QUESTION - Playoff Format

[shane1970]

I'm only fairly new to NFL (Since getting Foxtel) and I can't realy gather how the NFL works out it's playoff teams so I'm hoping that you fellas will help me.
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Is it only the division winners which progress through to week 1 of the playoffs?????????
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Can 2 AFC/NFC teams make it through to the Superbowl or is it always an AFC -v- NFC showdown?????
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What is a wildcard team and how are they selected??????
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Thanks

 

[Paullyboy]

Ritio lets answer that one at a time.

For starters, 6 AFC teams and 6 NFC teams make the playoffs. The top 2 AFC teams and the top 2 NFC teams go straight through to week 2 of the playoffs to meet the winners of the AFC/NFC wildcard games. The loser in any game of the playoffs is instantly eliminated, no second chances like in NRL.

The winners of the games between the top 2 AFC/NFC teams and the wildcard winning teams, go through to the Conference championship where they battle it out to see who is the best in the AFC and who is the best in the NFC. The two conference champs go on to play the superbowl, so to answer one of your questions, no, 2 AFC teams or 2 NFC teams cant make it to the superbowl together.

To further complicate things, each conference (AFC/NFC) is broken up into 4 divisions (NFC north, NFC east, etc.). At the end of the season the top team in each division is guaranteed to make the playoffs. This means it is impossible for all 4 teams from any one division to make the playoffs. The remaining 2 teams in the AFC playoffs and the NFC playoffs are the next 2 best teams who did not win their division.

Im pretty sure that came across really complicated, but as we have all learnt, im about as good at teaching people as the Bears are at playing football.

Hope it helps.