How do NFL playoffs work? Wild Card round, Divisional showdowns, and more explored

Reaching the NFL playoffs is typically the primary target for all 32 NFL teams entering the season. This is the business end of the season, and each of the 14 teams that make the playoffs have a chance of lifting the Vince Lombardi Trophy.

At the end of the regular season, 14 franchises are selected for the playoffs, seven coming from the NFC and the other seven from the AFC.

The four franchises that top their respective divisions earn playoff berths, meaning that eight spots have been accounted for. The other three spots from each conference are given to the non-division winning teams with the best records in their respective conferences. They are called "wild-card spots."

How does the NFL Wild Card Round work?

The playoffs begin with the wild card round, and this is the general format for the playoff bracket:

• No. 7 seed vs. No. 2 seed
• No. 6 seed vs. No. 3 seed
• No. 5 seed vs. No. 4 seed

Once all the games are played, the winners advance to the divisional round and join the two No. 1 seeds from the AFC and NFC Conferences. The No. 1 seeds have automatic byes to the divisional round.

NFL Divisional Showdowns in the playoffs explained

At the divisional round stage, the No. 1 seeded team faces the worst remaining team in their respective conference in the divisional games. The other two teams in each conference (second-best and second-worst seeds) face off as soon as the matchup is set.

Upon the conclusion of the divisional round, the two remaining teams meet in the NFC and AFC Championship games. The winners of these games represent each conference at the Super Bowl.

Which team has the most playoff appearances in NFL history

The Dallas Cowboys and Green Bay Packers are tied for the most playoff berths in NFL history. This shouldn't be a surprise, with both teams being consistently great over the past three decades.

Here's a top 10 list of the teams with the most playoff appearances in the history of the National Football League:

TEAM	PLAYOFF APPEARANCES
Dallas Cowboys	35
Green Bay Packers	35
Pittsburgh Steelers	33
New York Giants	33
Los Angeles Rams	31
Minnesota Vikings	31
Cleveland Browns	29
Indianapolis Colts	29
San Francisco 49ers	29
Philadelphia Eagles	29

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