NFL Playoffs Articles - Page 18

Quarterback Justin Herbert isn’t pretending the 2024 playoff loss to the Texans didn’t happen. As Los Angeles gets ready for the rematch, Herbert acknowledged how ugly that Wild Card performance was for him and said the only way forward is owning it, learning from it, and being better when the games actually matter again. That […]

The Chicago Bears are as confident as they can be. Last weekend, they won a big game in thrilling overtime fashion over the rival Green Bay Packers to ensure a playoff spot.  At this point, the Bears are 11-4 and are in first place in the NFC North. In the process, they have secured the […]

Monday night reshaped the NFL playoff picture in one sharp swing. The San Francisco 49ers turned MNF into a statement, and the ripple effects carried far beyond Levi’s Stadium. With the 49ers rolling, the Jacksonville Jaguars, Los Angeles Chargers, and Buffalo Bills officially clinched playoff spots, locking in their postseason tickets before Week 17 even […]

The San Francisco 49ers turned Monday Night Football into a season-shaping win, crushing the Indianapolis Colts 48–27 behind Brock Purdy, who threw a career-high five touchdowns and owned the night from the opening drive. The crowd roared. The stakes sharpened. With that MNF statement, the NFL Playoffs picture shifted fast. Brock Purdy didn’t chase the […]

In the same light that most fans thought the Kansas City Chiefs would eventually sneak into the postseason, many have long assumed the Detroit Lions will find a way to get into the NFC’s top seven. They’ve been on the outside looking in for quite some time now, and they are still sitting in eighth […]

The New England Patriots faced a nightmare scenario before facing the Baltimore Ravens. They eventually placed their postseason fortunes on the arm of Drake Maye. But Rhamondre Stevenson played the role of closer — going full Derrick Henry for the head coach who once coached the star running back. Stevenson rumbled up the right for a […]

The New England Patriots were beaten and battered before the comeback even began. On SNF, the Patriots lost key pieces one by one against the Baltimore Ravens, absorbed hit after hit, and still found a way into the NFL Playoffs. TreVeyon Henderson exited early with a head injury. DeMario Douglas followed later in the night. […]

The Denver Broncos stumbled bad in the race to AFC home field advantage in the NFL Playoffs. They took a brutal 34-20 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars with Travon Walker leading the defensive charge. Star Broncos defender Nik Bonitto, meanwhile, admitted flaws when facing Trevor Lawrence. He blamed himself for “T-Law” breaking off a dominating […]

The Jacksonville Jaguars fired off two big messages after toppling the Denver Broncos 34-20 Sunday. Liam Coen sent one involving the narrative surrounding the Jaguars. Travon Walker, though, blurted out an NSFW message. The prized defender spearheaded a defense that forced two takeaways. But he also let out his true feeling towards potential bandwagon jumpers. […]

The Dallas Cowboys’ playoff hopes officially ended Saturday night when the Philadelphia Eagles beat the Washington Commanders 29-18, eliminating Dallas from contention and extending the franchise’s Super Bowl drought to 30 years. Owner Jerry Jones made it clear how he felt about another disappointing finish. “Absolutely we underachieved this season,” Jones said. “We all underachieved.” […]

The Philadelphia Eagles finally did what no one in the NFC East had managed to do in two decades: Repeat. With a 29-18 win over the Washington Commanders, the Eagles clinched the NFC East title for a second straight season, ending a drought that stretched back to 2004. The achievement was not lost on players […]

The Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers have spent more than a century trading blows. But the latest matchup felt like proof that the NFL’s oldest rivalry still has real teeth. After the game, even a Packers legend noticed. “What a game. That throw! The hatred is real and the rivalry is alive!” former Green […]

The Chicago Bears got a huge win on Saturday night. Chicago defeated Green Bay 22-16 in an overtime thriller that strengthened their grip on the NFC North. The Bears are now 11-4 ahead of Week 17 and have a strong chance of winning the division. They could even make the postseason in Week 16, with […]

With Week 16 already here and just three weeks remaining in the NFL Regular Season, the Chicago Bears effectively control their playoff destiny with the games left on their schedule. With a loss in Week 16, the Bears would still hold a 61% chance of making the playoffs, but every game during this final stretch […]

Well, well, well. Isn’t this a pleasant surprise for the Seattle Seahawks? Coming into the season, fans had relatively low expectations for this team. After trading away Geno Smith and acquiring Sam Darnold, many did not believe in this team. While they were expected to be a playoff team, they weren’t supposed to be any […]

With Week 16 of the NFL season already here, teams are making their final push for the playoffs given their current scenarios. While the Las Vegas Raiders (2-12) may be long out of the current playoff picture, the Houston Texans (9-5) hang on to the final AFC No. 7 seed as it stands. While their playoff chances are still […]

Football has always been a game of inches. In the case of the Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams, there are only 36 inches between them. According to ESPN NFL analyst Field Yates, in their two matchups this season, there’s barely anything separating Seattle and Los Angeles on the field. In their two games against […]

The New England Patriots have been one of the best stories of the 2025 NFL season. New England is dominating in Mike Vrabel’s first season as head coach, going on a 10-game winning streak that ended in Week 15. Now the Patriots are 11-3 heading into Week 16 and look destined to make the playoffs. […]

The air is a little different around the AFC this season. Over the last few years, we’ve had the usual suspects show up on top of the conference. The Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills, and Baltimore Ravens were the three big contenders in the AFC. While there were occasional challengers to the throne, the AFC […]

