Honestly, looking back at the 2024 NFL playoff results feels like rewatching a movie where you know the ending but still hope for a different twist. We all saw it. The Kansas City Chiefs, led by Patrick Mahomes, somehow found a way to win Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas despite looking totally beatable for half the season. It was the first time in twenty years a team went back-to-back. If you’re a 49ers fan, "stings" doesn't even begin to cover it.
The 2024 postseason wasn't just about the ending, though. It was a chaotic month of football that started with ice-cold games and ended with a neon-lit overtime thriller. You had the Detroit Lions finally breaking a decades-long curse, and the Green Bay Packers making history as the first 7-seed to actually knock off a 2-seed. It was a wild ride.
The Wild Card Chaos and the End of Curses
Wild Card weekend kicked off with the Houston Texans absolutely dismantling the Cleveland Browns 45–14. C.J. Stroud didn't play like a rookie; he played like he'd been there ten years. Meanwhile, in Kansas City, the Dolphins were basically frozen solid. The temperature at kickoff was -4 degrees, and you could see it in how they played. The Chiefs cruised to a 26–7 win while the rest of us watched from the warmth of our couches, feeling sorry for anyone in those stands.
The real shocker happened in Dallas. The Packers walked into AT&T Stadium and put 48 points on the Cowboys. Seeing a 7-seed win was a first under the new format, and it felt like a shift in power. Then you had the Lions. Oh, the Lions. They beat the Rams 24–23 in a game that felt more like a therapy session for the city of Detroit. It was their first playoff win since 1991. The atmosphere in Ford Field was something else—loud, desperate, and ultimately, triumphant.
Divisional Round: Where Dreams Went to Die
As we moved into the Divisional Round, the stakes got higher and the games got tighter. The Ravens finally looked like the juggernaut everyone expected, beating the Texans 34–10. Lamar Jackson was everywhere. But the game everyone remembers from this round was Chiefs vs. Bills. Again. It’s the rivalry that defines this era of AFC football.
Kansas City went into Buffalo and won 27–24. It was the "Wide Right" sequel nobody in Western New York wanted to see. Tyler Bass missed a 44-yard field goal late, and just like that, another Bills season ended in heartbreak. Over in the NFC, the 49ers barely escaped the Packers with a 24–21 win, while the Lions kept their magical run alive by taking down the Buccaneers 31–23. For a moment, it really felt like Detroit might actually make the Super Bowl.
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The Championship Games: Power Houses and Heartbreak
The 2024 NFL playoff results for the conference championships set the stage for a classic Super Bowl matchup, but the path there was brutal. The AFC Championship saw the Chiefs go into Baltimore and just... stifle them. 17–10. It wasn't pretty. It was defensive, grinding, and frustrating for Ravens fans who saw their top-seeded team struggle to find any rhythm against Steve Spagnuolo’s defense.
The NFC side was a total rollercoaster. The Lions were up 24–7 at halftime against the 49ers. You could almost taste the Super Bowl tickets in Detroit. Then, the second half happened. A flickering comeback, a lucky catch off a helmet, and a couple of failed fourth-down conversions later, the 49ers won 34–31. It was a brutal way for Detroit's season to end, but it solidified San Francisco as the team to beat.
Super Bowl LVIII: The Mahomes Tax
Then came the big one at Allegiant Stadium. Super Bowl LVIII was a rematch of four years prior, and for a long time, it looked like the 49ers had it. They led 10–0. Christian McCaffrey was doing McCaffrey things. But you can never, ever count out Mahomes.
The game went to overtime—only the second time in history. Under the new rules, both teams were guaranteed a possession. The 49ers took the ball first, moved it down the field, but had to settle for a field goal. That was the mistake. You don't give Patrick Mahomes the ball knowing a touchdown wins the game. He orchestrated a 75-yard drive that ended with a 3-yard pass to Mecole Hardman.
Final score: Chiefs 25, 49ers 22.
Quick Look: 2024 NFL Playoff Key Scores
- Super Bowl LVIII: Chiefs 25, 49ers 22 (OT)
- AFC Championship: Chiefs 17, Ravens 10
- NFC Championship: 49ers 34, Lions 31
- Divisional Round Highlight: Chiefs 27, Bills 24
- Wild Card Shocker: Packers 48, Cowboys 32
What We Learned from the 2024 Postseason
If there's one thing the 2024 NFL playoff results taught us, it's that the "regular season" Chiefs and "playoff" Chiefs are two different species. They spent months dropping passes and looking out of sync, only to turn into a machine when it mattered. Also, the 7-seed isn't just a "happy to be here" slot anymore. The Packers proved that a hot young team can cause real problems for the elite.
For the 49ers, it was a lesson in the "Mahomes Tax." You can play a nearly perfect game, but if you leave even a sliver of a door open, he’s going to walk through it. Kyle Shanahan’s decision to take the ball first in overtime is still debated in sports bars across the country. Some say the defense was gassed; others say you always want to know what you need on your possession. Either way, the result is in the books.
If you’re looking to apply these lessons to your own football knowledge—or maybe your betting strategy for next year—keep an eye on the turnover margins. The last 15 champions had a positive or even turnover differential. The 2024 Chiefs were actually "in the red" during the regular season, which makes their post-season run even more of an anomaly.
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Actionable Next Steps:
- Review the defensive schemes: Look at how the Chiefs adjusted their secondary play between the regular season and the Ravens game; it’s a masterclass in coaching.
- Study the overtime rules: Familiarize yourself with the 2024 postseason overtime changes, as they fundamentally changed how coaches like Shanahan and Reid managed the clock.
- Track the "curse" breakers: Keep an eye on the Lions and Texans; their 2024 success wasn't a fluke, and their rosters are built for sustained postseason runs.
The 2024 season is over, but the way it ended changed how we view the modern NFL dynasty. The Chiefs aren't just winning; they're inevitable.