NFL Playoff Picture 2016: Wild Card weekend matchups set

For the first time since 2011, the playoffs will be taking place without the Indianapolis Colts.  It may be weird, then, for Colts fans to watch the playoffs or read about the playoff picture without their team involved, but let's be honest: you'll probably still watch it.

So let's go ahead and take a look at this year's playoff picture, specifically the wild card matchups that are now officially set.

First Round Bye (AFC):

1.  Denver Broncos (12-4) - Sunday, January 17, 4:40 p.m. ET (CBS); opponent TBA

2.  New England Patriots (12-4) - Saturday, January 16, 4:35 p.m. ET (CBS); opponent TBA

First Round Bye (NFC):

1.  Carolina Panthers (15-1) - Sunday, January 17, 1:05 p.m. ET (FOX); opponent TBA

2.  Arizona Cardinals (12-4) - Saturday, January 16, 8:15 p.m. ET (NBC); opponent TBA

Wild Card Weekend (AFC):

(6) Pittsburgh Steelers (10-6) at (3) Cincinnati Bengals (12-4) - Saturday, January 9, 8:15 p.m. ET (CBS)

(5) Kansas City Chiefs (11-5) at (4) Houston Texans (9-7) - Saturday, January 9, 4:25 p.m. ET (ESPN/ABC)

Wild Card Weekend (NFC):

(6) Seattle Seahawks (10-6) at (3) Minnesota Vikings (11-5) - Sunday, January 10, 1:05 p.m. ET (NBC)

(5) Green Bay Packers (10-6) at (4) Washington Redskins (9-7) - Sunday, January 10, 4:40 p.m. ET (FOX)

There you have the 2016 NFL playoff schedule, and then the conference championship games will be played on Sunday, January 24, with the AFC title game kicking off at 3:05 p.m. ET on CBS and the NFC title game kicking off at 6:40 p.m. ET on FOX.

Since the Colts aren't in it, who are you rooting for to win it this postseason?  Do you want to see Peyton Manning go riding off into the sunset with a Super Bowl win?  Do you want to see Bruce Arians, Tom Moore, Dwight Freeney, Cory Redding, and other former Colts team up to win a title for Arizona?  Are you simply rooting for anybody but the Patriots?  It should be an exciting postseason, even if the Colts aren't playing in it.