2016 NFL playoff schedule and bracket: Cardinals advance to NFC Championship after OT thriller
The Cardinals won one of the craziest games you will ever see. They’re going to the NFC Championship. Woah.
The Arizona Cardinals beat the Green Bay Packers in one of the wildest playoff games ever to advance to the NFC Championship, 26-20. The game featured an Aaron Rodgers Hail Mary to send the game to overtime, but the Cardinals punched right back with big plays by Larry Fitzgerald to win.
Earlier in the day, the New England Patriots beat the Kansas City Chiefs to advance to their fifth straight AFC Championship game for a chance to go to a second straight Super Bowl. The Chiefs scored a touchdown late to make the score look closer than the game itself, 27-20. With Julian Edelman back, the Patriots’ offense looked like its old self.
The Cardinals will find out their opponent Sunday. The Seattle Seahawks travel to Charlotte to play the No. 1 seed Carolina Panthers. The Seahawks’ have been one of the best teams in the NFL late in the season, winning six of their last seven regular season games. They’re facing one of the few teams who have arguably been better in the 15-1 Panthers, however.
The Patriots await the results of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ visit to the Denver Broncos. What might have been a titanic matchup a little more than a week ago doesn’t seem so big now after the Steelers’ offense suffered significant injuries against the Cincinnati Bengals. Already without running backs Le’Veon Bell and DeAngelo Williams, wide receiver Antonio Brown won’t play because of a concussion, and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger will likely be hindered by a shoulder injury.
A Broncos win would set up a Tom Brady-Peyton Manning AFC Championship game for the fourth time in their careers.
Below is the complete schedule for the rest of the playoffs.
Schedule (all times Eastern)
Saturday, Jan. 9
Sunday, Jan. 10
Saturday, Jan. 16
Sunday, Jan. 17
NFC Divisional Round Game 2: Carolina Panthers vs. Seattle Seahawks, 1:05 p.m., FOX
AFC Divisional Round Game 2: Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Denver Broncos, 4:40 p.m., CBS
Sunday, Jan. 24
AFC Championship: AFC Divisional Round winners, 3 p.m., CBS
NFC Championship: NFC Divisional Round winners, 6:40 p.m., FOX
Sunday, Feb. 7
Super Bowl 50: AFC champion vs. NFC champion, 6:30 p.m., CBS
* * *
SB Nation presents: The Panthers continue to put smiles on kids’ faces
See More:
