Saturday’s NFL playoff schedule: Chiefs at Patriots, Packers at Cardinals on tap
There’s plenty to watch when the Divisional Round gets underway on Saturday.
The second week of the 2016 NFL Playoffs is just hours away, with four teams eliminated. The Houston Texans, Cincinnati Bengals, Minnesota Vikings and Washington were all eliminated on Wild Card Weekend, and another four teams will find themselves on the outside looking in after the Divisional Round wraps up.
On Sunday, both top seeds in the Carolina Panthers and Denver Broncos will play host to the Seattle Seahawks and Pittsburgh Steelers, respectively, but first there will be the other two games on Saturday. Those games will see the Wild Card-winning Kansas City Chiefs and Green Bay Packers take on the New England Patriots and the Arizona Cardinals.
It should be a spectacular weekend of football, with incredible matchups like Cam Newton vs. Russell Wilson, the return of Peyton Manning to starting and, of course, the defending Super Bowl champion New England Patriots trying to punch their ticket to the conference championships yet again.
We’ll take a look at both of Saturday’s games and what you need to know to watch them below.
AFC Divisional Round Game 1: Kansas City Chiefs at New England Patriots
When: Saturday, Jan. 16, 4:35 p.m. ET
Where: Gillette Stadium
TV: CBS
Commentators: Ian Eagle, Dan Fouts
Online: NFL Game Pass
The Chiefs came close to winning the AFC West, but they were never going to get a first-round bye in the playoffs as of the final couple weeks of the regular season. They played in the Wild Card round and they absolutely dominated the Texans, a team that only made it on the back of a very weak AFC South division. Kansas City won the game, 30-0, playing the exact kind of football that has led them to the playoffs thus far.
Alex Smith completed a high percentage of his passes, generally took care of the ball and the Chiefs ran the ball well. Smith did have an interception in the game though, which he will need to avoid against Tom Brady and the high-powered New England offense. Smith has taken great care of the football this season, and the Chiefs have been excellent on defense, but New England will be their toughest test yet.
NFC Divisional Round Game 1: Green Bay Packers at Arizona Cardinals
When: Saturday, Jan. 16, 8:15 p.m. ET
Where: University of Phoenix Stadium, Phoenix
TV: NBC
Announcers: Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth
Online: NBC Sports
The Cardinals had a shot at earning the top seed in the conference, but the Panthers held on and took it. They were more than happy to take the second seed though, and with it a first-round bye. Quarterback Carson Palmer has been very resilient this year, which is great for a Cardinals team that could have won it all if not for injuries at the quarterback position a season ago.
But Palmer has been healthy, and the extra rest with the bye week could make him as dangerous as ever. The Cardinals and Packers are two of the best-built teams in the league, though the Packers have had struggles in recent weeks. Offensively, the Packers have struggled, despite Aaron Rodgers at the quarterback position. Going by recent weeks, the Cardinals should be favored but it should be an excellent matchup.
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