NFL playoff format: How many teams make it, how many rounds are there and more

The NFL debuted a new playoff format in 2020, expanding to 14 teams – seven from the AFC and seven from the NFC – battling for Super Bowl supremacy.

The new format includes a third wild-card team from each conference to go with the four division winners (North, South, East and West). Teams will compete in the wild-card round, the divisional round and the conference championship game before advancing to the Super Bowl during the NFL playoffs.

Here’s what you need to know about the NFL’s playoff format:

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NFL wild card round

No. 1 seeds get first-round bye: The NFL teams with the best record in the AFC and NFC will earn a bye in the first-round of the playoffs. The week off serves as a reward to the best team in each conference, contrary to previous seasons where the teams with the top two seeds were awarded byes.

No. 2 seed vs. No. 7 seed: The AFC or NFC team with the second-best record among division winners will host a game against the team with the third-best record among wild-card teams.

No. 3 seed vs. No. 6 seed: The AFC or NFC team with the third-best record among division winners will host a game against the team with the second-best record among wild-card teams.

No. 4 seed vs. No. 5 seed: The AFC or NFC team with the worst record among division winners will host a game against the team with the best record among wild-card teams.

NFL divisional round

The divisional round will feature two games for each conference, pairing the No. 1 seed against the lowest-remaining seed.

The other game features the second-highest seed against the second-lowest.

The higher seed in each matchup will host the games.

AFC championship game, NFC championship game

The winners in the divisional rounds will meet in the AFC and NFC championship games for a chance to reach the Super Bowl.

Super Bowl

Winners of the AFC and NFC championship games will meet in the Super Bowl to decide the NFL championship.

How does overtime work in the playoffs?

While NFL games during the regular season can end in ties after overtime, playoff games must be decided. The NFL playoff overtime rules are as followed:

• 15-minute periods, as many needed to decide the game.
• Both teams will get possession offensively – even if a touchdown is scored by a team on their first possession.
• If the team with first possession fails to score a touchdown, the next score ends the game.
• If the game is tied after both teams have their first possession, the next score ends the game.