NFL Playoff Schedule 2013 Announced: Post-Season Times, Games, Potential Match-Ups

As the Washington Redskins beat the Dallas Cowboys 28-18 in a winner-take-all showdown Sunday to become NFC East champions, the final nail has been driven into the coffin of the regular season and the NFL's post-season schedule has been announced.

After losing in another must-win game, the Dallas Cowboys (8-8) miss the playoffs for the third straight season. This is the third time in five years the team has struggled in such make-or-break end-of-regular-season game scenario.

For the second year-in-a-row, the playoffs will kickoff with a match-up between the Houston Texans (12-4) and Cincinnati Bengals (10-6). Just like last year, the game will be the first of wild card Saturday, getting things rolling in Houston at 4 p.m. EST.

Following that, Saturday's night game is a rematch of Sunday's game between the Minnesota Vikings and Green Bay Packers. Viking QB Christian Ponder, and star running back Adrian Peterson will try to strike lightning twice against the volatile Packers at 8 p.m. EST Saturday at Lambaeu Field. Both of Saturday's games will be broadcast on NBC.

Sunday, Jan. 6, Andrew Luck and the Indianapolis Colts take on the Baltimore Ravens in Charm City with a 1 p.m. kickoff on CBS. After dominating the beleaguered Cowboys, Robert Griffin III and the Washington Redskins will host the Seattle Seahawks at 4:30 p.m. on FOX; this will be the Redskins' third consecutive playoff game against the Seahawks. Seattle trounced the Skins in 2005 and 2007.

The divisional round of the playoffs begins Saturday, Jan. 12 in Denver. At that point, the lowest remaining seed in the AFC (either the Bengals, Colts, or Ravens) will go head-to-head with the Broncos at 4 p.m. on CBS. That same day the highest remaining seed in the NFC (Packers, Redskins or Seahawks) will visit the 49ers at 8 p.m. EST on FOX.

The following day, Sunday, Jan. 13, the lowest remaining NFC seed (the Vikings, Redskins or Seahawks) will challenge the Falcons for supremacy at 1 p.m. EST on FOX. The divisional round will wrap with Sunday's last game, a match-up between the New England Patriots the highest remaining AFC seed (the Texans, colts, or Ravens) in Foxboro, Mass. at 4:30 p.m. EST on CBS.

The AFC and NFC Championship Games are on Sunday, Jan. 20. The Pro Bowl is on Sunday, Jan. 27 and the Super Bowl is on Sunday, Feb. 3.