One of the best things about the NFL is how quickly the tides can turn. Bottom-dwelling teams can make monumental changes in just one year to get their franchise back on track. Oftentimes, this results in a playoff berth. This wasn't the case for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2022.
While it's obviously way too early to tell which teams will make the tournament following the 2023 season, most fans plan to be glued to the TV screen for its entirety anyway. The playoff schedule won't be released until the conclusion of the regular season.
Dates for 2023-24 NFL Playoffs
- Wild Card Round: January 13-15, 2024
- Divisional Round: January 20-21, 2024
- Conference Championships: January 28, 2024
- Super Bowl LVIII: February 11, 2024
Format for 2023-24 NFL Playoffs
The former for the NFL playoffs is constantly changing. In 2021, the National Football League transitioned to a 17-game schedule for the first time in the history of the league. With this change, a deal was made with the Player's Association that there would be one fewer preseason game each year -- bringing the total of exhibition games from 4 to 3.
This shift in this collective bargaining agreement also brought forth a new playoff format. In the past, 12 teams made the tournament -- 6 from each conference. Now, a third Wild Card team was added to both the AFC and NFC. This brought the total number of playoff teams from 12 to 14 (7 in each conference).
With the odd number, only one team from each conference earns a first-round bye. The rest of the playoff teams battle it out beginning in the Wild Card round, with the 2nd seed playing the 7th, the 3rd playing the 6th, and the 4th playing the 5th.
Predictions for 2023-24 NFL Playoffs
It's wishful thinking to believe that the Pittsburgh Steelers will win it all. While their 2023 offseason additions are notable, the Steelers might be another year or two away from seriously contending for a Super Bowl championship.
However, it's a reasonable prediction to have the Steelers making the playoffs this year after narrowly missing the mark in 2022. In addition, the AFC is almost guaranteed to be flooded with impressive young quarterbacks, meaning that the Chiefs, Bengals, Bills, and Chargers are all likely to make the postseason.
The NFC certainly isn't as promising at the QB position at the moment, but that doesn't mean they don't have some very strong rosters. The frontrunners should once again be the Eagles, Cowboys, and 49ers, while a few surprise teams could be in the mix.
At the end of the day, we wouldn't be shocked to see a Cowboys-Bills Super Bowl matchup this year. But like I said, a lot can change in the NFL in just one season. This is what makes the playoffs so exciting.