Rams-Packers, Chiefs-Browns among NFL divisional playoff matchups

Jan. 11 (UPI) -- The Los Angeles Rams will face the Green Bay Packers, and the Cleveland Browns will battle the Kansas City Chiefs in two unexpected matchups during next weekend's NFL divisional round playoff schedule.

Cleveland advanced to the second round of the postseason with an upset victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday in Pittsburgh. The Rams upset the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday in Seattle.

The Browns earned the victory despite playing without their head coach and several players due to positive COVID-19 tests and protocols from last week.

"We knew what mentality we were going to have, and it is just to cut it loose, go out there and give it everything we have," Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield told reporters. "There was no added pressure or no extra anything.

"It was just for us to go out and do our job because no one believed in us, besides us."

The Steelers were the No. 3 seed in the AFC and six-point favorites to beat the sixth-seeded Browns before the 48-37 loss led to their playoff exit.

"We didn't do enough," Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said. "We didn't position them in enough good circumstances. We didn't make enough plays, particularly in the critical moments. We were a group that died on the vine."

The Seahawks were the No. 3 seed in the NFC and were four-point favorites to beat the sixth-seeded Rams before their 30-20 setback.

The winner of the Rams-Packers matchup will play the Tampa Bay Buccaneers or New Orleans Saints in the NFC Championship game. The winner of the Browns-Chiefs game will take on the Baltimore Ravens or Buffalo Bills in the AFC title game.

Green Bay and Kansas City had first-round byes as the top seeds in the NFC and AFC, respectively. The Ravens advanced to the divisional round with a 20-13 win over the Tennessee Titans on Sunday in Nashville. The Bills advanced with a 27-24 win over the Indianapolis Colts on Saturday in Orchard Park, N.Y.

The Buccaneers also beat the Washington Football Team on Saturday to advance to the divisional round. The Saints beat the Chicago Bears on Sunday in their wild card round victory.

The Saints, Buccaneers, Bills and Ravens were all favored to win their first-round matchups.

Divisional round playoff schedule

Saturday

Rams at Packers at 4:35 p.m. EST on Fox

Ravens at Bills at 8:15 p.m. EST on NBC

Sunday

Browns at Chiefs at 3:05 p.m. EST on CBS

Buccaneers at Saints at 6:40 p.m. EST on Fox