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.

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.
To understand the playoffs, it helps to know how the NFL is organised.
The league has 32 teams
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.
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.
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
Seed | Team | Record | Division |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | Denver Broncos | 14-3 | AFC West |
2 | New England Patriots | 14-3 | AFC East |
3 | Jacksonville Jaguars | 13-4 | AFC South |
4 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 10-7 | AFC East |
5 | Houston Texans | 12-5 | AFC South |
6 | Buffalo Bills | 12-5 | AFC East |
7 | LA Chargers | 11-6 | AFC West |
Seed | Team | Record | Division |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | Seattle Seahawks | 14-3 | NFC West |
2 | Chicago Bears | 11-6 | NFC North |
3 | Philadelphia Eagles | 11-6 | NFC East |
4 | Carolina Panthers | 8-9 | NFC South |
5 | Los Angeles Rams | 12-5 | NFC West |
6 | San Francisco 49ers | 12-5 | NFC West |
7 | Green Bay Packers | 9-7-1 | NFC North |
The NFL Playoffs progress through four rounds, leading to the Super Bowl.
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
New England Patriots 16-3 Los Angeles Chargers
Jacksonville Jaguars 24-27 Buffalo Bills
Pittsburgh Steelers 6-30 Houston Texans
Chicago Bears 31-27 Green Bay Packers
Philadelphia Eagles 19-23 San Francisco 49ers
Carolina Panthers 31-34 Los Angeles Rams
The No.1 seed enters here, hosting the lowest remaining seed.
Denver Broncos 33-30 Buffalo Bills
New England Patriots 28-16 Houston Texans
Seattle Seahawks 41-6 San Francisco 49ers
Chicago Bears 17-20 Los Angeles Rams
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.
A neutral venue hosts the AFC vs NFC champions. It is one of the largest sporting events in the world.
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
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
Explore more Ladbrokes NFL content here.
All odds and markets are correct as of the date of publication.
