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The New England patriots finished the 2012 regular season with the second-best record in the AFC, which will earn them a first-round bye in the 2013 playoffs.
With the team receiving a week to rest up, they will need to wait to determine who they will host in the division round of the playoffs.
The Cincinnati Bengals and Houston Texans will kick-off Wild Card weekend on Saturday afternoon. The game is tentatively scheduled to start at 4:30 p.m., ET and will be broadcast on NBC. New England did not play Cincinnati this season, but did defeat Houston in Week 14 in a blowout (42-14).
The AFC portion of the opening round will be concluded on Sunday afternoon when the Indianapolis Colts visit the Baltimore Ravens. The game is scheduled to begin at 1p.m. ET on CBS. New England played both teams this season, falling to Baltimore due to a controversial last-second field goal, and defeating Indianapolis by a final score of 59-24.
In the NFC, the Minnesota Vikings will meet the Green Bay Packers for the second time in as many weeks. Their game is scheduled to begin on Saturday at 8 p.m. ET on NBC.
The Wild Card round will conclude on Sunday afternoon when the Washington Redskins host the Seattle Seahawks. The game is scheduled to start at 4:30 p.m. ET on Fox.