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NFL Playoffs 2023-24 dates, format, and predictions

By Geoffrey Knox

Nick Sirianni (L), A.J. Brown (R), Philadelphia Eagles
Nick Sirianni (L), A.J. Brown (R), Philadelphia Eagles / Tim Nwachukwu/GettyImages
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The climb begins again. It's time to start over. Had the Philadelphia Eagles won Super Bowl LVII, we'd still be facing the same scenario, but at least we'd be doing so with a Vince Lombardi Trophy.

There's a feeling in all of us that screams 'unfinished business'. Getting back to football's grandest stage won't be easy. You've heard about the Super Bowl hangover all offseason. The disrespect card has also been played. The San Francisco 49ers are STILL crying. Then, there are all of those snubs.

Arguments can be made that Philly, in 2023, was home to the rightful Most Valuable Player Award winner (Jalen Hurts). They also fielded the rightful Comeback Player of the Year (Brandon Graham) and were led by the rightful Coach of the Year (Nick Sirianni).

People might say that making that type of statement reeks of greed. After all, last year's Eagles roster featured eight Pro Bowlers and six AP All-Pros. Then again, San Francisco 49ers star Nick Bosa won the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year trophy, and even though postseason records are determined by what guys did during the regular season, it's hard to ignore what he and Haason Reddick did during the NFC Playoffs. Just look at the numbers.

Haason Reddick: two games, eight total tackles, 3.5 sacks, four quarterback hits, a forced fumble, one fumble recovery

Nick Bosa: THREE games, 11 total tackles, ZERO sacks, one quarterback hit, ZERO forced fumbles, one fumble recovery

And, we're wrong for stating Haason Reddick was snubbed? We're biased because we said Jalen Hurts is the MVP and Nick Sirianni was the NFL's coach of the year? Sure, all that is water under the bridge now. All 32 teams will begin the regular season with a 0-0 record. It's time to start over. The Eagles are now the hunted, but we're expecting another phenomenal regular season. We're also looking for another deep playoff run.

Dates for the 2023-24 NFL Playoffs

Our favorite time of the year approaches, the dawn of another Philadelphia Eagles season. Much is expected. Here's what's coming up as well as a few early emotion-fueled guesses about how things will turn out.

  • Wild Card Round: January 13-15, 2024
  • Divisional Round: January 20-21, 2024
  • Conference Championships: January 28th, 2024
  • Super Bowl LVIII: February 11th, 2024

Format for 2023-24 NFL Playoffs

In 2020, the NFL negotiated with the Player's Association to add a 17th game to the regular season. One of the preseason exhibition games was removed from every team's schedule, One additional team was added from each conference to the postseason bracket, bringing the total number of qualifying playoff teams to 14.

The top-ranked team is given a bye during the Wild Card Round. The six games played during Round 1 are determined by a seeding system.

The AFC and NFC's seventh-ranked teams travel to face the second-ranked team. The third-ranked team hosts the sixth-ranked team. The fourth-ranked team hosts the fifth-ranked team. Once winners are determined, seeding is decided for the Divisional Round.

The top-ranked teams in both conferences host the lowest-seeded winners of Wild Card Weekend. The other Divisional Round game is a matchup featuring the second-highest-seeded team in both conferences (the home team) and the second-lowest seed. The latter is the visiting team. Championship Weekend follows. Two weeks after that, there's a Super Bowl.

Predictions for 2023-24 NFL Playoffs

The Eagles get back to football's grandest stage. This time, they bring the trophy home. Here's how we see things playing out.

The Qualifying Teams (NFC):

  • Philadelphia Eagles (NFC East winner)
  • Seattle Seahawks (NFC West winner)
  • Minnesota Vikings (NFC North winner)
  • Carolina Panthers (NFC South winner)
  • Dallas Cowboys (Wild Card)
  • San Francisco 49ers (Wild Card)
  • Detroit Lions (Wild Card)

The Qualifying Teams (AFC):

  • Kansas City Chiefs (AFC West winner)
  • Cincinnati Bengals (AFC North winner)
  • Buffalo Bills (AFC East winner)
  • Jacksonville Jaguars (AFC South winner)
  • Baltimore Ravens (Wild Card)
  • New York Jets (Wild Card)
  • Pittsburgh Steelers (Wild Card)

Wild Card Round (NFC)

  • Seahawks over Lions
  • 49ers upset Vikings
  • Cowboys upset Panthers

Wild Card Round (AFC)

  • Bengals over Steelers
  • Jets upset Bills
  • Ravens overJaguars

Divisional Round (NFC & AFC):

  • Eagles over 49ers
  • Seahawks over Cowboys
  • Chiefs over Jets
  • Bengals over Ravens

Championship Weekend:

  • Eagles over Seahawks
  • Bengals over Chiefs

Super Bowl LVIII: Eagles defeat Cincinnati Bengals

While the Bengals are a worthy opponent, they don't break the Super Bowl jinx here. Their fourth trip to the grand stage results in another loss.

Make no mistake about it. Joe Burrow is surrounded by offensive talent, and Cincy could be better on defense. Still, while the Bengals figure to be in the championship discussion for years, we're rocking with Philly for one huge reason. We believe the Eagles, at their best, are better than the Bengals at their best. The Birds get the job done here, win the second Super Bowl, and win the second Super Bowl in franchise history.

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