The NFL postseason begins Saturday with two games featuring Super Bowl MVPs, and rising stars hoping to lead their franchises on a deep playoff run.
Reigning Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes and the defending champion Kansas City Chiefs will host Tua Tagovailoa, former Chiefs receiver Tyreek Hill and the Miami Dolphins in prime time Saturday night.
To start the action Saturday afternoon: Super Bowl 47 MVP Joe Flacco hopes to continue his resurgence with the Cleveland Browns against rookie sensation C.J. Stroud and the Houston Texans.
Both games will affect how the AFC playoff picture shakes out with the No. 1 seed Baltimore Ravens starting the postseason on a bye, and the No. 2 Buffalo Bills hosting the No. 7-seed Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday at 1 p.m.
Here’s everything you need to know about Saturday’s NFL playoff games:
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Youth vs. experience takes center stage in this playoff matchup.
Stroud, the Texans quarterback, will play his first NFL playoff game in front of his home fans in Houston after a stellar rookie season, while Flacco’s ride as the Browns’ starter continues.
Stroud did not play against Flacco when the Browns beat the Texans 36-22 on Christmas Eve, but the rookie helped Houston win the AFC South and secure the No. 4 seed in the playoffs in his first season along with new coach DeMeco Ryans.
Flacco has saved Cleveland’s season and elevated Kevin Stefanski to NFL coach of the year consideration with a 4-1 record down the stretch.
The No. 5-seed Browns finished with 11 wins and reached the postseason for just the third time since 2000, despite losing standouts such as QB Deshaun Watson, RB Nick Chubb and OT Jack Conklin, and OT Jedrick Wills Jr. for the season.
Flacco’s playoff experience could help Cleveland: He’s tied for first with Tom Brady with seven postseason wins on the road in his career.
It’s going to be a cold one. The temperature at kickoff is expected to be around 12 degrees, according to Jonathan Kurtz, of the National Weather Service in Kansas City, per the Miami Herald earlier this week.
The conditions will affect both the Dolphins, runners-up in the AFC East and the No. 6 seed in the playoffs, and Chiefs – the No. 3 seed and eight-time reigning AFC West champions.
This will be a rematch from earlier this season, when the Chiefs beat the Dolphins 21-14 in Germany on Nov. 5. And it will be Hill’s first game back in Kansas City since being traded after six seasons in March 2022.
The Dolphins are a hobbled bunch. They'll play without five defensive starters, done for the season, while three key offensive players in Hill (quad, ankle), running back Raheem Mostert (knee, ankle) and receiver Jaylen Waddle (high ankle sprain) are dealing with injuries.
Meanwhile, Mahomes and star tight end Travis Kelce are rested after sitting out last week’s season finale to begin their Super Bowl title defense. But their offense has underperformed by their standards.
The Chiefs averaged 21.8 points this season – the worst since Mahomes became coach Andy Reid’s starting quarterback in 2018. Kansas City has averaged at least 28 points in each of the previous five seasons.
While Miami’s offense is second in the NFL at 29.2 points per game this season, Tagovailoa and coach Mike McDaniel’s offense averaged 17.7 points in five games against playoff teams, and 35.5 points in 11 games against lesser competition.
Here are the USA TODAY Sports staff’s predictions for both of Saturday's playoff games:
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