NFL playoff bracket 2015: Patriots advance to AFC Championship
New England now awaits the winner of the Broncos-Colts game on Sunday.
The Divisional Round of the 2015 NFL playoffs is underway, and the first game is officially in the books. The top-seeded New England Patriots downed the No. 6-seeded Baltimore Ravens, 35-31.
New England was well-rested coming into the game, having rested through first-round bye. The Ravens, meanwhile, were playing hard throughout the final weeks of the regular season, securing a playoff spot in Week 17 and playing a tough wild card game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. That didn't seem to matter much early on with Baltimore taking a 14-0 lead then going up 28-14 later. New England didn't take a lead until late in the fourth quarter, but it was enough to send New England to the next round.
New England Rallies
The Pats, who finished the regular season with a 12-4 record, advance to the AFC Championship, where they'll play the winner of Sunday night's game between the Denver Broncos and Indianapolis Colts. New England has already beaten both of those teams this season, knocking off Denver, 43-21, in Week 9 and downing Indy, 42-20, two weeks later.
The next game up is an NFC Divisional round showdown between the Seattle Seahawks and Carolina Panthers on Saturday night. The other NFC game will take place between the Green Bay Packers and the Dallas Cowboys Sunday afternoon at Lambeau Field.
Here’s a look at the remaining schedule:
Saturday, Jan. 10
NFC Divisional Game 1: (1) Seattle Seahawks vs. (4) Carolina Panthers, 8:15 p.m. ET
Sunday, Jan. 11
NFC Divisional Game 2: (2) Green Bay Packers vs. (3) Dallas Cowboys, 1:05 p.m.
AFC Divisional Game 2: (2) Denver Broncos vs. (4) Indianapolis Colts, 4:40 p.m.
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