2005–06 NFL playoffs

2005–06 NFL playoffs
Dates	January 7 – February 5, 2006
Season	2005
Teams	12
Games played	11
Super Bowl XL site	Ford Field; Detroit, Michigan;
Defending champions	New England Patriots
Champions	Pittsburgh Steelers
Runners-up	Seattle Seahawks
Conference; runners-up	Carolina Panthers; Denver Broncos;
NFL playoffs
← 2004–05	2006–07 →

The National Football League playoffs for the 2005 season began on January 7, 2006. The playoffs ended with the Pittsburgh Steelers beating the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XL, 21–10, on February 5, at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan.

Participants

Seed	AFC	NFC
Playoff seeds
1	Indianapolis Colts (South winner)	Seattle Seahawks (West winner)
2	Denver Broncos (West winner)	Chicago Bears (North winner)
3	Cincinnati Bengals (North winner)	Tampa Bay Buccaneers (South winner)
4	New England Patriots (East winner)	New York Giants (East winner)
5	Jacksonville Jaguars (wild card)	Carolina Panthers (wild card)
6	Pittsburgh Steelers (wild card)	Washington Redskins (wild card)


Jan 8 – Giants Stadium			Jan 15 – Soldier Field
5	Carolina	23
			5	Carolina	29
4	NY Giants	0				Jan 22 – Qwest Field
			2	Chicago	21

			NFC
Jan 7 – Raymond James Stadium						5	Carolina	14
			Jan 14 – Qwest Field
						1	Seattle	34

6	Washington	17				NFC Championship
			6	Washington	10
3	Tampa Bay	10							Feb 5 – Ford Field
			1	Seattle	20
Wild Card playoffs
			Divisional playoffs
Jan 8 – Paul Brown Stadium									N1	Seattle	10
			Jan 15 – RCA Dome
									A6	Pittsburgh	21

6	Pittsburgh	31							Super Bowl XL
			6	Pittsburgh	21
3	Cincinnati	17				Jan 22 – Invesco Field at Mile High
			1	Indianapolis	18

			AFC
Jan 7 – Gillette Stadium						6	Pittsburgh	34
			Jan 14 – Invesco Field at Mile High
						2	Denver	17

5	Jacksonville	3				AFC Championship
			4	New England	13
4	New England	28
			2	Denver	27

Away team	Score	Home Team	Date	Kickoff (ET / UTC–5)	TV
Wild Card playoffs
Washington Redskins	17–10	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	January 7, 2006	4:30 p.m.	ABC
Jacksonville Jaguars	3–28	New England Patriots	January 7, 2006	8:00 p.m.	ABC
Carolina Panthers	23–0	New York Giants	January 8, 2006	1:00 p.m.	Fox
Pittsburgh Steelers	31–17	Cincinnati Bengals	January 8, 2006	4:30 p.m.	CBS
Divisional playoffs
Washington Redskins	10–20	Seattle Seahawks	January 14, 2006	4:30 p.m.	Fox
New England Patriots	13–27	Denver Broncos	January 14, 2006	8:00 p.m.	CBS
Pittsburgh Steelers	21–18	Indianapolis Colts	January 15, 2006	1:00 p.m.	CBS
Carolina Panthers	29–21	Chicago Bears	January 15, 2006	4:30 p.m.	Fox
Conference Championships
Pittsburgh Steelers	34–17	Denver Broncos	January 22, 2006	3:00 p.m.	CBS
Carolina Panthers	14–34	Seattle Seahawks	January 22, 2006	6:30 p.m.	Fox
Super Bowl XL Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan
Seattle Seahawks	10–21	Pittsburgh Steelers	February 5, 2006	6:30 p.m.	ABC