If you turned off the TV at halftime during the Texans and Steelers game last night, you probably thought we were in for a classic, gritty AFC North-style slugfest. It was 7-6. People were yawning. But then the fourth quarter happened, and honestly, the NFL landscape shifted.
The NFL final scores today reflect a Wild Card weekend that started with heart-stopping drama and ended with a statement win by a Houston defense that looks like it's from another planet. We just finished one of the most statistically tight opening rounds in league history—four games were decided by four points or fewer—but the Monday night finale was anything but close by the time the clock hit zero.
What Really Happened with the NFL Final Scores Today
The Houston Texans didn't just beat the Pittsburgh Steelers 30-6; they might have retired one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play the game. Seeing Aaron Rodgers sitting on that bench, expressionless, as the game slipped away was a vibe nobody expected when he signed that one-year deal with Pittsburgh.
Houston’s "S.W.A.R.M." defense lived up to every bit of the hype. DeMeco Ryans has these guys playing at a level we haven't seen in Houston, well, ever. Sheldon Rankins essentially broke the game open early in the fourth quarter when he snatched a fumble and rumbled 33 yards for a touchdown. That made it 17-6, and you could just feel the air leave Acrisure Stadium.
Then came the exclamation point. Calen Bullock’s 50-yard pick-six on what could be Rodgers' final NFL pass was the kind of moment that gets replayed for a decade.
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Wild Card Weekend Scoreboard
- Houston Texans 30, Pittsburgh Steelers 6: A defensive masterclass.
- New England Patriots 16, Los Angeles Chargers 3: Drake Maye looked composed in his first playoff start, but the defense was the real story here, sacking Justin Herbert six times.
- Buffalo Bills 27, Jacksonville Jaguars 24: Josh Allen finally got that monkey off his back with a game-winning drive in the final minute.
- San Francisco 49ers 23, Philadelphia Eagles 19: Even without George Kittle, the Niners found a way. Demarcus Robinson was the hero nobody saw coming.
- Chicago Bears 31, Green Bay Packers 27: Caleb Williams orchestrated a 25-point fourth quarter. It was the third-largest fourth-quarter comeback in NFL history.
- Los Angeles Rams 34, Carolina Panthers 31: Matthew Stafford reminded everyone why he has a ring, hitting Colby Parkinson for the winning TD with 38 seconds left.
The Steelers' Post-Season Problem Nobody Talks About
While everyone is talking about Houston, we need to address the elephant in the room: Mike Tomlin. He just tied Marvin Lewis for the longest postseason losing streak in NFL history at seven games.
Seven.
That is a lot of January heartbreak for a franchise that expects trophies. The "Fire Tomlin" chants were audible on the broadcast. It's wild to think about, considering he's never had a losing season, but at some point, "competitive but out in the first round" stops being enough for that fanbase.
Rodgers was under duress on nearly 46% of his dropbacks. He was sacked four times and looked every bit of 42 years old. When you look at the NFL final scores today, the 30-6 margin is the biggest blowout of the weekend, and it happened to a team that pridefully calls themselves "The Standard."
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Why These Scores Matter for the Divisional Round
The bracket is set, and it's looking spicy.
The Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks are coming off their byes, and they’ve got to be looking at these results with a mix of excitement and nerves. Denver has to deal with a Buffalo team that just proved they can win a dirty game on the road.
Meanwhile, the Texans are heading to Foxborough. That’s C.J. Stroud vs. Drake Maye. The future of the AFC is basically on display this Sunday.
Houston’s win wasn't just about points; it was about efficiency. They converted 10 of 16 third downs while holding Pittsburgh to a miserable 2 of 14. If they do that to New England, the Patriots' "rebuilding" success story might hit a very sudden wall.
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Upcoming Divisional Matchups
- Buffalo Bills at Denver Broncos (Saturday, Jan 17 - 4:30 PM ET)
- San Francisco 49ers at Seattle Seahawks (Saturday, Jan 17 - 8:00 PM ET)
- Houston Texans at New England Patriots (Sunday, Jan 18 - 3:00 PM ET)
- Los Angeles Rams at Chicago Bears (Sunday, Jan 18 - 6:30 PM ET)
Actionable Insights for the Next Round
If you’re looking at the NFL final scores today to figure out your bets or your bracket for next week, keep these three things in mind:
- Watch the Injury Reports: Nico Collins left the Texans game with a concussion and won't be back for the divisional round. That's a massive hole in Houston's offense that New England will definitely exploit.
- Rest vs. Momentum: Seattle and Denver are rested, but the 49ers and Bills are battle-tested after winning high-pressure Wild Card games. History usually favors the home seed, but the 49ers are essentially a 1-seed in 6-seed clothing.
- The Defense Factor: Houston and New England are currently playing the best defense in the league. If you're betting the "Over" on that game, you might want to reconsider. Both teams are comfortable winning 13-10.
The Wild Card round is officially in the books. Eight teams are left. The road to Super Bowl LX in Santa Clara just got a lot narrower, and if this weekend was any indication, the "expert" predictions are probably going to be wrong again.
Keep an eye on the practice reports for the Rams-Bears game specifically. Chicago's miracle comeback was electric, but Matthew Stafford is playing "lights out" football right now. That game has "shootout" written all over it.
Make sure to double-check the kickoff times for Saturday. The NFL loves to move these around for TV, and you don't want to miss the start of Bills-Broncos just because you thought it was a night game. It's a late afternoon kickoff in Denver, so it'll be cold and loud from the jump.