:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/68646412/1293930061.10.jpg)
The New England Patriots will not participate in the playoff tournament this year — the team went just 7-9 and failed to qualify for the first time since 2008 — but it still projects to be an entertaining one yet again. Today, the second day of Wild Card action is on the menu.
So, without further ado here’s how you can watch the three games and who Patriots fans should root for.
#5 Baltimore Ravens (11-5) at #4 Tennessee Titans (11-5)
When: 1:05 p.m. ET
Where: Nissan Stadium, Nashville TN
Television: ESPN/ABC, ESPN2, ESPN+, ESPN Deportes, Freeform
Live streaming: ESPN+ (Try for free here!)
SB Nation coverage: Baltimore Beatdown (Ravens), Music City Miracles (Titans)
Patriots rooting guide: Go Titans! This one is pretty obvious: Tennessee has numerous connections to New England — from head coach Mike Vrabel and general manager Jon Robinson to cornerback Malcolm Butler and kicker Stephen Gostkowski — while Baltimore has nothing more but a long-time rivalry. Accordingly, 27 percent of Patriots fans went with the Titans as their AFC favorite in our recent fan poll compared to a mere 2 percent for the Ravens.
#6 Cleveland Browns (11-5) at #3 Pittsburgh Steelers (12-4)
When: 4:40 p.m. ET
Where: Heinz Field, Pittsburgh PA
Television: NBC, Telemundo, Peacock
Live streaming: fuboTV (Try for free here!)
SB Nation coverage: Dawgs by Nature (Browns), Behind the Steel Curtain (Steelers)
Patriots rooting guide: Go Browns! 23 percent of Patriots fans picked Cleveland — Patriots head coach Bill Belichick’s former team — as the one to root for in the AFC. The Steelers, meanwhile, received only 2 percent. This makes sense considering that the Browns have had little success throughout their rebirth while Pittsburgh is tied with New England for most Super Bowl titles with six.
#7 Chicago Bears (8-8) at #2 New Orleans Saints (12-4)
When: 8:15 p.m. ET
Where: Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans LA
Television: CBS, Nickelodeon, Amazon Prime, CBS All Access
Live streaming: fuboTV (Try for free here!)
SB Nation coverage: Windy City Gridiron (Bears), Canal Street Chronicles (Saints)
Patriots rooting guide: Go Saints! While the Bears received only 3 percent of the NFC’s votes in our Patriots fan poll ahead of the playoff tournament, the Saints were given 12 percent. Accordingly, rooting for New Orleans is the way to go tonight.