When do the 2022 NFL playoffs start: Dates, games, times, schedule, TV channels for Wild Card weekend – NBC Sports

January is here and the 2022 NFL Playoffs are fast approaching. With the postseason beginning this weekend, here is everything you need to know about the 2022 NFL playoffs.

RELATED: NFL playoff schedule 2022: Bracket, dates, times, TV channel info for Wild Card round games

At the start of the 2021-22 season, the NFL expanded the regular-season schedule from 16 games to 17. The addition of the 17th game therefore pushes the start of the playoffs back one week in January and Super Bowl LVI will take place on the second Sunday of February.

RELATED: When is Super Bowl 2022: Date, time, TV channel, halftime show, live stream for NFL Super Bowl LVI

Last year, the NFL expanded the playoffs to include six total Wild Card games. Three of those games were played on Saturday and the remaining three took place on Sunday. The format is slightly different this year. Two of the Wild Card games will be played on Saturday, three will be played on Sunday and there will be one Monday evening game.

When do the 2022 NFL playoffs start?

The first 2022 NFL Playoff game kicks off at 4:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, January 15 when the Cincinnati Bengals take on the Las Vegas Raiders on NBC and Peacock. Check out the full Wild Card weekend schedule below:

READ MORE: PFT’s NFL Wild Card 2022 picks and predictions 

NFL Super Wild Card Weekend

Saturday, January 15

• 4:30 p.m ET: (5) Las Vegas Raiders at (4) Cincinnati Bengals
• 8:15 p.m. ET: (6) New England Patriots at (3) Buffalo Bills

Sunday, January 16

• 1:00 p.m. ET: (7) Philadelphia Eagles at (2) Tampa Bay Buccaneers
• 4:30 p.m. ET: (6) San Francisco 49ers at (3) Dallas Cowboys
  • TV channel: CBS, Nickelodeon, Amazon Prime Video
• 8:15 p.m. ET: (7) Pittsburgh Steelers at (2) Kansas City Chiefs

Monday, January 17

• 8:00 p.m. ET: (5) Arizona Cardinals at (4) Los Angeles Rams
  • TV channel: ESPN, ABC, ESPN2

NFL Division Round

Saturday, January 22

Sunday, January 23

NFL Conference Championships

Sunday, January 30

• AFC Championship game: TBD
• NFC Championship game: TBD

Super Bowl LVI

How many teams make the NFL playoffs?

Fourteen teams will make the playoffs this season. In 2020, the NFL increased the number of playoff teams from 12 to 14 which is what led to the Super Wild Card Weekend which features three games instead of two.

How to watch the NFL Playoffs on TV and live streaming

The playoff games will be broadcast on a combination of the following networks: NBC and Peacock Premium, ESPN, ABC, and CBS. Super Bowl LVI will be televised on NBC and available to stream live on Peacock.

How to watch Super Bowl 2022

Super Bowl 56 will be televised by NBC and will be available for live stream on Peacock or with the NBC Sports App. NBC was originally scheduled to broadcast the 2021 game and CBS had the 2022 Super Bowl, but the two networks decided to swap years in order for NBC to have both the Super Bowl and Winter Olympics in 2022.

RELATED: When is Super Bowl 2022: Location, TV channel, live stream, halftime show

What are the NFL’s tiebreaker rules?

Below are the NFL’s tiebreaking procedures for the playoffs.

To break a tie in division standings:

Between two teams

1. Head-to-head (best won-lost-tied percentage in games between the clubs).
2. Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the division.
3. Best won-lost-tied percentage in common games.
4. Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the conference.
5. Strength of victory.
6. Strength of schedule.
7. Best combined ranking among conference teams in points scored and points allowed.
8. Best combined ranking among all teams in points scored and points allowed.
9. Best net points in common games.
10. Best net points in all games.
11. Best net touchdowns in all games.
12. Coin toss

Between three of more teams

1. Head-to-head (best won-lost-tied percentage in games among the clubs).
2. Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the division.
3. Best won-lost-tied percentage in common games.
4. Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the conference.
5. Strength of victory.
6. Strength of schedule.
7. Best combined ranking among conference teams in points scored and points allowed.
8. Best combined ranking among all teams in points scored and points allowed.
9. Best net points in common games.
10. Best net points in all games.
11. Best net touchdowns in all games.
12. Coin toss

To break a tie in wild-card standings:

Between two teams

1. Head-to-head, if applicable.
2. Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the conference.
3. Best won-lost-tied percentage in common games, minimum of four.
4. Strength of victory.
5. Strength of schedule.
6. Best combined ranking among conference teams in points scored and points allowed.
7. Best combined ranking among all teams in points scored and points allowed.
8. Best net points in conference games.
9. Best net points in all games.
10. Best net touchdowns in all games.
11. Coin toss.

Between three or more teams

1. Apply division tie breaker to eliminate all but the highest ranked club in each division prior to proceeding to step 2. The original seeding within a division upon application of the division tie breaker remains the same for all subsequent applications of the procedure that are necessary to identify the two wild-card participants.
2. Head-to-head sweep. (Applicable only if one club has defeated each of the others or if one club has lost to each of the others.)
3. Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the conference.
4. Best won-lost-tied percentage in common games, minimum of four.
5. Strength of victory.
6. Strength of schedule.
7. Best combined ranking among conference teams in points scored and points allowed.
8. Best combined ranking among all teams in points scored and points allowed.
9. Best net points in conference games.
10. Best net points in all games.
11. Best net touchdowns in all games.
12. Coin toss

2022 NFL Playoff picture

AFC Standings

*zyx- Tennessee Titans (12-5)

yx- Kansas City Chiefs (12-5)

yx- Buffalo Bills (11-6)

yx- Cincinnati Bengals (10-7)

x- Las Vegas Raiders (10-7)

x- New England Patriots (10-7)

x- Pittsburgh Steelers (9-7-1)

NFC Standings

*zyx- Green Bay Packers (13-3)

yx- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (13-4)

yx- Dallas Cowboys (12-5)

yx- Los Angeles Rams (12-5)

x- Arizona Cardinals (11-5)

x- San Francisco 49ers (10-7)

x- Philadelphia Eagles (9-8)

Key:

x- Clinched Playoff Berth

y- Clinched Division Title

z- Clinched First-Round Bye

*- Clinched Home-Field Advantage

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