Recapping the 2025-2026 NFL Playoffs
The NFL playoffs are where the regular season gives way to games that matter most. Every matchup is a test of preparation, execution, and composure under pressure. Teams no longer have room for mistakes, as one loss ends the season. From wildcard weekend to the Super Bowl, the playoffs show which teams are truly built to win when it counts.
AFC Wild Card round
New England Patriots 16, Chargers 3
Recap: This game was a very low scoring defensive battle. Patriots Quarterback Drake Maye led his team to victory after a clutch 28-yard touchdown pass to his tight end Hunter Henry in the fourth quarter. The Chargers offense was stagnant, and their running game never got going. Both quarterbacks were sacked at least five times and they each lost a fumble one of their sacks.
Turning Point: Late in the fourth quarter, the Chargers were leading a promising drive, and with a score they would have cut the lead to 6 points. On second down, in Patriots territory, K’Lavon Chaisson sacked Justin Herbert, causing him to fumble. Patriots defender Christian Elliss recovered the ball to seal the game.
Key Takeaways: Justin Herbert failed to win a playoff game yet again. His poor play cost his team the game, and he was outmatched by Drake Maye. The Chargers need to decide if Herbert is the best option at quarterback for their organization, or if they need to move on from him next season.
Buffalo Bills 27, Jacksonville Jaguars 24
Recap: The Jacksonville Jaguars had the lead for most of the game, but a late touchdown run by Josh Allen gave the Bills the win. Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence threw two interceptions, one which the Bills converted into a field goal, and the other on their final drive of the game. A missed field goal by Cam Little and a turnover on downs in the red zone lost Jacksonville key points that could have won them the game.
Turning Point: On fourth-and-two on Buffalo’s nine yard-line, the Jaguars decided to go for it. The call from coach Liam Coen was a design quarterback run. They failed, costing them three easy points, which would have put less pressure on them on the last drive. This questionable play call is what cost the Jaguars the game.
Key Takeaways: Both teams in this game were very even, but Bills quarterback Josh Allen proved to be one of the toughest players in the NFL. He played through multiple injuries and still performed when his team needed him. The Jaguar’s defense played well and kept them in the game, limiting the Bills after their offense’s mistakes. Bad play-calls and a missed field goal were the Jaguar’s downfall.
Houston Texans 30, Pittsburgh Steelers 6
Recap: The Texans dominated the Steelers, with their defense proving they are the best in the AFC. They scored two defensive touchdowns and kept their offense in the game. Texans quarterback CJ Stroud threw an interception and fumbled five times, losing two. Aaron Rodgers last pass of the game was a pick-six, which could have been the last of his 21 year career.
Turning point: With 11 minutes left in the fourth quarter, Texans DT Sehldon Rankins returned a fumble off of a sack 33 yards for a touchdown. This gave the Texans a two possession lead, and put the game out of reach.
Key Takeaways: The Texans defense is elite, and Aaron Rodgers’ career is done. He could not compete with the Texans’ defense, and it is time for him to retire. CJ Stroud has a turnover problem, and this will come back to bite him later on.
NFC Wild Card round
San Francisco 49ers 23, Philadelphia Eagles 19
Summary: The 49ers managed to snatch a close win on the road in Philly, relying on a rugged defense and effective quarterback performance. The San Francisco offense was run and pass balanced, churning out critical yards when needed and leaving the explosive playmakers of the Eagles off the field. Philadelphia launched a late drive behind Jalen Hurts, but fell short in the final drive of the game.
Turning Point: At the beginning of the fourth quarter, San Francisco 49ers wide Receiver Jauan Jennings threw a 29-yard touchdown pass to running back Christian McCaffery on a trick play. This gave the 49ers the momentum they needed to finish out the game with a win.
Key Takeaways: The fact that San Francisco was able to win a road playoff game was encouraging for their postseason hopes, and it demonstrated that they are capable of overcoming hostile environments. The Eagles have personality problems on their team that need to be dealt with in the offseason, and they will need to work on more team chemistry for next season.
Los Angeles Rams 34, Carolina Panthers 31
Summary: It was a wild and high-tempo shootout between the Rams and Panthers at Charlotte where both teams exchanged blows. Los Angeles quarterback Matthew Stafford threw several touchdowns and distributed the ball effectively to Puka Nacua and Davante Adams. Carolina fought back behind some stunning offensive flurries by Bryce Young and others, including a series of deep shots that shook the crowd off well into the fourth quarter, but it was too little too late.
