Football in January is just different. The air gets thin, the hits feel harder, and the margin for error basically evaporates. If you spent your Sunday afternoon glued to the couch, you saw a masterclass in "survive and advance" football. Today, the Divisional Round wrapped up, and honestly, the bracket looks a whole lot different than it did forty-eight hours ago.
We had a young gunslinger in Foxborough trying to prove he belongs in the elite tier. We had a slugfest in the freezing Chicago air that felt more like 1985 than 2026. The results of nfl football games today didn’t just decide who moves on; they set the stage for a pair of conference championships that feel like heavyweight bouts.
Chaos at Gillette: Patriots Outlast Texans
The early window was all about Foxborough. The New England Patriots are heading back to the AFC Championship after a 28-16 win over the Houston Texans, but man, it was ugly. If you like clean, crisp offense, this wasn't the game for you.
Drake Maye had a day that would make a coach pull their hair out. Four fumbles. Read that again. Four. Somehow, New England recovered two of them, which turned out to be the difference between a win and a plane ride home. C.J. Stroud didn't fare much better, throwing four interceptions against a Mike Vrabel defense that looked like it was reading his mind. Marcus Jones took one of those to the house for a pick-six that basically ignited the Gillette Stadium crowd.
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The dagger came in the fourth quarter. Maye found Kayshon Boutte for a 32-yard touchdown—a ridiculous one-handed grab that looked like something out of a video game. That score made it 28-16 and finally put the Texans away. Houston has now fallen to 0-7 all-time in the Divisional Round. That’s a heavy monkey to keep on your back.
Frozen Tussle: Bears and Rams Fight for the NFC
Switching gears to the late game, Soldier Field was exactly what you’d expect for mid-January. Cold. Windy. Brutal. The Chicago Bears and Los Angeles Rams went into the locker room at halftime tied 10-10, and it felt like every yard was earned in blood.
Kyren Williams got the scoring started for LA with a 4-yard plunge after a methodical 14-play drive. But the Bears' defense, which has been playing lights-out lately, stiffened up. They stopped the Rams on multiple fourth-down attempts. Caleb Williams is dealing with the kind of playoff pressure that breaks most rookies, but he’s showing a level of poise that has Chicago fans dreaming of a Super Bowl.
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What Saturday Taught Us
You can't talk about today without acknowledging the absolute demolition that happened yesterday. The Seattle Seahawks didn't just beat the San Francisco 49ers; they erased them. 41-6. It was the kind of performance that makes you wonder if anyone can stop Seattle at Lumen Field. Sam Darnold looked "tremendous" despite an oblique injury, and Rashid Shaheed’s kickoff return touchdown to start the game basically ended it before it began.
Over in Denver, the Broncos squeaked by the Buffalo Bills 33-30 in overtime. It was a classic, but it came at a massive cost. Bo Nix went down with a season-ending ankle injury. Now, the Broncos have to face the Patriots next week with... Jarrett Stidham? Talk about a revenge narrative. Stidham, the former Patriot, is now the only thing standing between his old team and another Super Bowl appearance.
Why These Results Matter for the Title Hunt
The playoff picture is now crystal clear. In the AFC, the Patriots travel to Denver. Historically, Denver has been a house of horrors for New England—they are 0-4 all-time in the playoffs there. But with Nix out, the oddsmakers are going to have a field day with that line.
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In the NFC, the winner of this Bears-Rams battle has to fly into the buzzsaw that is Seattle. The Seahawks have outscored their playoff opponents by a combined 35 points over the last two weeks. Their defense hasn't allowed a touchdown in the end zone for two straight games.
Actionable Insights for the Championship Round
If you're looking at the betting lines or just trying to win your office pool, here is what the data from today tells us:
- Turnovers are King: The Patriots won today despite six three-and-outs and multiple fumbles because they won the turnover battle. In the playoffs, efficiency is secondary to possession.
- Home Field is a Myth (Sometimes): While Seattle looks invincible at home, Denver’s advantage just took a massive hit with the loss of their starting QB. Don't blindly bet the home team next week.
- The "Vibe" Factor: Watch the injury reports on Sam Darnold and the Rams' offensive line. These deep playoff runs usually come down to who has enough healthy bodies left to finish the job.
The road to the Super Bowl goes through Seattle and Denver. One of those cities is celebrating a blowout, while the other is holding its breath over an X-ray. That's playoff football. It's heart-pumping, it's exhausting, and it's exactly why we watch. Get your snacks ready for next Sunday; it’s going to be a wild one.