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

Veteran NFL commentator Cris Collinsworth stated, "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.

Last year's champions, the Philadelphia Eagles, have been less formidable, and teams like the Buffalo Bills, tipped for success early on, have not delivered.

Yet, showcasing the competitive balance, 11 playoff qualifiers won 11 or more games, a rarity seen just one other time in the last three-and-a-half decades.

A record five teams qualified after suffering 11 or more losses the previous year, with two—New England and Chicago—completing a "worst-to-first" turnaround in their divisions.

Collinsworth further explained, "Selecting a frontrunner is challenging because compelling arguments exist for each contender."

"The clash of these young quarterbacks will be fascinating to observe, as their potential is unpredictable. This is the stage where legendary statuses are forged."

The Mechanics of the NFL Postseason

Fourteen teams enter the postseason, split evenly with seven representatives from both the AFC and 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.

These top seeds debut in the Divisional Round. The winners of the subsequent Conference Championships—the de facto Super Bowl semifinals—will clash in the title game at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara.

The possibility exists for a Seattle-Denver Super Bowl replay from 2014, despite Denver's subsequent victory in the last Super Bowl held at Levi's Stadium back in 2016.

Why the AFC Championship Race Is Completely Open

With Kansas City's Patrick Mahomes absent from the playoffs for the first time in his career, a major postseason fixture is missing.

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

Powerhouse franchises like Kansas City, Cincinnati, and Baltimore all missed the playoffs, removing the AFC's customary frontrunners and clearing the stage.

This scenario creates a wide-open AFC Championship race, offering a chance for emerging stars like Denver's Bo Nix and New England's Drake Maye to etch their names in playoff lore.

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

Top seed Denver has minimal recent playoff experience, and besides the Broncos and Patriots, Pittsburgh is the only other AFC playoff team with a Super Bowl appearance since 1995.

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.

Who Are the Super Bowl and MVP Favorites?

Teams from the NFC have dominated Super Bowl appearances lately, with the Eagles, Rams, or 49ers featuring in nearly every title game for eight years.

The Rams and 49ers have felt postseason pressure for a while, competing intensely with Seattle in what is considered the NFL's toughest division, the NFC West.

Seattle ultimately secured the division with a 14-3 record, entering the playoffs on a seven-game winning streak after defeating both rivals in the final stretch.

This earned Seattle the NFC's top seed, making them slight Super Bowl favorites, just ahead of the 12-5 Rams, whose quarterback Matthew Stafford is the MVP frontrunner.

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.

Under the guidance of new coach Mike Vrabel, Maye has flourished, instrumental in New England's stunning reversal from 4-13 a year ago to a 14-3 powerhouse.

In Chicago, quarterback Caleb Williams has also prospered with a new head coach, Ben Johnson, transforming the Bears into an 11-win team and the NFC's second seed.

The NFL Playoff Kickoff: Wildcard Weekend Matchups

All times are in GMT

Saturday, 10 January

Carolina Panthers host the Los Angeles Rams (21:30)

Green Bay Packers @ Chicago Bears (01:00 Sunday)

Sunday, 11 January

Buffalo Bills @ Jacksonville Jaguars (18:00)

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

The Chargers visit the New England Patriots (01:00 Monday)

Monday, 12 January

Houston Texans @ Pittsburgh Steelers (01:00 Tuesday)

What to Watch For During the Playoff Openers

Wildcard Weekend opens with the Rams at Carolina, a Panthers squad that historically qualified for the postseason despite a sub-.500 8-9 finish as division champions.

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.

Injuries late in the year halted Green Bay's surge, but the return of quarterback Jordan Love is timely for the latest chapter of the league's most historic rivalry.

Chicago, which surpassed preseason forecasts to win the NFC North, is under pressure to avert a three-game skid and a quick postseason departure.

Another NFC wildcard clash sees an injury-plagued San Francisco team visit the defending champion Eagles, who rested starters after clinching the NFC East.

Josh Allen and the Bills, often thwarted in recent playoffs, must go on the road to confront a surging Jacksonville squad that has won eight straight.

{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