It is that time of year where everything feels a little more intense. The air is thinner in Denver, the rain is predictably slick in Seattle, and the stakes? Well, they’re basically sky-high. Saturday’s NFL slate delivered exactly what we expected from a Divisional Round: high-stress finishes and a few individual performances that’ll be talked about until training camp starts back up in July.
Honestly, if you weren’t glued to your screen for these two games, you missed some of the most physical football we’ve seen all season. We had the Buffalo Bills heading into the thin air of Mile High to face the top-seeded Denver Broncos, and then a classic NFC West grudge match between the San Francisco 49ers and the Seattle Seahawks.
The AFC Shocker: NFL Football Scores From Saturday at Mile High
The early game was a absolute slugfest. Coming into this, everyone was talking about Josh Allen and his quest to finally get back to a conference championship without having to worry about the Chiefs, who are surprisingly absent from this stage of the bracket. The Bills were coming off a emotional 27–24 win over Jacksonville, and they looked like they hadn't lost an ounce of that momentum when they stepped onto the field in Denver.
Denver, the No. 1 seed with a 14–3 record, relied on a defense that has been top-five all year, surrendering just about 18 points per game during the regular season. Bo Nix has been efficient, but this game was always going to be about whether the Broncos' secondary could handle Khalil Shakir and Dalton Kincaid while spying Josh Allen. Allen, as you probably know, broke the record for rushing touchdowns by a quarterback this year, and he wasn't afraid to lower his shoulder against Alex Singleton and the rest of the Denver linebacker corps.
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The final NFL football scores from Saturday in the AFC side showed just how tight the margins are at this level. In a game where every possession felt like a chess match, the Bills managed to keep their season alive.
Breaking Down the Bills vs. Broncos Matchup
- Quarterback Play: Josh Allen was the engine. He didn't just throw the ball; he basically willed the offense forward on third downs with his legs. Bo Nix played it safe, leaning heavily on Courtland Sutton, who has been a yards-per-catch monster this season.
- The James Cook Factor: Buffalo’s run game was the secret sauce. Cook had over 1,900 scrimmage yards this season, and Denver’s run defense, which allowed over 130 yards a game, struggled to keep him contained in the second half.
- Defensive Stands: Greg Rousseau and Joey Bosa (who has been a massive addition for Buffalo) were constantly in the backfield. Nik Bonitto for Denver was equally disruptive, but Buffalo's offensive line held just long enough when it mattered most.
Chaos in the Pacific Northwest: 49ers vs. Seahawks
Once the sun went down, the focus shifted to Lumen Field. The San Francisco 49ers are the ultimate "don't let them get hot" team. They entered the playoffs as a No. 6 seed but looked like a No. 1 seed when they knocked off Philadelphia 23–19 in the Wild Card round. They had to face a Seattle team that hasn't just been good—they've been dominant. Seattle finished 14–3, boasting the best scoring defense in the league, allowing a measly 17.2 points per game.
The atmosphere in Seattle is always rowdy, but for a Saturday night playoff game? It was deafening. Brock Purdy had to deal with a crowd noise level that makes communication nearly impossible. He mostly looked for Christian McCaffrey, who is still the most dangerous weapon in football, even if teams know exactly where he’s going.
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Seattle’s Sam Darnold has had a career resurgence that nobody saw coming. He’s been protected by a solid line and has two legitimate stars in Kenneth Walker III and Jaxon Smith-Njigba. The Seahawks are the favorites for a reason, but the 49ers have that "nothing to lose" energy that makes them terrifying in January.
Why the Seahawks Defense is Different
Most teams try to play a soft shell against Kyle Shanahan’s offense. Seattle does the opposite. They press. They challenge Brock Purdy to make tight-window throws. With a secondary that ranks in the top ten for passing yards allowed, they forced the 49ers to try and win on the ground.
McCaffrey still got his yards, because he’s McCaffrey. But when the game was on the line, the Seahawks' ability to stop the 49ers on 3rd-and-short situations proved to be the difference. You’ve gotta appreciate the way Mike Macdonald has this unit playing—it's fast, it's violent, and it’s very disciplined.
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Key Takeaways and Actionable Insights
If you’re looking at these NFL football scores from Saturday to figure out who is going to be hoisting the Lombardi Trophy in Santa Clara in a few weeks, keep these points in mind:
- Home Field is Real, But Not Everything: Denver and Seattle earned those byes for a reason, but the Bills and 49ers showed that "playoff seasoning" matters. Teams that played in the Wild Card round often come in with a rhythm that rested teams sometimes lack in the first quarter.
- Health Over Everything: Watch the injury reports for Buffalo. They entered Saturday with several key defensive players like Terrel Bernard and Damar Hamlin listed as questionable. How they recover for the AFC Championship will determine if they can actually win it all.
- The Rise of the "Old" QBs: We are seeing a mix of young stars and guys who have been around the block. Seeing Sam Darnold lead a No. 1 seed is a reminder that situation and coaching are just as important as raw talent.
- Betting Value: For those looking at the spreads, the "Under" continues to be a strong play in these high-stakes games. When the pressure is on, coaches get conservative, and defenses play with an extra gear.
Moving forward, you should check the official injury reports on Tuesday afternoon. That is when we’ll get the first real look at how Saturday’s physical games impacted the rosters for the next round. Also, keep an eye on the weather forecasts for the upcoming Championship Sunday; several of the remaining teams are built for the "ground and pound" style that thrives in the cold.
The road to Super Bowl LX is narrowing. After Saturday's results, the hierarchy is clearer, but the drama is only getting started.