The 2025 NFL playoffs are underway, progressing through a four-week schedule that will conclude with the Super Bowl in Santa Clara, California. Following a Wild Card round that established a new NFL record for fourth-quarter lead changes, eight teams have advanced to the Divisional Round, with further team and player developments occurring as the postseason progresses.
2025 NFL Playoffs Commence
The regular season concluded without a singular dominant team emerging from either the AFC or NFC. The Kansas City Chiefs, who participated in five Super Bowls in the past six years and won three, did not qualify for the playoffs. Similarly, the Detroit Lions, the NFC's top seed last season, are not in the current playoff field.
Conversely, last year's champions, the Philadelphia Eagles, secured the NFC's third seed and won their division for a second consecutive season. The Denver Broncos attained the No. 1 seed in the AFC, their first since 2015, the year of their last Super Bowl victory. The Seattle Seahawks earned the top seed in the NFC. Other qualifying teams included the Pittsburgh Steelers, who secured the AFC North title, and the Carolina Panthers, who qualified following the Atlanta Falcons' victory over the New Orleans Saints. The Buffalo Bills and Los Angeles Rams also improved their standings to qualify. The Houston Texans, after a 3-5 start to the season, achieved a nine-game winning streak entering the playoffs.
Wild Card Round Highlights
The Wild Card round consisted of six games played over three days, setting a new NFL record with 12 fourth-quarter lead changes. In one matchup, the Houston Texans, the NFL's youngest franchise, secured their first-ever playoff road victory against the Pittsburgh Steelers, with a 30-6 win that included two defensive touchdowns and four sacks.
Other matchups included:
- The Buffalo Bills facing the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Jaguars entered the playoffs having won eight consecutive games and recorded 22 interceptions, sharing the league lead.
- The Green Bay Packers against the Chicago Bears. This marked a third encounter between the two teams; Green Bay won their first game 28-21, while Chicago won the second in overtime. The Bears hosted this playoff game.
- The San Francisco 49ers against the Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles, seeded No. 3 in the NFC, had an offense that ranked 19th in points per game, 24th in yards per game, and 19th in yards per play this season.
- The New England Patriots against the Los Angeles Chargers.
- The Los Angeles Rams against the Carolina Panthers.
Divisional Round Matchups and Outcomes
The Divisional Round schedule included the following matchups:
- Saturday:
- Buffalo Bills vs. Denver Broncos
- San Francisco 49ers vs. Seattle Seahawks
- Sunday:
- Houston Texans vs. New England Patriots
- Los Angeles Rams vs. Chicago Bears
Buffalo Bills vs. Denver Broncos: Bills quarterback Josh Allen sustained multiple injuries (foot, knee, finger) during the Wild Card game. He faced the Broncos' defense, which led the league with 68 sacks in the regular season. The Broncos were rested due to a bye week and held a home-field advantage in Denver. Allen had previously defeated Broncos signal-caller Bo Nix in a playoff game last season.
Houston Texans vs. New England Patriots: The Texans, who had never reached a conference championship game, entered this round with a 10-game winning streak. They faced potential absence of Pro Bowl wide receiver Nico Collins due to concussion protocol. Patriots quarterback Drake Maye showed improved performance in the second half of his first playoff game.
San Francisco 49ers vs. Seattle Seahawks: This matchup was a rematch of Week 18, where the Seahawks secured the top seed in the NFC by limiting the 49ers' offense to a single field goal. The Seahawks' defense allowed the fewest points in the regular season and had a 6-2 record against playoff teams. San Francisco faced a short week after traveling for their Wild Card game, while Seattle had a bye. The 49ers were without tight end George Kittle, who sustained a season-ending Achilles injury. Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold, listed as questionable with an oblique injury, anticipated playing.
Los Angeles Rams vs. Chicago Bears: The Los Angeles Rams advanced in the playoffs. The Chicago Bears' performance had been marked by high-drama comebacks, with head coach Ben Johnson noted for frequently attempting fourth-down conversions and quarterback Caleb Williams leading rallies from deficits. Chicago held a 3-3 record when trailing by 10 or more points in the final five minutes, a statistic that contrasts with the rest of the NFL's combined 3-158 record in similar situations.
Conference Championship Previews
NFC Championship: Los Angeles Rams vs. Seattle Seahawks
This game featured a strategic coaching contest between Rams head coach Sean McVay and Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald. McVay's offensive approach evolved to incorporate heavier personnel sets, often featuring three tight ends, leading the league with an average of 30.5 points per game. This strategy aims to create run-pass conflicts for defenses. Macdonald's defensive scheme, known for defensive versatility and quarterback pressure, resulted in 47 sacks and allowed the league's lowest average of 17.2 points per game. His defense shifted to prioritize playing its best 11 players regardless of offensive groupings and frequently employs two deep safeties for pass coverage. During the regular season, the teams split their series, with the Rams holding a slight scoring advantage (58-57). The Rams concluded the regular season with the top-ranked scoring offense, while the Seahawks led the league in defense. Seahawks wide receiver Cooper Kupp, a former Super Bowl MVP for the Rams, faced his previous team in this game.
AFC Championship
With Denver Broncos starting quarterback Bo Nix sidelined due to an ankle injury, backup Jarrett Stidham was expected to start in the AFC Championship game. Stidham, who joined the Broncos in 2023, was described by his quarterback coach as an "underestimated talent" capable of rapidly learning complex offensive systems, citing his tenure as Tom Brady's backup.
Super Bowl Projections
Analyst predictions for the Super Bowl included:
- Houston Texans over San Francisco 49ers (by Greif), citing the Texans' defense as a key factor.
- Los Angeles Rams over Buffalo Bills (by Nadkarni and Rosenstein), with Matthew Stafford and the Rams' offense (ranked first in points, yards, and touchdowns per game) mentioned as factors.
One projection anticipated the Los Angeles Rams defeating the Buffalo Bills, with Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford subsequently retiring.
Post-Divisional Team and Player Developments
Buffalo Bills Organizational Changes:
Buffalo Bills owner Terry Pegula made comments regarding wide receiver Keon Coleman, stating that the coaching staff advocated for drafting him. These remarks prompted criticism from analysts, who interpreted them as a "blame game." Following the Bills' exit from the Divisional Round, head coach Sean McDermott was terminated. General Manager Brandon Beane was promoted to president of football operations. Former Buccaneers Super Bowl-winning coach Bruce Arians expressed strong disapproval of McDermott's firing, describing him as a "highly effective coach."
San Francisco 49ers Player Departure:
San Francisco 49ers General Manager John Lynch indicated that wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk was unlikely to play for the team again, describing the situation as having deteriorated. Aiyuk, a 2020 first-round draft pick, had a productive 2023 season but faced issues that reportedly included missed meetings, rehabilitation sessions, and a lack of communication, leading to the voiding of $27 million in guaranteed money for 2026. Head coach Kyle Shanahan commented that he had not witnessed a similar situation in his 22 years of coaching. Aiyuk was subsequently placed on the reserve/left team list following knee surgery and later apologized for posting a video of himself speeding.
Houston Texans Quarterback Performance Evaluation:
Following a game with four interceptions against the Patriots, Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud's performance was evaluated by analysts, who identified issues such as a lack of development, missed throws, and worsened situations under pressure.