Let’s be honest, the NFL calendar is a confusing beast. If you’re looking up the nfl 2024 playoff brackets, you’re probably running into two different worlds. There’s the 2023-2024 season, which actually crowned a champion in early 2024, and then there’s the 2024-2025 season that just wrapped up its Super Bowl in New Orleans.
It's a weird quirk of football. We call it the "2024 season," but the bracket doesn't even start until January 2025. If you’re trying to remember how the Philadelphia Eagles suddenly climbed back to the top or why the Kansas City Chiefs couldn’t quite pull off the three-peat, you’re in the right place. The bracket from this past year was a chaotic ride that saw heavyweights crumble and a few "forgotten" teams remind everyone why they belong in the conversation.
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The AFC Side: A Battle of Incumbents and Heartbreak
The AFC bracket was supposed to be the Kansas City invitational. Again. And for a while, it really looked like Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid were going to stroll into another ring. They entered as the top seed and took care of business in the Divisional Round by holding off a gritty Houston Texans squad 23-14.
But the real drama was happening in Buffalo. Josh Allen was playing like a man possessed. After absolutely dismantling the Denver Broncos 31-7 in the Wild Card, the Bills had to survive a 27-25 nail-biter against Baltimore. That set up the AFC Championship Game everyone wanted: Bills vs. Chiefs at Arrowhead.
Honestly, it lived up to the hype. It was a 32-29 shootout. Mahomes did Mahomes things, finding just enough magic in the fourth quarter to send the Chiefs to their third straight Super Bowl. For the Bills, it was another "what if" year, but that game solidified that the gap between the elite and the rest of the conference is basically a razor's edge.
The NFC Side: The Return of the Birds
If the AFC was about the usual suspects, the NFC nfl 2024 playoff brackets were about redemption. The Philadelphia Eagles, who had a bit of a rollercoaster regular season, found their second gear at exactly the right time. They started by knocking out the Packers 22-10, then survived a physical 28-22 battle against the Rams.
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But the biggest surprise? The Washington Commanders.
Nobody—and I mean nobody—expected Washington to go on a run. They upset Tampa Bay in a 23-20 slugfest and then stunned the top-seeded Detroit Lions 45-31 in the Divisional Round. It was one of those "is this really happening?" moments for football fans. However, the clock struck midnight in the NFC Championship Game. The Eagles didn't just win; they demolished Washington 55-23. It was a statement win that set the stage for a massive Super Bowl LIX matchup.
Breaking Down the Key Matchups
When you look at the full nfl 2024 playoff brackets results, some scores really jump off the page. It wasn't just about who won, but how they did it.
Wild Card Round Highlights:
- Houston Texans 32, LA Chargers 12 (C.J. Stroud's playoff arrival was loud).
- Baltimore Ravens 28, Pittsburgh Steelers 14 (Classic AFC North grit).
- LA Rams 27, Minnesota Vikings 9 (Stafford still had some gas in the tank).
The Divisional Surge:
- Commanders 45, Lions 31 (The upset of the year).
- Eagles 28, Rams 22 (Barkley's impact was undeniable).
- Bills 27, Ravens 25 (Lamar Jackson's late fumble was the turning point).
The structure of the playoffs always rewards the hot team over the "best" team on paper. This year, that was the Eagles. While Detroit had the better regular season, the playoff bracket doesn't care about your September wins. It's about who can survive a cold January night in Philly or Buffalo.
What Really Happened in Super Bowl LIX
By the time we got to February 9, 2025, at the Caesars Superdome, the narrative was set. Could the Chiefs achieve the first-ever three-peat? Or would the Eagles get revenge for their loss a few years prior?
The game wasn't as close as the experts predicted. The Eagles' defense was a nightmare for Mahomes. They sacked him four times and forced two crucial interceptions. Saquon Barkley, in his first year with Philly, proved to be the missing piece, racking up over 100 yards and two touchdowns. The final score of 40-22 felt like a changing of the guard, at least for now.
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How to Track Future Brackets
If you're looking to stay ahead of the curve for the upcoming 2025-2026 cycle, there are a few things to keep in mind. The NFL hasn't changed the "seven teams per conference" rule, which means that the #1 seed is still the only team that gets a week off. That bye week is the single biggest advantage in sports.
Actionable Steps for Fans:
- Bookmark the Official Seedings: Don't rely on "projected" brackets until at least Week 15. The NFL's tie-breaker rules (strength of victory, common games) are so complex that one fumble in December can move a team from the 2nd seed to the 6th.
- Watch the Injury Reports: In the nfl 2024 playoff brackets, the Lions lost key defensive pieces in Week 18, which is likely why they got carved up by Washington in the Divisional Round. Depth wins in January.
- Check the "In the Hunt" Graphics: TV networks start showing these in November. Pay attention to the "Strength of Schedule Remaining" stat. It's usually the best predictor of who will actually make the bracket.
Football moves fast. Before you know it, we'll be talking about the 2025 playoffs, but the 2024 season will always be remembered as the year the Eagles reclaimed their nest and the Commanders finally gave their fans something to scream about.