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NFL Playoffs 2025: Overview and Divisional Round Set

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The 2025 National Football League (NFL) playoffs have commenced, leading to the Super Bowl scheduled to be held in Santa Clara, California, over a four-week period. The initial Wild Card round consisted of six games played across three days, setting a new record with 12 fourth-quarter lead changes. Eight teams have now advanced to the Divisional Round.

Playoff Field Overview

The regular season concluded without a single dominant team emerging from either the AFC or NFC. The Kansas City Chiefs, who participated in five Super Bowls over the past six years and won three, did not qualify for the 2025 playoffs. Similarly, the Detroit Lions, the NFC's top seed in the previous season, are not in the current playoff field.

Conversely, the Philadelphia Eagles, last year's champions, 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 teams confirming their playoff spots 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 in the final week of the regular season.

Divisional Round Schedule and Matchups

Eight teams are now prepared for the Divisional Round matchups.

Saturday, [Date of Divisional Round Saturday]

  • 4:30 p.m. ET: Buffalo Bills vs. Denver Broncos
  • 8:00 p.m. ET: San Francisco 49ers vs. Seattle Seahawks

Sunday, [Date of Divisional Round Sunday]

  • 3:00 p.m. ET: Houston Texans vs. New England Patriots
  • 6:30 p.m. ET: Los Angeles Rams vs. Chicago Bears
Key Matchup Details:
  • Buffalo Bills vs. Denver Broncos: Bills quarterback Josh Allen sustained multiple injuries, including to his foot, knee, and finger, during the Wild Card game. He will face a Broncos defense that led the league with 68 sacks in the regular season. The Broncos had a bye week and possess a home-field advantage in Denver's high altitude. Allen previously defeated Broncos quarterback Bo Nix in a playoff game last season.
  • Houston Texans vs. New England Patriots: The Houston Texans, the NFL's youngest franchise, have not reached a conference championship game. They enter the Divisional Round with a 10-game winning streak and recently secured their first-ever playoff road victory against the Pittsburgh Steelers with a 30-6 win, which included two defensive touchdowns and four sacks. The Texans may be without Pro Bowl wide receiver Nico Collins, who is in concussion protocol. They will play against Patriots quarterback Drake Maye.
  • San Francisco 49ers vs. Seattle Seahawks: This matchup is a rematch of Week 18, in which 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 recorded a 6-2 record against playoff teams. San Francisco is on a short week after traveling for their Wild Card game, while Seattle had a bye. The 49ers will be without tight end George Kittle due to a season-ending Achilles injury. Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold is listed as questionable with an oblique injury but anticipates playing.
  • Los Angeles Rams vs. Chicago Bears: The Los Angeles Rams advanced to this round. The Chicago Bears' performance has included multiple comeback victories. Head coach Ben Johnson has frequently attempted fourth-down conversions. Quarterback Caleb Williams has led rallies from deficits, contributing to Chicago's 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.

Notable Team and Player Information

  • Buffalo Bills: As the No. 6 seed in the AFC, the Bills concluded the regular season with four consecutive victories. Quarterback Josh Allen is the reigning NFL MVP, leading an offense ranked fourth in both yards and points per game.
  • Chicago Bears: The NFC's second seed, the Bears' turnover differential was 32 forced turnovers to 10 committed. Their matchup against the Green Bay Packers in the Wild Card round was the third encounter between the two teams, with Green Bay winning the first 28-21 and Chicago winning the second in overtime. The Bears hosted this playoff game.
  • Houston Texans: After a 3-5 start to the season, Houston achieved a nine-game winning streak entering the playoffs. Quarterback C.J. Stroud has previously secured one victory in each of the last two playoffs. Their defense led the league in yards allowed during the regular season.
  • Philadelphia Eagles: Their offense ranked 19th in points per game, 24th in yards per game, and 19th in yards per play this season. In the current season, with Jalen Hurts as quarterback, the team scored 90 points in their last four games, compared to 95 points in their last two playoff games a year prior. Their running game and passing attack averaged under 200 yards per game in the previous playoffs.
  • Jacksonville Jaguars: The Jaguars entered the Wild Card round having won eight consecutive games and recorded 22 interceptions, sharing the league lead.
  • Sam Darnold (Seattle Seahawks QB): A No. 3 overall draft pick, Darnold played for the Jets and Minnesota before joining Seattle. He recorded 4,048 passing yards (8th in NFL) and 25 touchdowns (8th), leading the Seahawks to the No. 1 seed in the NFC.
  • AFC Quarterbacks: None of the seven AFC starting quarterbacks in this postseason have previously played in a Super Bowl.

Analyst Commentary and Projections

Analyst commentary ahead of the playoffs included observations on various matchups and team dynamics. Discussions highlighted the Philadelphia Eagles' offensive performance and Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold's transition from regular season success to postseason play. The collective playoff inexperience and first-time head coach of the Chicago Bears (NFC's second seed) were noted, along with the Buffalo Bills' potential for a deep run.

Several analysts made projections for the Super Bowl:

  • One analyst predicted the Houston Texans would defeat the San Francisco 49ers, 24-21, citing the Texans' defense as a key factor.
  • Another projected the Los Angeles Rams would win against the Buffalo Bills, 28-24, mentioning the Rams' experience and quarterback Matthew Stafford's performance.
  • A third analyst also projected the Los Angeles Rams to defeat the Buffalo Bills, 31-28, citing Matthew Stafford and the Rams' offense, which ranked first in points, yards, and touchdowns per game.

An author's complete playoff projection from the Wild Card round through the Super Bowl included the following outcomes:

  • Wild Card Round (AFC): New England Patriots over Los Angeles Chargers (17-10), Buffalo Bills over Jacksonville Jaguars (31-28), Houston Texans over Pittsburgh Steelers (24-17).
  • Wild Card Round (NFC): Chicago Bears over Green Bay Packers (17-13), San Francisco 49ers over Philadelphia Eagles (24-20), Los Angeles Rams over Carolina Panthers (30-13).
  • Divisional Round (AFC): Buffalo Bills over Denver Broncos (35-33), New England Patriots over Houston Texans (13-9).
  • Divisional Round (NFC): Los Angeles Rams over Chicago Bears (32-31), Seattle Seahawks over San Francisco 49ers (21-14).
  • Conference Championships: Buffalo Bills over New England Patriots (27-14) in the AFC Championship, and Los Angeles Rams over Seattle Seahawks (20-10) in the NFC Championship.
  • Super Bowl: The Los Angeles Rams were projected to defeat the Buffalo Bills (35-30), with Matthew Stafford's performance, Sean McVay's coaching, and the Rams' defensive consistency cited as contributing factors.