2020–21 NFL playoffs
Had a serious outbreak occurred during the regular season, the league had contingency plans to delay the postseason, eliminate the bye week before the Super Bowl and postpone the game itself to as late as February 28.
[2][3] NFL owners also approved an additional alternative plan to implement a 16-team playoff format, with no teams getting a bye, if "meaningful" regular season games were canceled because of the virus.
[13] In the first quarter, Colts quarterback Philip Rivers made completions to T. Y. Hilton and Michael Pittman Jr. for gains of 23 and 22 yards that set up the first score on a 30-yard field goal by Rodrigo Blankenship.
[15] Bills offensive tackle Daryl Williams recovered the ball, but the team lost 18 yards and ended up having to punt with 2:38 left, giving the Colts a chance to drive for a winning or tying score.
[21] Seahawks' safety Jamal Adams landed an illegal low helmet-to-helmet hit on Wolford, knocking him out of the game during the Rams' second possession,[22][20] after he completed a pair of passes to Cooper Kupp for gains of 15 and 13 yards that set up Matt Gay's 40-yard field goal, giving the team a 3–0 lead.
[24] On Los Angeles' next possession, Akers had a 44-yard reception and a 20-yard carry before taking the ball into the end zone on a 5-yard run,[24] giving the Rams a 20–10 lead with 2 minutes left in the half.
Seattle cornerback D. J. Reed returned the second half kickoff 58 yards to Los Angeles' 41-yard line, setting up a 52-yard field goal by Myers that cut the score to 20–13.
[27] Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady completed a 30-yard pass to Mike Evans and a 17-yard throw to Chris Godwin as he led the team to a 29-yard Ryan Succop field goal on the game's opening drive.
Tampa Bay then drove 58 yards in six plays to score on Brady's 36-yard touchdown pass to Antonio Brown,[27] giving the team a 9–0 lead after Succop's extra point was blocked by Jeremy Reaves.
But Heinicke started the next drive with completions to Logan Thomas and Terry McLaurin for gains of 24 and 18 yards,[28] respectively, before J. D. McKissic finished it off with a 2-yard touchdown run,[28] making the score 9–7 with 12:58 left in the half.
In the second quarter, Bears safety Tashaun Gipson forced a fumble from Taysom Hill that John Jenkins recovered for Chicago,[44] on the Saints' 24-yard line.
[50][51] The Browns took a 7–0 lead on the first play from scrimmage when a high snap from Pittsburgh center Maurkice Pouncey sailed over quarterback Ben Roethlisberger's head and went into the end zone, where safety Karl Joseph recovered the ball for a touchdown.
Two plays later, Baker Mayfield threw a short pass to Jarvis Landry in the middle of the field and he ran it 40 yards into the end zone to increase Cleveland's lead to 14–0.
Three plays later, Mayfield finished the possession with a 7-yard touchdown pass to tight end Austin Hooper,[49] giving the Browns a 35–7 lead with 37 seconds left in the half.
From there, Pittsburgh head coach Mike Tomlin decided to let the play clock run down to zero in an attempt to draw the Browns offside, and then punt the ball on 4th and 6.
[59] The Rams were dealing with a myriad of injuries themselves, with leading receiver Cooper Kupp out with knee bursitis suffered in the closing seconds of their previous win,[60] starting quarterback Jared Goff playing with a surgically repaired thumb on his throwing hand just twelve days prior,[61] and two-time defensive player of the year Aaron Donald severely hampered after tearing rib cartilage the previous week.
[66] Following the kickoff, Rodgers' completions to Adams and Robert Tonyan for gains of 21 and 33 yards enabled Crosby to kick a 39-yard field goal as time expired in the half, making the score 19–10.
In a game largely controlled by defense,[69] Bills cornerback Taron Johnson's postseason record-tying 101-yard interception return gave Buffalo a two-score lead that the Ravens could not overcome.
[71] Baltimore took the opening kickoff and drove 46 yards to the Bills' 23-yard line, but the drive ended there as Justin Tucker hit the uprights on a 41-yard field goal attempt.
[72] After three more punts, Baltimore finally managed to get on the board, converting a 30-yard completion from Lamar Jackson to Marquise Brown into a 34-yard field goal by Tucker on the last play of the half.
Two key defensive plays by L'Jarius Sneed, a tackle for a 3-yard loss and an 8-yard sack on Mayfield, forced Cleveland to settle for Cody Parkey's 46-yard field goal to make the score 6–3.
On the next play, Mayfield threw a pass to Rashard Higgins; as he dived for the goal line, safety Daniel Sorensen hit him from the left side, knocking the ball loose and causing it to roll through the end zone for a touchback.
[84] The Buccaneers had to punt on their opening drive, and Deonte Harris' 43-yard return gave New Orleans a first down on the Tampa Bay 21-yard line, setting up Wil Lutz's 23-yard field goal to take a 3–0 lead.
[85] Brady started the ensuing possession with a 19-yard pass to tight end Cameron Brate, and finished it with a 6-yard touchdown completion to running back Leonard Fournette, with the game now tied at 20–20.
[85] After a Saints punt, Brady's completions to Tyler Johnson and Scotty Miller for gains of 15 and 29 yards set up Succop's 36-yard field goal,[85] giving Tampa Bay a 23–20 lead with 9:52 left.
[89] Following a punt from each team, Green Bay tied the score at 7–7 on a 90-yard drive in which Aaron Rodgers converted a 3rd and 15 with a 23-yard pass to Allen Lazard before throwing a 50-yard touchdown completion to Marquez Valdes-Scantling.
With eight seconds remaining, Tampa Bay decided against kicking a long field goal, and Brady threw a 39-yard touchdown pass to Scotty Miller, ending the half with the Buccaneers ahead 21–10.
[90] On the next play, Tampa Bay fooled the Packers defense with a play-action pass, with Brady faking a backfield handoff before throwing the ball to tight end Cameron Brate for a touchdown and a 28–10 lead.
On the next play, Josh Allen threw a touchdown pass to tight end Dawson Knox, making the score 9–0 after Bass missed the extra point.
NBC's Mike Tirico and CBS' Tony Romo worked remotely during the Wild Card round after failing to pass their respective network's COVID-19 protocols.
