances in the NFL playoffs, winning five NFC championships: in 1980, 2005, 2013, 2014, and 2016. They have appeared in three Super Bowls: losing 21–10 to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XL; defeating the Denver Broncos 43–8 for their first championship in Super Bowl XLVIII; and losing 28–24 to the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLIX. As per Forbes Magazine’s 2016 valuation of NFL teams,[7] the Seahawks are valued at $2.25 billion and ranked as the 27th richest team in the NFL.[8]
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team located in the San Francisco Bay Area. They compete in the National Football League as a member of the league’s National Football Conference West division.
