NFL Playoff Divisional Round: Stakes Rise Even Higher
Two teams with the most playoff wins of all time will try to add to those totals.
One team who has never been to a Super Bowl will try to get a step closer. While another who has been four times, but never won, will try to get back with a totally different regime.
It’s Round 2 of the NFL playoffs and after an exciting wild-card round it might just get better.
Here’s a look at all four games.
Buffalo Bills at Denver Broncos
Saturday, 4:30
This weekend’s first game could easily be its best game. Top seed Denver (14-3) is well rested and has won 12 of its last 13 games. The Broncos are also 9-1 at home in the Mile High atmosphere., while the Bills are 6-3 on the road this year. Buffalo (13-5) ended an eight-game road playoff losing streak last week when the Bills knocked off the Jaguars in Jacksonville. That’s the same Jaguars that handed the Broncos their only loss in the past three months. Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen and head coach Sean McDemott both have eight playoffs wins. That’s the most wins by any QB and head coach who have not won a Super Bowl. This is a rematch of a playoff game from last year in which the Bills won easily. That game, however, was played in Buffalo.
San Francisco 49ers at Seattle Seahawks
Saturday, 8
These two met the final week of the season with the NFC West title and the NFC’s No. 1 seed on the line and the Seahawks came away with a 13-3 win. That was only Seattle’s second win over the 49ers in their last nine match-ups. This is the third postseason matchup between the two division rivals and they are even at 1-1. Seattle won the NFC Championship game in 2013, while San Francisco won a wild-card game in 2022. Seattle is 6-2 at home this season, while the 49ers are an impressive 8-2 on the road, including last week’s playoff win in Philadelphia. That win last week was the 49ers 40th playoff win, the most of any team in the league. Despite being accused of having an easy schedule, San Francisco played nine games against playoff teams and went 7-2. Head coach Kyle Shanahan is now 7-0 in first and second round playoff games.
Houston Texans at New England Patriots
Sunday, 3
Is there a more fun unit to watch than the Texans’ defense? New England’s offense, led by probable MVP Drake Maye, is going to be tested. The Patriots wild-card round win over the Chargers was the Pats first playoff win without Tom Brady at quarterback since 1997 when Drew Bledsoe led a win over the Dolphins. It was also the Patriots 38th career playoff win, second most of all time. New England holds a 9-4 advantage in the all-time series against the Texans, including two postseason wins. Houston, however, has won three of the past four meetings. This game also matches two of the best former players to become head coaches in New England’s Mike Vrable and Houston’s DeMeco Ryans.
Los Angeles Rams at Chicago Bears
Sunday, 6:30
This is the third time in five years the Rams have advanced past the first round in the playoffs and the first time since 1978-79 that they have done it in back-to-back years. Last week’s wild-card win for the Bears was their first postseason win since 2010. In that Bears win Colston Loveland became only the second rookie tight end to go over 100 receiving yards in a playoff game. Ironically, the only other one was Philadelphia’s Keith Jackson, who also did it at Chicago in the infamous 1988 Fog Bowl. This will only be the third postseason meeting between these two have been around forever. The Rams won a conference title game against the Bears in 1950. Chicago came back to beat the Rams in 1985 as it shuffled off to the Super Bowl.
