The 2026 NFL playoffs are off to a roaring start, delivering high drama and heart-stopping finishes that have football fans everywhere buzzing. Wild Card weekend, which kicked off on January 10, set the tone with a series of nail-biters, upsets, and remarkable comebacks that will be remembered for years to come. With the Divisional Round looming on January 17 and 18, and Super Bowl LX set for February 8 at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California, the road to the Lombardi Trophy is as unpredictable as ever.
Let’s start with the NFC, where the Chicago Bears electrified Soldier Field and their loyal fanbase by pulling off a comeback for the ages. In their first playoff game at home since 2019, the Bears trailed the Green Bay Packers 21-3 at halftime and were still down 21-6 entering the fourth quarter. But this Bears squad, led by rookie sensation Caleb Williams, refused to quit. They erupted for 25 points in the final quarter, erasing an 18-point deficit and becoming just the fourth team in NFL history to win a playoff game after trailing by 15 or more entering the last period. Williams, making his playoff debut, capped the rally with a 25-yard touchdown strike to DJ Moore with under two minutes to play, sealing a 31-27 victory and sending Chicago to the Divisional Round.
“It’s about heart,” Williams said postgame, according to Sky Sports. “We just kept believing. The whole city of Chicago kept believing.” The Bears, who won the NFC North this year, finally snapped a 15-year playoff win drought and now look ahead to hosting the Los Angeles Rams in a highly anticipated clash.
The Rams, meanwhile, survived a wild shootout against the Carolina Panthers, escaping with a 34-31 win thanks to late-game heroics. Matthew Stafford, who has played some of the best football of his career this season and is considered an MVP frontrunner, engineered a game-winning drive capped by a 19-yard touchdown pass to Colby Parkinson with just 38 seconds remaining. “That’s why you play the game,” Stafford said, as reported by ESPN. “You want the ball in your hands with the season on the line.” Puka Nacua was a standout, hauling in two touchdowns and racking up 111 receiving yards, while Parkinson’s clutch grab silenced the Panthers’ home crowd.
Carolina, to its credit, showed tremendous fight, erasing an early 14-0 deficit and even taking a 31-27 lead late in the fourth on Jalen Coker’s go-ahead score. But Sean McVay’s Rams found another gear when it mattered most. The win sets up a tantalizing Divisional Round matchup against the resurgent Bears.
Elsewhere in the NFC, the San Francisco 49ers pulled off a gutsy 23-19 upset over the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles. The 49ers, already depleted by injuries to stars like Fred Warner, Nick Bosa, and Ricky Pearsall, suffered another blow when tight end George Kittle went down with a torn Achilles in the first half. But adversity only seemed to fuel San Francisco, who took the lead on a dazzling trick-play touchdown: Jauan Jennings connected with Christian McCaffrey on a 29-yard scoring pass to open the fourth quarter. After briefly falling behind, Brock Purdy orchestrated a clutch drive, hitting McCaffrey for the game-winning touchdown with under three minutes left. The victory sends the 49ers to Seattle to face the top-seeded Seahawks in the next round.
Speaking of top seeds, both the Seattle Seahawks (NFC) and Denver Broncos (AFC) enjoyed first-round byes after finishing the regular season atop their conferences. Seattle, led by head coach Mike Macdonald and quarterback Sam Darnold, has silenced doubters all year and now prepares to host the battle-tested 49ers. Darnold’s resurgence has been one of the stories of the season, while wideout Jaxon Smith-Njigba has emerged as a true star, leading the league in receiving yards.
On the AFC side, the New England Patriots returned to playoff prominence with a convincing 16-3 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers. Second-year quarterback Drake Maye, who finished the season with a league-best 72% completion rate, 4,394 yards, 31 touchdowns, and a 113.5 passer rating, continued his breakout campaign. Under first-year head coach Mike Vrabel, the Patriots have reestablished themselves as a force, with Stefon Diggs serving as Maye’s top target and rookie running back TreVeyon Henderson adding a spark to the offense. The Patriots now await the winner of the Houston Texans and Pittsburgh Steelers, who square off in the last Wild Card matchup.
Buffalo Bills fans are still catching their breath after another classic postseason performance from Josh Allen. The Bills outlasted the Jacksonville Jaguars 27-24, with Allen running in a pivotal touchdown with just a minute left. The game featured a postseason-record four lead changes in the fourth quarter, but it was Cole Bishop’s interception of Trevor Lawrence on the Jaguars’ final drive that sealed the win. Buffalo now heads to Denver to face the top-seeded Broncos, whose defense—anchored by the likes of Nik Bonitto and Pat Surtain II—has terrorized opponents all season.
The AFC’s final Wild Card clash features the Pittsburgh Steelers, led by veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers, against the red-hot Houston Texans. The Texans, riding a nine-game win streak and boasting the league’s best defense, will look to slow down Rodgers and a Steelers team that has struggled in the postseason in recent years. With edge rushers Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter leading the charge, and young quarterback CJ Stroud managing the offense, Houston has become one of the most intriguing teams in the playoff field.
As the playoff picture sharpens, anticipation is already building for Super Bowl LX. The big game will take place on February 8, 2026, at Levi’s Stadium, marking its second time hosting the Super Bowl. The Apple Music Halftime Show will feature Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny, adding another layer of excitement to the festivities. With so many storylines—rookie quarterbacks shining, legendary veterans chasing one last ring, and perennial underdogs rising to the occasion—this postseason promises more drama before a champion is crowned.
With the Divisional Round just days away, fans are bracing for more unforgettable moments. Will the Bears’ magic continue? Can the Rams and 49ers overcome adversity on the road? Will the Bills or Patriots break through in the AFC, or will the top-seeded Broncos and Seahawks prove too tough at home? The only certainty is that the NFL playoffs are delivering thrills at every turn, and the march to Super Bowl LX is far from over.
