(RADIO.COM Sports) Welcome to the first ever #SuperWildCardWeekend. The defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs as well as the Packers have a bye, but the opening weekend of the NFL's expanded postseason hardly lacks storylines.
Josh Allen and the Bills finished the regular season on a six-game winning streak, outscoring opponents 229-110 over that period. Though Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs enter the postseason as the odds-on favorites to win Super Bowl LV, there is a real feeling that Allen and the Bills could be the biggest threat to a repeat in Kansas City.
Tom Brady and the Buccaneers appear to be heating up at the right time, as they finished the regular season on a four-game winning streak and scored 91 points in their final two contests. Though it may not be an enviable task to have to deal with Chase Young, Tampa Bay seemingly drew a pretty good matchup as its opens against the Washington Football Team in the wild-card round.
Drew Brees and the Saints went 12-4, and many believe that regardless of what happens this postseason, the 13-time Pro Bowler will retire at its conclusion. Still, the bigger storyline facing the Saints at the outset of the postseason is whether star running back Alvin Kamara will return from the COVID-19 list. If you'll remember, he scored a whopping six touchdowns against the Vikings on Christmas Day, which marked his last game. The good news for the Saints is that receiver Michael Thomas, the reigning Offensive Player of the Year, will be back when they face the Bears on Sunday.
In Cleveland, the Browns haven't had much time to enjoy their first playoff berth since 2002. An organization that's dealt with COVID-19 issues for the last few weeks learned early in the week that they'll be without coach Kevin Stefanski when they travel to face the division rival Steelers in Pittsburgh on Sunday evening.
That's just a sampling of some of the storylines heading into what should be a wild postseason.
As we enter what should be one of the most interesting playoff weekends in NFL history, let's rank all the remaining teams in the field.
1. Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs are defending Super Bowl champions.
Mark Brown/Getty Images
It felt like the Chiefs were borderline bored with the regular season. Even so, Mahomes, Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill all had monster seasons and the Chiefs went 14-1 in games in which they played their starters. And you better believe that an Andy Reid-coached team will be ready to flip the switch when they return from their bye week.
2. Buffalo Bills
Josh Allen and the Bills are the hottest team in the NFL.
Matthew Stockman/Getty Images
If not for "The Hail Murray," the Bills would have won 10 games in a row to finish the season. That said, it might actually be more impressive that Sean McDermott's team rebounded from such a devastating loss to turn in six consecutive victories heading into the playoffs. McDermott and Brian Daboll have created a tremendous culture in Buffalo, one where it feels like the Bills have a real chance to make a Super Bowl run with Allen at the helm.
3. Green Bay Packers
Aaron Rodgers is likely to win the NFL MVP award.
Stacy Revere/Getty Images
For the second consecutive season, Aaron Rodgers and the Packers went 13-3 and will have a first-round bye. This time around, the postseason runs through Lambeau Field, one of the few places that presents a real home-field advantage even without fans. Rodgers and Davante Adams are playing at an even higher level than what they were a season ago, and the duo of Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon began to form a dominant one-two punch on the ground late in the season. Are the Packers overwhelming favorites to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl? No, but certainly they're the most likely representatives.
4. New Orleans Saints
This likely marks Drew Brees' final season.
Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images
Sean Payton did a pretty incredible job leading the Saints to a 12-4 record despite Drew Brees missing four full games and Thomas essentially being lost for the entire regular season. Still, you worry about whether Kamara will be available -- and at full strength -- for the team's matchup against the Bears on Sunday. Beyond a game the Saints should win with relative ease this weekend, it will be interesting to see if Brees is capable of going throw-for-throw with some of the NFC's elite quarterbacks, especially in games that will be played outdoors.
5. Tennessee Titans
Derrick Henry ran for more than 2,000 yards in 2020.
Carmen Mandato/Getty Images
That the Titans finished with the NFL's 28th-ranked defense during the regular season is pretty alarming, and in a conference in which they'll have to get past Lamar Jackson, Allen and Mahomes, it may ultimately be their undoing. Still, Derrick Henry is the great equalizer. Henry ran for 2,027 yards during the regular season and led the team to upsets of the Patriots and Ravens with historically dominant performances in the playoffs last January. Henry, Ryan Tannehill, A.J. Brown and Corey Davis could easily lead the Titans on a playoff run in which they win a couple shootouts. Eventually, the Titans defense will probably catch up with them, but by that time, they may have won a playoff game or two.
6. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tom Brady is seeking his seventh Super Bowl title.
Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images
For all the ebbs and flows of Tom Brady's first season in Tampa Bay, the six-time Super Bowl champion tossed 40 touchdowns and led the team to a 4-0 record in the final month of the regular season. Though Mike Evans' status is uncertain for the postseason opener because of a knee injury, four-time All-Pro Antonio Brown had 11 catches for 138 yards and two touchdowns in the season finale, so you get the sense that Tampa Bay can get by the Washington Football Team.
7. Baltimore Ravens
Lamar Jackson and the Ravens are red-hot entering the postseason.
Michael Hickey/Getty Images
You still wonder about their ability to play from behind, but the Ravens won five straight games to finish the regular season by recommitting to running the ball down the throats of opposing teams. If Jackson, J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards help the Ravens jump out to an early lead, they may not give it up. The problem for the Ravens? They'll have to face Henry and the Titans, who upset them in Baltimore during the AFC divisional round last January, and defeated them again in overtime in late November.
8. Seattle Seahawks
Russell Wilson is looking for his second Super Bowl title.
Christian Petersen/Getty Images
After a blazing-fast start to the regular season, Russell Wilson and the Seahawks' offense cooled off dramatically in the second half of the season, scoring more than 30 points just once in the final eight games. While Seattle's defense rounded into form over the same period, if the Seahawks are going to make a Super Bowl run, it's going to be because of Wilson.
9. Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers are hoping that their defense can lead them on a playoff run.
Jamie Sabau/Getty Images
After starting 11-0, the Steelers lost three consecutive games and had to rally for a win against the Colts in Week 16. Not playing in Week 17 should do the 38-year-old Ben Roethlisberger some good, and one of the sport's elite defenses should be enough to get past a Browns team that has been crushed by COVID-19. Still, it feels hard to imagine this offense having enough firepower to compete in a loaded AFC.
10. Los Angeles Rams
Aaron Donald and the Rams are back in the potseason.
Abbie Parr/Getty Images
For whatever flaws Jared Goff may have, the Rams' chances to win would certainly improve if he can return from a thumb surgery in time to play the division rival Seahawks on Saturday. Still, whether it's Goff or John Wolford under center, it's not hard to imagine Aaron Donald and Jalen Ramsey turning in such dominant performances that the Rams are in position to win a 20-17 game late.
11. Indianapolis Colts
Philip Rivers is seeking his first Super Bowl title.
Bobby Ellis/Getty Images
For as great of a storyline as it would be for Philip Rivers to be at the forefront of a Super Bowl run in what may be his final NFL season, if the Colts are going to upset the Bills and make any sort of playoff run, it's probably going to be because of their running game. Rookie Jonathan Taylor ran for 253 yards in Week 17 and -- assuming a shoulder injury doesn't prevent him from playing -- he may need a similar performance Saturday afternoon to extend the team's season.
12. Cleveland Browns
The Browns have broken a lengthy postseason drought.
Jason Miller/Getty Images
The Browns are back in the postseason for the first time since 2002, though it doesn't appear that they'll get a fair shake in what's seemingly a winnable game against the rival Steelers. This is the third week that COVID-19 issues have prevented the Browns from consistently being in their facility, and the cherry on top is that coach -- and play-caller -- Kevin Stefanski will be out this Sunday. An upset victory isn't impossible, but it will likely take special performances from Nick Chubb and/or Kareem Hunt.
13. Chicago Bears
Mitchell Trubisky and the Bears are back in the postseason for the second time in three seasons.
Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images
At 8-8, the Bears snuck into the postseason thanks to the addition of a seventh wild-card spot in each conference in 2020. While that may have saved the jobs of general manager Ryan Pace and coach Matt Nagy, it's still difficult to imagine Mitchell Trubisky leading the Bears into New Orleans and defeating the Saints, even if Kamara doesn't play.
14. Washington Football Team
Chase Young had a monster rookie season.
Mitchell Leff/Getty Images
Even as the Philadelphia Eagles rather blatantly tried to lose in Week 17, the Washington Football team struggled to pull out a 20-14 victory to clinch the NFC East title. As excited as fans of the franchise should be that Chase Young appears to be a generational talent and in how there's a seemingly bright future under Ron Rivera, the idea of them upsetting Brady and the Buccaneers seems far-fetched.
LISTEN NOW on the RADIO.COM App
Follow RADIO.COM Sports
Twitter | Facebook I Instagram