This is where the NFL is headed. In the near future all playoff games will be on a paid streaming services such as Peacock, Paramount +, Amazon, Apple TV and so on.
I disagree. I read something recently about MLB and how they have permanently damaged their fan base by limiting local broadcasts and adding too many blackout rules. Young people aren't watching so they aren't becoming baseball fans.
The NFL grew in large part due to their smart ideas about pooling the TV money (so small market teams like the Saints could remain competitive) and by always providing local team broadcasts on free over-the-air television. I don't see either of those things changing (as noted even this Peacock game will be on free OTA stations in the local markets of the teams that are playing).
So yes, many games will be headed behind paywalls but for Saints games including playoffs as long as you live in the area, you'll probably get free access. The NFL continues to have mass audiences for playoff games and the Super Bowl. They are making tons of money from the eyeballs watching commercials. This Wild Card game is a way to get a few extra bucks from NBC for a game that wouldn't have had a huge audience for advertisers.