NEW YORK — Jan. 13, 2026 — The Wild Card round produced one of the most exciting starts to a postseason in NFL history.
There were 12 fourth quarter lead changes with four teams winning after trailing in the final three minutes of the fourth quarter across the six Wild Card games, both the most in a single postseason in NFL history. Three teams – the Buffalo Bills, Chicago Bears and Los Angeles Rams – scored the game-winning touchdown in the final two minutes of the fourth quarter, the most such wins in a postseason all-time.
Four teams that did not win their division – Buffalo, Houston, the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco – won on Wild Card Weekend for the third time ever, joining 2015 and 2020. Over 80 percent of the plays (775 of 968) during Wild Card Week occurred during a one-score game and four games were decided by four points or fewer, the most in a single round in NFL postseason history.
For the first time in 16 seasons (since 2010), four different teams will host Divisional playoff games than the prior season and three Divisional games will be hosted by teams – Chicago, New England and Seattle – that missed the playoffs last season.
The NFC West – with the Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco and Seattle – is the fourth division all-time with three teams competing in the Divisional playoffs, joining the 2022 NFC East, 1997 NFC Central and 1992 NFC East.
Seven of the eight remaining starting quarterbacks are under the age of 30, with Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (age 37) as the only starting quarterback left who has previously led his team to a Super Bowl title. For the first time in 26 seasons and for the third time ever (1999 and 2000), three quarterbacks in their first or second season – New England’s Drake Maye, Denver’s Bo Nix and Chicago’s Caleb Williams – will start in the Divisional round.
For the Divisional playoffs capsules, click here.
AFC Divisional playoffs notes:
No. 6 Buffalo Bills (13-5) at No. 1 Denver Broncos (14-3) (Saturday, 4:30 p.m. ET, CBS/Paramount+): The Broncos – the No. 1 seed for the first time since 2015 – are set to host their first playoff game since the 2015 AFC Championship Game (Jan. 24, 2016, against New England) prior to winning Super Bowl 50 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara (the site of Super Bowl LX). On Wild Card Weekend, the Bills defeated the Jaguars, 27-24, to earn their first road postseason victory since the 1992 AFC Championship Game (Jan. 17, 1993, at Miami).
- In the 2024 Wild Card round last season in Buffalo, the Bills defeated the Broncos, 31-7, and Buffalo has won both postseason meetings against Denver, including the 1991 AFC Championship Game (Jan. 12, 1992) to advance to Super Bowl XXVI.
- Denver and Buffalo have both advanced to 10 AFC Championship games in their franchise histories.
- During the regular season, the Broncos defense led the NFL in sacks (68), ranked second in total defense (278.2 yards per game allowed) and rushing defense (91.1 yards per game allowed) and ranked third in scoring defense (18.3 points per game against) and passes defensed (94).
- Denver tied with the Los Angeles Rams to allow a league-low 23 sacks and its +45 sack differential is the highest in a season in NFL history, surpassing the 1977 New England Patriots (+44).
- Bills quarterback Josh Allen has the most rushing yards (701) and second-most rushing touchdowns (nine) by a quarterback in NFL postseason history and his 309.5 combined passing and rushing yards per playoff game is the highest in NFL history, among quarterbacks with at least 10 playoff starts.
No. 5 Houston Texans (13-5)at No. 2 New England Patriots (15-3) (Sunday, 3 p.m. ET, ESPN/ABC/ESPN+/ESPN Deportes): New England defeated the Los Angeles Chargers, 16-3, on Wild Card Weekend to secure their first postseason win since Super Bowl LIII (Feb. 3, 2019, against the Los Angeles Rams). Houston earned its first road playoff win in franchise history with a 30-6 win at Pittsburgh and advanced to the Divisional playoffs for the third straight season, the longest such streak in team history.
- The Patriots have won eight consecutive Divisional playoff games (Jan. 14, 2012, to Jan. 13, 2019), the longest such streak in NFL history. The Texans, with a win, can advance to their first-ever Championship Game.
- New England has defeated Houston in both previous postseason meetings (2012 and 2016 Divisional playoffs, both in New England). In Week 6 of the 2024 season – their last regular season meeting – the Texans defeated the Patriots, 41-21, as both C.J. Stroud and Drake Maye recorded three touchdown passes. The game marked Maye’s first career NFL start.
NFC Divisional playoffs notes:
No. 6 San Francisco (13-5) at No. 1 Seattle Seahawks (14-3) (Saturday, 8 p.m. ET, FOX/FOX One/FOX Deportes): The Seahawks, the No. 1 seed for the first time since 2014 and looking for their first playoff win since the 2019 Wild Card (Jan. 5, 2020, at Philadelphia) round, will host their first postseason game since the 2020 Wild Card (Jan. 9, 2021, against the Los Angeles Rams). Prior to that game, Seattle had won 10 consecutive home playoff games from Jan. 14, 2006, to Jan. 7, 2017. Last week, San Francisco defeated Philadelphia, 23-19, to earn its first road playoff win since the 2021 Divisional playoffs (Jan. 22, 2022, at Green Bay).
- Seattle and San Francisco split the season series, with the 49ers earning a Week 1 victory in Seattle (17-13) and the Seahawks winning in Week 18 at San Francisco (13-3) to clinch the NFC West division title and the No. 1 seed in the NFC.
- The NFC West rivals have split the two previous postseason meetings. Seattle defeated San Francisco, 23-17, in the 2013 NFC Championship Game (Jan. 19, 2014) prior to winning Super Bowl XLVIII while the 49ers defeated the Seahawks, 41-23, in the 2022 Wild Card round.
- The 49ers have won seven consecutive Divisional playoff games (Jan. 14, 2012, to Jan. 20, 2024), tied with Kansas City (seven consecutive games from Jan. 12, 2019, to Jan. 18, 2025) for the second-longest such streak all-time.
- San Francisco can become the first team to advance to 20 Championship Games while Seattle seeks its fifth Championship Game appearance (three in the NFC, one in the AFC).
- Seattle’s Jaxon Smith-Njigba led the NFL with a franchise-record 1,793 receiving yards and is the fourth player since 1975 to lead the league in receiving yards while playing for the No. 1 seed in his conference, joining Pro Football Hall of Famers Drew Pearson (1977 with Dallas) and Jerry Rice (1994 with San Francisco) as well as John Jefferson (1980 with the San Diego Chargers).
No. 5 Los Angeles Rams (13-5) at No. 2 Chicago Bears (12-6) (Sunday, 6:30 p.m. ET, NBC/Peacock/Telemundo/Universo): Last week, Chicago overcame an 18-point deficit – the largest comeback in Chicago postseason history – and scored 25 fourth quarter points – the third-most ever in a playoff game – to defeat Green Bay, 31-27, for its first postseason win since the 2010 NFC Divisional round (Jan. 16, 2011, against Seattle). In the Wild Card round, the Rams earned their first road postseason victory since the 2021 Divisional Playoffs (Jan. 23, 2022, at Tampa Bay) with a 34-31 win over the Panthers.
- The Bears and Rams are set to meet in the postseason for the first time in 40 years. The teams have split their two previous playoff meetings, with the Bears defeating the Rams, 24-0, in the 1985 NFC Championship (Jan. 12, 1986) prior to winning Super Bowl XX, while Los Angeles defeated Chicago, 24-14, in the 1950 Divisional playoffs (Dec. 17, 1950).
- Chicago looks for multiple home wins in the same postseason for the third time in the Super Bowl era (1985 and 2006) while the Rams can win multiple road games in the same postseason for the third time in franchise history (1979 and 1989).
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