Wondering where your favorite team will be headed in the playoffs? What’s the easiest path to the 2011 Super Bowl? Why are the NFL Playoff brackets so confusing? Taking a look at the 2011 NFL Playoff brackets gives us a picture of how the playoffs will shape-up ahead of the Super Bowl and what path the Seattle Seahawks may be taking, should they advance over the New Orleans Saints this weekend.
Here’s how the playoffs look ahead of this weekend’s wildcard matchups.
NFC
No. 4 Seattle Seahawks vs. No. 5 New Orleans Saints
No. 3 Philadelphia Eagles vs. No. 6 Green Bay Packers
Byes: No. 1 Atlanta Falcons, No. 2 Chicago Bears
AFC
No. 4 Kansas City Chiefs vs. No. 5 Baltimore Ravens
No. 3 Indianapolis Colts vs. No. 6 New York Jets
Byes: No. 1 New England Patriots, No. 2 Pittsburgh Steelers
In the second round, teams are re-seeded. The lowest seed battles the No. 1 seed, with the other team taking on the No. 2 seed in each conference.
NFC
No. 1 Atlanta Falcons vs. lowest-seeded remaining team
No. 2 Chicago Bears vs. highest-seeded remaining team
AFC
No. 1 New England Patriots vs. lowest-seeded remaining team
No. 2 Pittsburgh Steelers vs. highest-seeded remaining team
The championships in the NFC and AFC will be played by the two remaining teams at the highest-seeded team’s home field.