There’re two conferences: NFC and AFC.
Each conference has 4 divisions: north, south, east and west. Currently there are 4 teams in each division.
The winner of each division gets into the playoffs; their record in the conference doesn’t matter. They just have to be the best team in their division.
(Two years ago, the Seahawks were division winner and in the playoffs with a 7–9 record-a losing record! It was the first time a team with a losing record was in the playoffs. That caused a lot of soul-searching, but the rules weren’t changed.)
The two teams in the conference with the best record, but who weren’t division winners, become the wild card teams.
That’s how teams are selected for the playoffs.
Once they are in the playoffs, the divisional winners with the best records get the advantages. Teams 1 and 2 get a bye week. Teams 3 and 4 get homefield advantage against the wildcard teams. As the elimination continues, team 1 always has homefield advantage. Team 2 always has homefield advantage against everyone except team 1.
GO HAWKS!