NFL Playoffs: Standings, Format & Beginner's Guide

• Ladbrokes' full guide to the NFL Playoffs

• Current playoff picture and Super Bowl favourites

• Format explained for beginners

The NFL Playoffs can seem complicated when you’re new to American Football. If you’ve ever watched the Super Bowl without understanding how the teams got there, this guide explains everything clearly. You will learn how teams qualify, how the rounds work, why seeding matters, and what fans can expect as the playoffs begin. You can also explore the action further through Ladbrokes' NFL betting hub and get to grips with the sport fully with our beginner's guide to betting on American Football.

What are the NFL Playoffs? 

The NFL Playoffs are a knockout tournament that takes place at the end of the regular season. Fourteen teams take part each year, and they compete to reach the Super Bowl, which decides the league champion. 

For many UK fans, the playoffs are the moment the sport becomes easiest to follow because each game matters. Win and you move on. Lose and your season is over. 

Understanding the NFL structure: Conferences and Divisions

To understand the playoffs, it helps to know how the NFL is organised. 

• The league has 32 teams   

• These are split into two conferences: the AFC and NFC   

• Each conference is divided into four divisions (North, South, East, West)   

• Each division contains four teams 

This structure creates rivalries and gives the league a fair schedule. Most importantly, it shapes who qualifies for the playoffs. 

How do teams qualify for the NFL Playoffs?

Each conference sends seven teams to the playoffs: 

1. Four division winners    

These teams automatically qualify because they finished top of their division. 

2. Three Wild Card teams   

These are the teams with the best records that did not win their divisions. 

How does the NFL Playoff seeding work?

Once the seven teams are chosen, they are ranked from 1 to 7 within each conference: 

• Seed 1 is the team with the best record   

• Seeds 2–4 are the remaining division winners   

• Seeds 5–7 are the Wild Cards   

Seeding decides: 

• Who each team plays 

• Whether they play at home or away 

• Whether they receive a bye week 

NFL Playoff format 

The NFL Playoffs progress through four rounds, leading to the Super Bowl. 

1. Wild Card Weekend (Jan 10–12) 

This is the opening round and one of the most exciting weekends of the season. 

• Seed 2 hosts Seed 7 

• Seed 3 hosts Seed 6 

• Seed 4 hosts Seed 5 

AFC Wild Card round

• New England Patriots 16-3 Los Angeles Chargers

• Jacksonville Jaguars 24-27 Buffalo Bills

• Pittsburgh Steelers 6-30 Houston Texans

NFC Wild Card round

• Chicago Bears 31-27 Green Bay Packers

• Philadelphia Eagles 19-23 San Francisco 49ers

• Carolina Panthers 31-34 Los Angeles Rams

2. Divisional Round (Jan 17–18)   

The No.1 seed enters here, hosting the lowest remaining seed. 

AFC Divisional round

• Denver Broncos 33-30 Buffalo Bills

• New England Patriots 28-16 Houston Texans

NFC Divisional Round

• Seattle Seahawks 41-6 San Francisco 49ers

• Chicago Bears 17-20 Los Angeles Rams

3. Conference Championships (Jan 25)   

Each conference plays one final match: 

• AFC Championship - Denver Broncos vs New England Patriots

• NFC Championship - Seattle Seahawks vs Los Angeles Rams

Winners move to the Super Bowl. 

4. Super Bowl (Feb 8)   

A neutral venue hosts the AFC vs NFC champions. It is one of the largest sporting events in the world. 

Tiebreakers made simple

If teams finish with the same number of wins, the NFL uses: 

• Head-to-head results   

• Conference record   

• Results against common opponents   

• Strength of victory   

Beginner tips for following the NFL Playoffs

• Always check the seeding   

• Follow teams “in the hunt” late in the season   

• Look out for Wild Card upsets   

• Track how teams perform away from home   

View the latest NFL odds.

Check out the latest betting promotions from Ladbrokes. When you bet £25 on American sports, land a £5 Live Casino bonus.

Explore more Ladbrokes NFL content here.

All odds and markets are correct as of the date of publication.