Turning Point: There was no single turning point in this game, but there were two defining moments. The Panthers turned the ball over twice in the first quarter; one was an interception, the other a turnover on downs. These mistakes led to 2 touchdowns for the Rams and made the deficit too much to recover from later in the game.
Key Takeaways: This game demonstrated that the Rams offense remains dangerous at crucial times and can match anyone in the postseason. The season in Carolina ended with a heartbreaking defeat than many fans expected, but the ability of Young to make big plays makes the Panthers hopeful for the future.
Chicago Bears 31, Green Bay Packers 27
Summary: In the most dramatic comeback of the weekend, the Bears erased an 18-point deficit to knock out their division rivals, the Green Bay Packers. Chicago got big performances from skill players like Colston Loveland, and Caleb Williams continued to grow in his second season, engineering multiple touchdown drives late in the game. Green Bay’s Jordan Love started hot and gave the Packers a 21-3 lead at halftime, but turnovers and defensive lapses in the second half shifted momentum, and the Bears won in the end.
Turning Point: The entire fourth quarter was a turning point for this game. In this quarter, the Bears scored on all four drives they had, totaling 24 points. Their defense also held the Packers to just 7 points, which gave them the edge in the end.
Key Takeaways: Caeleb Williams and the Bears proved that they can hang in tough games, and that they will not give up on their coaches or fans. The Bears Organization is in for a bright future. As for the Packers, this loss is entirely on the coaches. This is an embarrassing loss, and the coaching staff needs some changes.
AFC Divisional Round
Denver Broncos 33, Buffalo Bills 30, OT
Summary: This was a game of extreme highs and lows for the Bills, and a well played game by Bo Nox. Josh Allen was responsible for 4 turnovers, and his inability to protect the football lost his team the game. The Broncos offense showed promise, and they heavily benefitted from the Bills turnovers. The game was tied after the end of regulation, and the Broncos won after another Josh Allen turnover in overtime.
Turning Point: The game came down to a critical call by the officials. On a 3rd down, the Bills took a deep shot to veteran wide receiver Brandon Cooks. Cooks and Broncos cornerback Ja’Quan McMillan both jumped up for the ball, and at first glance it seemed Cooks caught it. However, McMillan came up with the ball, and the Broncos drove to score a field goal in the end.
Key Takeaways: The Broncos played a good offensive game, but their defense has a lot of holes, especially on the defensive line. Also, quarterback Bo Nix broke his foot in this game, and was ruled out for the season. Josh Allen is an MVP caliber quarterback, but his turnover problem keeps his team from making a deep playoff run.
New England Patriots 27, Texans 16
Summary: This game came down to quarterback play, and Patriots quarterback Drake Maye outperformed Texans quarterback CJ Stroud. Stroud played horribly, and even though their defense constantly helped them out, they fell short in the end. The teams had nearly equal total yards, but the Texans’ turnovers kept them from a win.
Turning Point: There was no clear turning point in this game, but there was a clear problem, CJ Stroud. He threw four interceptions, and completed less than 45 percent of his passes. His overconfidence and poor decision making was the downfall for Houston throughout this season and the playoffs.
Key Takeaways: CJ Stroud is not the player he was in his rookie season. He has become overconfident in his abilities, and is not even playing like a top 20 quarterback. The Patriots rookie left tackle and first round pick Will Campbell allowed 3 sacks in this game. Drake Maye got sacked 5 times in each of his first two playoff games. The Patriots need to evaluate their offensive line in the offseason, and they could cost the team a Super Bowl victory.
NFC Divisional Round
Seattle Seahawks 41, San Francisco 49ers 6
Summary: The Seahawks utterly dominated this game. They jumped out to a 24-6 lead in the first half and never looked back. Their defense stifled the 49ers, and their running back Kenneth Walker III ran for three touchdowns. The Seahawks forced three turnovers, and scored 14 points off of them.
Turning Point: On the first play of the game, the Seahawks Pro Bowl kick returner Rashid Shaheed returned the opening kick-off 95 yards for a touchdown. The crowd went insane, and produced as much seismic activity as a 3.2 magnitude earthquake. This set the tone for the whole game, and the Seahawks only built on this momentum.
