Despite missing star players such as Lamar Jackson, Patrick Mahomes and Joe Burrow, this NFL postseason has not disappointed, featuring many nail-biting wins and come-from-behind victories.
Wild Card Round:
With the Broncos and Seahawks having the No. 1 seed bye week, there was only one blowout win, with the Houston Texans beating the Pittsburgh Steelers 30-6 in what could be NFL great Aaron Rodgers’ last game before retirement. NFC wild-card games that came down to the wire included two California teams: the Los Angeles Rams and the San Francisco 49ers.
The fifth-seeded Rams (12-5) beat the fourth-seeded Carolina Panthers (8-9) 34-31 in what many thought would be a blowout going into the game. Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford threw a game-winning touchdown pass to tight end Colby Parkinson with just 38 seconds left.
The San Francisco 49ers (12-5) beat the defending champions Philadelphia Eagles (11-6) 23-19 in Philadelphia, despite missing key players such as linebacker Fred Warner, defensive end Nick Bosa and star tight end George Kittle, who tore his Achilles tendon in the first quarter.
The Chicago Bears (11-6) won with an 18-point comeback against the Green Bay Packers (9-7-1), 31-27, on Jan. 10. The Bears scored an impressive 25 points in the fourth quarter. The win was significant for the Bears’ future and came against their NFC North division rival.
The Buffalo Bills (12-5) beat the Jacksonville Jaguars (13-4) 27-24 in a thriller. This playoff game was just Jacksonville’s third postseason appearance since 2007, and the Jaguars went head-to-head with one of the most dangerous teams in the NFL. The season offered a glimmer of hope for a Jaguars team that has struggled in recent years.
Divisional Round:
In the NFC, the Rams beat the Chicago Bears 20-17 in overtime after Bears quarterback Caleb Williams delivered what some called one of the best throws in NFL history to tight end Cole Kmet after escaping the Rams defense on a 26-yard scramble, keeping the Bears’ season alive.
After their first-round bye week, the Seattle Seahawks (14-3) dismantled the San Francisco 49ers 41-6 to advance to the NFC championship game. The Seahawks’ top-ranked defense kept the 49ers out of the end zone, holding them to two field goals.
On Jan. 18, the New England Patriots defeated the Houston Texans 28-16, with MVP contender quarterback Drake Maye leading the way with three touchdown passes and one interception. Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud threw one touchdown but had four interceptions in the loss.
On Jan. 17, the Denver Broncos beat the Bills 33-30 in overtime. Predictions going into the game were mixed, but most analysts expected a close matchup, which came to fruition. After the game, it was revealed that Broncos quarterback Bo Nix fractured his right ankle near the end of the game, making the Broncos heavy underdogs against the Patriots.
Conference Championship Games:
On Jan. 25, the Patriots defeated the Broncos 10-7 in a defensive snowstorm. Despite Broncos backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham playing in place of the injured Nix, the game remained close due to the difficult weather conditions. The win sent the Patriots to Super Bowl LX, where they would face the winner of the Rams-Seahawks NFC championship game.
Later that day, the Seahawks beat the Rams 31-27 in a game that went down to the wire. Both teams found success on offense, but the deciding play came when Rams punt returner Xavier Smith fumbled a punt that the Seahawks recovered and converted into a touchdown.
The win set up a Patriots-Seahawks matchup in Super Bowl LX, with Seattle entering the game as the favorite to win the championship.
