NFL Playoff Picture 2025: Wild-Card Odds, Picks and Matchup Scenarios for Bracket

Football fans are eagerly awaiting the start of the NFL playoffs, which get underway this weekend with six Wild Card Round matchups. Anything could happen as a dozen teams battle for spots in the divisional round and try to begin a run to Super Bowl LIX.

The Kansas City Chiefs and the Detroit Lions won't be in action, as they're the No. 1 seeds in the AFC and NFC, respectively. Each received a first-round bye and will get a week of rest before playing in the divisional round next weekend.

That makes the Buffalo Bills and the Philadelphia Eagles the highest-seeded teams in action this weekend, and they'll be looking to avoid upsets as the No. 2 seeds.

Which six teams will join Kansas City and Detroit in the next round? Here's a look at the Wild Card Round schedule, odds for each matchup and predictions.

Saturday, Jan. 11

No. 5 Los Angeles Chargers (-2.5) at No. 4 Houston Texans, 4:30 p.m. ET, CBS/Paramount+

No. 6 Pittsburgh Steelers at No. 3 Baltimore Ravens (-9.5), 8 p.m. ET, Prime Video

Sunday, Jan. 12

No. 7 Denver Broncos at No. 2 Buffalo Bills (-8.5), 1 p.m. ET, CBS/Paramount+

No. 7 Green Bay Packers at No. 2 Philadelphia Eagles (-4.5), 4:30 p.m. ET, Fox

No. 6 Washington Commanders at No. 3 Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-3), 8 p.m. ET, NBC/Peacock

Monday, Jan. 13

No. 5 Minnesota Vikings (-1.5) at No. 4 Los Angeles Rams, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN/ABC/ESPN+

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook

AFC Wild Card Round Predictions

No. 5 Los Angeles over No. 4 Houston

No. 3 Baltimore over No. 6 Pittsburgh

No. 2 Buffalo over No. 7 Denver

Projected AFC Divisional Round Matchups

No. 5 Los Angeles at No. 1 Kansas City

No. 3 Baltimore at No. 2 Buffalo

The Bills and the Ravens are both big favorites in the Wild Card Round, and it would be surprising if either gets upset at home. That should set up a highly anticipated matchup between the two teams next week in a game that will feature star quarterbacks Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson, the NFL MVP front-runners.

The Ravens beat the Bills 35-10 when the teams met in Baltimore in Week 4. But a rematch in Buffalo should be much closer.

On the other side of the bracket, the Chargers are favored to beat the Texans even though Saturday's game is being played in Houston. Los Angeles won three straight games to end the regular season and seems to have more momentum than its opponent, which hasn't won consecutive games since early December.

Jim Harbaugh has the Chargers playing well, and the prediction here is that the head coach will guide the team to a playoff win in his first season at the helm. After that, L.A. will get a third opportunity to play Kansas City, its AFC West rival.

If any team could upset the Chiefs in the AFC playoffs, it may be the Chargers. Although Kansas City won both regular-season meetings, neither game was a blowout (17-10 in Week 4 and 19-17 in Week 14).

L.A. has the potential to stay hot and go on a run, so don't be surprised if that happens.

NFC Wild Card Round Predictions

No. 2 Philadelphia over No. 7 Green Bay

No. 6 Washington over No. 3 Tampa Bay

No. 5 Minnesota over No. 4 Los Angeles

Projected NFC Divisional Round Matchups

No. 6 Washington at No. 1 Detroit

No. 5 Minnesota at No. 2 Philadelphia

The most exciting game during the Wild Card Round could be Sunday night's matchup between the Commanders and the Buccaneers. It should be a much more competitive contest than when these teams met in Week 1, a game Tampa Bay won 37-20.

That season opener marked the NFL debut of Washington quarterback Jayden Daniels, who has since emerged as a future star and incredible playmaker. But Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield has had an impressive season himself, so there should be offense on both sides.

The Commanders are only three-point underdogs on the road, and they could pull out a victory, which would be their first in the playoffs since the 2005 season (also at Tampa Bay in the Wild Card Round). The pick here is Washington.

As for the other two NFC matchups, the betting favorites should be victorious. The Eagles are unlikely to struggle against the Packers, while the Vikings will prove they're better than the Rams by going on the road and securing a win.

While Philadelphia and Minnesota will meet in the divisional round, Washington will have trouble getting on a run because it will be going on the road to face Detroit. And the Lions are the clear front-runner to win the NFC and reach the Super Bowl for the first time in franchise history.