AFC playoff bracket 2018: Wild Card matchups
The NFL playoffs are upon us, and here’s a look at the Wild Card Round matchups in the AFC.
The AFC playoff picture went right down to the wire on Sunday, with the Cincinnati Bengals playing spoiler to the Baltimore Ravens with a late touchdown. That opened the door for the Buffalo Bills to end their lengthy playoff drought, and the Tennessee Titans took care of business by completing a season sweep of the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Here’s a look at the Wild Card matchups in the AFC this weekend
No. 5 Tennessee Titans at No. 4 Kansas City Chiefs
Date: Saturday, Jan. 6, 4:20 p.m EST
TV: ESPN
After a midseason downturn, the Chiefs won four in a row to end the regular season on a high note. The atmosphere at Arrowhead Stadium will give them a clear home field advantage, and the Titans’ 3-5 record on the road during the regular season included narrow wins over the Colts and Browns.
The future of Jon Gruden, and the likelihood of his final game in the ESPN booth, will take focus away from what may be a low-scoring game to start Wild Card weekend.
Buffalo Bills (No. 6 seed) at Jacksonville Jaguars (No. 3 seed)
Date: Sunday, Jan. 7, 1:05 p.m. EST
TV: CBS
Two long playoff droughts will end this weekend. The Bills are taking part for the first time since 1999, and the Jaguars are experiencing the postseason for the first time since 2007.
Jacksonville head coach Doug Marrone was the Bills’ head coach for two seasons (2013 and 2014). He opted out of his contract when new ownership took over, with his eye on the head job with the New York Jets that he did not ultimately get. The Bills traded defensive tackle Marcell Dareus to the Jaguars this year, so there’s some revenge factor for the two-time Pro Bowler.
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There’s also a significant injury to watch heading into Sunday, as Bills’ running back LeSean McCoy left the Week 17 win over the Dolphins with an ankle injury. If “Shady” is unable to suit up, Mike Tolbert and Marcus Murphy would be Buffalo’s top two running backs against the Jaguars. Any chance of an upset for Buffalo will shift with McCoy’s availability, or his effectiveness if he is in uniform.