There will be a new NFL champion come February after the Giants beat the Eagles and then needed help from three teams to make it.

Of course, expecting the 4-12 Lions to deliver is like asking Burger King to make fillet mignon. It’s just not what they do.

Anyhow, word trickled out from The Shield on Sunday night that the playoff schedule goes as follows next weekend.

Cincinnati at Houston – Jan. 5 at 4:30pm

Minnesota at Green Bay – Jan 5 at 8:00pm

Indianapolis at Baltimore – Jan. 6 at 1pm

Seattle at Washington – Jan. 6 at 4:30pm

A week later, the divisional round takes center stage:

Cin/Ind/Balt at Denver – Jan. 12 at 4:30pm

GB/Wash/Sea at San Francisco – Jan. 12 at 8pm

Min/Sea/Wash at Atlanta – Jan. 13 at 1pm

Hou/Balt/Ind at New England – Jan. 13 at 4:30pm

FOX draws the early game for the conference title matchups. The NFC title game airs at 3 with the AFC title game follows at 6:30. Expect CBS execs to put champagne on ice over a potential Brady-Manning meeting in the AFC title game.

CBS has Super Bowl XLVII On February 3.