When do the NFL playoffs start in 2022? Date, TV schedule & updated AFC, NFC playoff brackets

(Getty Images/SN Illustration) https://images.daznservices.com/di/library/sporting_news/9d/e3/nfl-playoffs-122919-getty-ftr_1tft8oks9i2qi1ml9yapsrt8gz.jpg?t=1445216543&w=500&quality=80

The 2021 NFL play has been thing but predictable. The AFC features a messiness of teams jockeying for presumption atop the league and respective six- and seven-win teams battling for Wild Card spots. The NFC has a much defined powerfulness structure, but the last 2 Wild Card spots are anybody's game.

That is going to marque the pursuit for 2022 playoff spots breathtaking arsenic the NFL's regular play winds down.

The NFL playoffs switched to a 14-team format past season, truthful determination are a mates much playoff spots up for grabs than usual. That volition springiness much teams a changeable astatine making the postseason, particularly with the league playing its archetypal 17-game season.

Below is everything you request to cognize astir the NFL playoffs for 2022, including dates and a TV docket for each round, however each the tiebreakers enactment and however the playoff representation presently shakes out. 

MORE: Explaining the NFL's expanded playoffs

When bash the NFL playoffs commencement successful 2022?

• Wild-card round: Jan. 15-17
• Divisional round: Jan. 22-23
• Conference championships: Jan. 30
• Super Bowl 56: Feb. 13 

The NFL postseason volition diagnostic 7 teams from each league successful 2022. It marks the 2nd twelvemonth since the NFL expanded to a 14-team postseason successful which the No. 1 effect successful each league is the lone 1 to person a bye week.

This year, the full NFL postseason has shifted backmost by a week, arsenic the NFL has added an other week to its regular season. That means that the playoffs volition commencement successful mid-January alternatively of aboriginal successful the period and the Super Bowl volition beryllium connected the 2nd Sunday successful February alternatively of the first.

NFL playoff bracket

Here's a look astatine the implicit NFL playoff bracket for 2022:

AFC

1. Tennessee Titans (bye)
2. Kansas City Chiefs vs. 7. Los Angeles Chargers
3. Cincinnati Bengals vs. 6. Indianapolis Colts
4. Buffalo Bills vs. 5. New England Patriots

NFC

1. Green Bay Packers (bye)
2. Los Angeles Rams vs. 7. Philadelphia Eagles
3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. 6. San Francisco 49ers
4. Dallas Cowboys vs. 5. Arizona Cardinals

NFL playoff docket 2022

Wild-card round

Saturday, Jan. 15

Sunday, Jan. 16

Monday, Jan. 17

Divisional round

Saturday, Jan. 22

Sunday, Jan. 23

Conference championships

Sunday, Jan. 30

Super Bowl 56

Sunday, Feb. 13

MORE: Watch NFL playoff games unrecorded connected fuboTV (7-day escaped trial)

How bash the NFL playoffs work?

The NFL postseason volition instrumentality spot successful 2022, though the teams that suffice volition beryllium based connected the results from the 2021 NFL season. This volition people the 2nd postseason during which the NFL volition diagnostic 14 full playoff teams, 7 successful each conference. That means determination volition beryllium lone 1 squad successful each league that gets a bye week.

The seeding for the postseason works arsenic follows. The No. 1 effect volition beryllium the part champion with the champion record. The Nos. 2 done 4 seeds volition beryllium the different part winners ranked from the champion grounds to the worst. The last 3 seeds volition beryllium the champion remaining non-divisional winners. The champion wild-card squad volition instrumentality the No. 5 effect portion the second-best squad volition get the No. 6 seed. The No. 7 effect volition spell to the third-best chaotic paper team.

The squad with the higher effect gets home-field vantage successful each playoff crippled from the wild-card circular done the AFC and NFC title games.

Below are the NFL's tiebreaking procedures for the NFL playoff field.

To interruption a necktie successful part standings:

(Between two teams)

1. Head-to-head (best won-lost-tied percent successful games betwixt the clubs).
2. Best won-lost-tied percent successful games played wrong the division.
3. Best won-lost-tied percent successful communal games.
4. Best won-lost-tied percent successful games played wrong the conference.
5. Strength of victory.
6. Strength of schedule.
7. Best combined ranking among league teams successful points scored and points allowed.
8. Best combined ranking among each teams successful points scored and points allowed.
9. Best nett points successful communal games.
10. Best nett points successful each games.
11. Best nett touchdowns successful each games.
12. Coin toss

(Between 3 oregon much teams)

1. Head-to-head (best won-lost-tied percent successful games among the clubs).
2. Best won-lost-tied percent successful games played wrong the division.
3. Best won-lost-tied percent successful communal games.
4. Best won-lost-tied percent successful games played wrong the conference.
5. Strength of victory.
6. Strength of schedule.
7. Best combined ranking among league teams successful points scored and points allowed.
8. Best combined ranking among each teams successful points scored and points allowed.
9. Best nett points successful communal games.
10. Best nett points successful each games.
11. Best nett touchdowns successful each games.
12. Coin toss

To interruption a necktie successful wild-card standings:

(Between 2 teams)

1. Head-to-head, if applicable.
2. Best won-lost-tied percent successful games played wrong the conference.
3. Best won-lost-tied percent successful communal games, minimum of four.
4. Strength of victory.
5. Strength of schedule.
6. Best combined ranking among league teams successful points scored and points allowed.
7. Best combined ranking among each teams successful points scored and points allowed.
8. Best nett points successful league games.
9. Best nett points successful each games.
10. Best nett touchdowns successful each games.
11. Coin toss.

(Between 3 oregon much teams)

1. Apply part necktie breaker to destruct each but the highest ranked nine successful each part anterior to proceeding to measurement 2. The archetypal seeding wrong a part upon exertion of the part necktie breaker remains the aforesaid for each consequent applications of the process that are indispensable to place the 2 wild-card participants.
2. Head-to-head sweep. (Applicable lone if 1 nine has defeated each of the others oregon if 1 nine has mislaid to each of the others.)
3. Best won-lost-tied percent successful games played wrong the conference.
4. Best won-lost-tied percent successful communal games, minimum of four.
5. Strength of victory.
6. Strength of schedule.
7. Best combined ranking among league teams successful points scored and points allowed.
8. Best combined ranking among each teams successful points scored and points allowed.
9. Best nett points successful league games.
10. Best nett points successful each games.
11. Best nett touchdowns successful each games.
12. Coin toss

Current NFL playoff picture

Here's however the standings successful some conferences interruption down pursuing Week 16, on with the different teams that are inactive successful the playoff hunt. 

• AFC

In the hunt: Baltimore Ravens (8-8), Pittsburgh Steelers (8-7-1), Las Vegas Raiders (9-7)

• NFC

In the hunt: New Orleans Saints (8-8)