NFL Playoffs 2017: Projecting AFC, NFC Brackets Before Final Games

NFL fans have waited until 2017 to uncover the postseason’s opening-round matchups.

A few puzzle pieces are complete. Any NFC team planning on knocking off the Dallas Cowboys must do so inside Jerry World. The New York Giants, the only team to beat them this season, can’t finalize their traveling plans despite clinching the No. 5 seed.

The Pittsburgh Steelers and Houston Texans will host AFC Wild Card Round showdowns, and the Miami Dolphins likely have flights booked to both locales. Beyond that, there are plenty of variables to juggle with one playoff spot, two divisions and two first-round byes up for grabs.

Want to find out each conference’s full playoff bracket and prepare for the first-round slate? Well, you’ll have to wait until late Sunday night. 

Not patient enough to think of anything beyond football as the calendar changes to 2017? Let’s project the final standings, which will provide predicted wild-card matchups.

Predicted Wild Card Weekend Matchups

Oakland Raiders at Houston Texans

Heading into the final weekend, the 12-3 Oakland Raiders could still snatch home-field advantage throughout the postseason with a win and a New England Patriots loss. They can also fumble the AFC West title if they lose to the Denver Broncos and the Kansas City Chiefs defeat the San Diego Chargers.

Backup quarterback Matt McGloin will replace the injured Derek Carr—who broke his leg in Week 16—against Denver’s premier passing defense, and San Diego just lost to the Cleveland Browns. Unless the Broncos send their defense home early, look for the Raiders and Chiefs to switch spots after Week 17.

This projection is great news for the Houston Texans, who were humiliated by Kansas City in a 30-0 Wild Card Weekend rout last year. With no J.J. Watt but just as much quarterback confusion, they should expect a similar outcome in a rematch.

Against the Raiders, they have a fighting chance to beat McGloin at home in an ugly, low-scoring affair. Then they’d go to Arrowhead or Foxborough to receive their postseason pink slip.

Despite sealing the AFC South with three straight wins, the Texans still possess a minus-42 point differential and the league’s fourth-worst passing offense. Football Outsiders ranks them below the San Francisco 49ers in defensive-adjusted value over average (DVOA), a measure of team efficiency accounting for strength of schedule.

Miami (No. 15) is the only other AFC playoff team rated outside the top 10.

Yet the Raiders have rolled behind a potent offense, which has masked a defense that is No. 27 in yards allowed and No. 22 in defensive DVOA. Their strength is mitigated without Carr, making this an unappetizing playoff contest.

Miami Dolphins at Pittsburgh Steelers

The Miami Dolphins entered Week 6’s matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers gasping for their playoff lives. At 1-4, they upset the 4-1 Steelers 30-15 by unleashing Jay Ajayi to the tune of 204 rushing yards.

That commenced a six-game winning streak for Miami, which has now laced together three consecutive triumphs …

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