Key Takeaways: The Seahawks are a Super Bowl caliber team and Sam Darnold is their franchise quarterback. He led the team to an easy victory and has more than proved himself this season.
The 49ers offense never got going, and the Seahawks were just a better team. The 49ers were dealing with injuries from some of their star players, but they would not have won the game even if they had them.
Los Angeles Rams 20, Chicago Bears 17, OT
Summary: The Bears outplayed the Rams on offense and defense, save for a couple mistake plays. However, Bears Quarterback Caeleb Williams threw three interceptions, while Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford threw none. This is what separates the MVP from top 10 players: They do not make mistakes.
Turning Point: With six minutes left in overtime, Caeleb Williams took a deep shot to wide eceiver DJ Moore. The pass was extremely late and under-thrown, and the Rams converted this turnover into 3 points, which won them the game.
Key Takeaways: The Bears proved that even when they make mistakes they can hang with teams like the Rams, so if they eliminate these mistakes they will become a Super Bowl level team in the coming years. The Rams have an experienced roster with lots of weapons, and a great leader in Matthew Stafford, and proved why they are capable of a Super Bowl run.
AFC Championship Game
New England Patriots 10, Denver Broncos 7
Summary: This defensive battle was influenced heavily by the weather. Each team missed two field goal attempts, due to heavy snow flurries and wind speeds up to 25 miles per hour. The Broncos jumped out to an early lead despite having backup quarterback Jared Stidham play due to an injury to starter Bo Nix. Stidham played fairly well, outperforming MVP finalist Drake Maye.
Turning Point: The swing of momentum in this game occurred in the second quarter. The Broncos had a seven point lead, and had the ball in the red zone. They decided to go for it on fourth down, and failed. The three points they would have had if they kicked a field goal would have been all the points they needed for the rest of the game to at least force overtime.
Key Takeaways: The Patriots may not be as good as we thought. Their offense never got going, and while the environment was harsh, they almost lost to a team without their starting quarterback. The Broncos were in a difficult situation and did the best they could, but their coach let them down by going for it on that fourth down.
NFC Championship Game
Seattle Seahawks 31, Los Angeles Rams 27
Summary: Both the Rams’ and Seahawks’ high powered offenses played extremely well, and both quarterbacks threw for 350 yards and three touchdowns. Offensive Player of the year Jaxon Smith-Njigba caught 10 passes for 150 yards and a touchdown, and led his team to the win. This was a very even matchup, but a colossal mistake by the Rams led to a win for Seattle.
Turning Point: On their first drive of the third quarter, the Seahawks offense stalled in their own half and punted the ball to the Rams. Rams kick returner Xavier Smith muffed the punt, and the Seahawks recovered the ball on the Rams 17 yard line. This led to a Seattle touchdown and gave them the points they needed for a win.
Key Takeaways: The Seahawks and Rams were both Super Bowl level teams, but the Rams special teams error led to the end of their season. If the Rams hire a new special teams coach, they will be better prepared for next season. Seattle played a nearly flawless game, and proved why they deserve to be in the Super Bowl.
Super Bowl LX
Seattle Seahawks 29, New England Patriots 13
Summary: The Seattle Seahawks are world champions! Sam Darnold played a calm game, and RB Kenneth Walker III ran for 135 yards and added on 26 more receiving yards, taking the Super Bowl MVP. The Patriots offensive line let up six sacks and a fumble, and Left Tackle Will Campbell alone allowed 14 Quarterback pressures. Drake Maye was overwhelmed by “The Dark Side,” or the Seahawks defense, and the Patriots offense was shut down the entire game.
Turning Point: With eight minutes left in the fourth quarter, the Patriots were leading one of their most promising drives of the game. On second down, Drake Maye threw an unnecessary desperation heave intended for Kyle Williams, when they were only down by two possessions. It was wobbly, underthrown, and overall a horrible decision. Leading to an easy interception for Seahawks safety Julian Love.
Key Takeaways: The Seahawks were clearly the better team, and Drake Maye was not prepared to face their defense. The Patriots offensive line was one of the worst in the NFL, and allowed a record breaking 20 sacks this postseason, and Will Campbell their Left Tackle is a draft bust. The Patriots need to figure out their offensive line, or else they will continue to be bullied by elite pass rushes next season.
