NFL's future, present on display Sunday thanks to a pair thrilling QB matchups

Sunday's pair of divisional round clashes features four of the game's best quarterbacks, offering an exciting look at a changing of the guard at the position.

The early game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Houston Texans on CBS at 3:05 p.m. E.T. will pit two of the brightest young stars in the league against each other. Kansas City's Patrick Mahomes already has an MVP award under his belt, and the prolific passer will now try to add a Super Bowl trophy to his collection. He'll have to go through Houston's Deshaun Watson first, though. Watson shrugged off a rough start to his postseason career last year with an iconic performance a week ago in a come-from-behind win over the Buffalo Bills in the wild card round. Watson and Mahomes figure to take over as two of the league's first-rate players for a long time and, if they stay healthy, there's a good chance this won't be the last time they face each other in the playoffs.

That's where the other quarterback matchup comes in. This one consists of two veterans who long ago established themselves as premier players and likely Hall of Famers. The Seattle Seahawks, led by Russell Wilson, will travel to Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin, to take on the Packers and Aaron Rodgers at 6:40 p.m. E.T. on Fox. This isn't the first rodeo for Wilson and Rodgers, both of whom have numerous playoff appearances and a Super Bowl ring each. They've faced off against each other in the postseason before, as well, when the Seahawks prevailed in overtime to win the NFC championship.

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

Sunday, in other words, has the best of both worlds. If you want a look into the future of the league, Watson and Mahomes have you covered. If you want to see some familiar faces who know what it takes to win in the postseason, Wilson and Rodgers are back once again.