The Seattle Seahawks did more than just win a game to kick off Week 16 on Thursday Night Football. The NFC West squad flipped their division-winning odds with their rival, the Los Angeles Rams, and now control their own destiny in the quest to get the No. 1 overall seed in the NFC heading into […]

The Detroit Lions are fading in the playoff race. Coming into this week, the Lions were already falling a little behind in the playoff race. They were behind the Green Bay Packers and the Chicago Bears in the division, and their Wild Card chances looked a little slim with the tough competition in the NFC. […]

The NFL playoffs could soon have Aaron Rodgers back. Rodgers and the Pittsburgh Steelers have control of their fate regarding their chances to join the fray in the NFL postseason, as they are currently ahead of all their rivals in the AFC North. They strengthened their grip on the top spot of their division despite […]

After 15 weeks of action, the NFL playoff picture is becoming much clearer. Thirteen teams have officially been eliminated from postseason contention. Most notably, the Kansas City Chiefs won’t be playing postseason ball for the first time since 2014. Meanwhile, teams that haven’t had a lot of success in recent years, such as the Denver […]

The Los Angeles Rams look as dangerous as ever heading into Week 16. Now Los Angeles is gearing up for a Thursday Night Football matchup against Seattle that has huge implications for the NFC West division race. The Rams have already punched their ticket to the playoffs. They secured their place in the postseason by defeating […]

The Seattle Seahawks have a lot on the line in their Week 16 divisional matchup with the Los Angeles Rams. With a win, the Seahawks could clinch the NFL Playoffs for the first time since 2022. Despite going 10-7 in year one under Mike Macdonald, Seattle missed the playoffs in 2024. They narrowly missed the […]

The Denver Broncos are one of the hottest teams in the NFL this season. Denver is riding an insane 11-game winning streak, and hoping to wrap up the no. 1 seed in the AFC Playoffs this year. Denver has a path to get there, as they prepare to take on the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week […]

Snow, a hostile road crowd, and another cold-weather dud added up to the same outcome for Miami on Monday night, as the Dolphins’ 28-15 loss to the Steelers slammed the door on their playoff hopes. Tua Tagovailoa was once again asked whether the conditions beat him as much as the opponent, and he pushed back […]

Sitting at 9-5 with three games to go, the Philadelphia Eagles are a virtual lock to make the playoffs. After waxing the Las Vegas Raiders to a degree not seen since the 1960s, with the Birds putting up 31 points on Kenny Pickett and company while holding them to 75 total offensive yards, the Eagles […]

There are wins that pad a record, and then there are wins that redraw the league’s power map. The Denver Broncos’ 34-26 comeback victory over the Green Bay Packers in Week 15 squarely falls into the latter category. Down at halftime, unbothered by mistakes, and ruthless after adjustments, Denver didn’t just beat a desperate playoff […]

The Indianapolis Colts’ 2025 season has been defined by bold swings and brutal consequences. Sunday’s loss in Seattle felt like the moment when the bill finally came due. They began their season with legitimate Super Bowl aspirations, fueled by a hot start and an aggressive midseason trade for Sauce Gardner. Now, though, it teeters on […]

Sunday night was supposed to be the Dallas Cowboys’ last stand. It was their chance to keep faint playoff hopes alive under the bright lights of AT&T Stadium. Instead, it became the moment their season officially slipped away. In a 34-26 loss to the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday Night Football in Week 15, Dallas lost […]

The Detroit Lions are on the brink of playoff elimination after a Week 15 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. While mathematically out of the playoffs yet, the Lions face an uphill climb. Currently the eighth seed and 1.5 games behind the Packers for the final Wild Card spot due to a Thanksgiving Day loss, […]

The Dallas Cowboys watched Week 15 slip out of their hands 34-26 against the Minnesota Vikings. The Sunday Night Football loss assures the Cowboys won’t make the NFL playoffs, right? Especially with a 1% chance to win the NFC East? Dallas isn’t out yet, even amid its dwindling postseason hopes. ESPN sent out the remaining […]

The Los Angeles Rams are going dancing in the NFL playoffs. A thrilling come-from-behind 41-34 victory over the Detroit Lions at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, was all Los Angeles needed on Sunday to secure a ticket to the upcoming NFL postseason. The Rams improved to 11-3 in the 2025 NFL season, and while they […]

The Carolina Panthers are in unfamiliar territory heading into Week 15. Carolina is 7-6 and currently sitting atop the NFC South division standings. Bryce Young and the Panthers have a chance to win the division as soon as Week 16 if they can pull off this two-step process. The Panthers are incredibly close to clinching […]

The Kansas City Chiefs have not had the 2025 season they envisioned. Kansas City is 6-7 heading into Week 15 and their playoff hopes are hanging on by a thread. If the right string of events happens this Sunday, their hopes at the postseason will be dashed for good. The Chiefs can be eliminated from […]

The Pittsburgh Steelers enter Week 15 in a familiar yet uneasy position. They sit atop the AFC North while still inspiring debate about just how dangerous they truly are. This season has been defined by inconsistency, physical football, and late-game resilience. Pittsburgh has once again found ways to win close games and control its destiny. […]

The Buffalo Bills enter Week 15 in an enviable but still unfinished position. They are firmly in the AFC playoff picture, yet staring at a pivotal matchup that could redefine their postseason ceiling. Sure, most analytical models agree that Buffalo is all but guaranteed a playoff berth. The difference between a Wild Card road path […]

The Kansas City Chiefs enter Week 15 staring at a reality few could have imagined just months ago. Their postseason chase now depends as much on outside help as it does on their own execution. Long considered the AFC’s gold standard, Kansas City instead finds itself teetering on the playoff bubble. Advanced models paint a […]