You’ve probably seen the box scores by now, but honestly, they don't tell the whole story of what just went down. This Divisional Round weekend was absolutely chaotic. If you were looking for predictable football, you definitely tuned into the wrong league. We saw a blowout that felt like a glitch in the matrix and an overtime thriller that might have cost a Super Bowl contender their season.
Basically, the "Legion of Boom" ghosts are back in Seattle, and Denver is moving on with a massive asterisk next to their win. Let’s get into the actual grit of these scores and highlights from the nfl and why some of these numbers are deceiving.
The Seattle Massacre: 41-6 Wasn't Even That Close
The San Francisco 49ers walked into Lumen Field on Saturday night and essentially forgot how to play football. Or, more accurately, the Seahawks reminded them that the "Dark Side" defense is a very real problem. 41-6. That is a staggering score for a playoff game between rivals.
It started with a lightning bolt. Rashid Shaheed took the opening kickoff 95 yards to the house. 13 seconds in, and the 12th Man was already shaking the ground. That set a tone the Niners never recovered from.
Kenneth Walker III was a man possessed. He finished with 116 yards and three touchdowns, tying the legendary Shaun Alexander for the most rushing scores in a Seahawks playoff game. He was literally chucking the ball into the stands. You could see the 49ers' defense just wilting. Walker even mentioned after the game that he could see them "breathing heavy" and looking "demoralized."
But the real story? Sam Darnold.
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Yeah, that Sam Darnold. He’s now a playoff-winning quarterback. Despite an oblique injury that had him limping in the first quarter, he stayed cool. He didn't need to be Mahomes; he just needed to be efficient, and he was. Meanwhile, Brock Purdy had a nightmare. Two turnovers, two sacks, and a measly 140 yards passing. It’s hard to win when your All-Pros like George Kittle and Nick Bosa are watching from the sidelines in hoodies.
Denver Wins the Game but Loses the War?
Over in Denver, we got the game of the year. The Broncos outlasted the Buffalo Bills 33-30 in an overtime heart-stopper. It had everything: lead changes, massive hits, and a high-stakes finish.
But the highlight everyone is talking about today isn't a touchdown. It’s the image of Bo Nix clutching his ankle.
The news broke late Saturday night—Nix is out for the season with a broken bone in his ankle. It’s devastating. Denver moves on to the AFC Championship, but they’ll be doing it with Jarrett Stidham. Think about that for a second. The No. 1 seed in the AFC is heading into the biggest game of the year with a backup who hasn't thrown a meaningful pass in two years.
The Bills have to be kicking themselves. They had Denver on the ropes. Josh Allen put up 30 points, but in the end, the Mile High altitude and a few clutch plays from the Broncos' special teams were enough to seal Buffalo’s exit.
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The Snow Battle in Foxborough
As I’m writing this, the New England Patriots and Houston Texans are currently locked in a slugfest at Gillette Stadium. The snow is coming down, and it’s predictably gritty.
The scores and highlights from the nfl today are leaning toward the defenses. New England is up 7-3 early, and Drake Maye is looking every bit like the MVP candidate people claimed he was during the regular season. He’s dealing with a Houston defense that is arguably the best in the league right now.
Houston is on a 10-game winning streak, but they’re playing shorthanded. No Nico Collins. No Trent Brown. That’s a lot of production to replace when you're playing in a blizzard in Foxborough. New England, on the other hand, got Christian Gonzalez back just in time to help stabilize the secondary.
The winner of this snowy mess gets the "prize" of traveling to Denver next week to face a Stidham-led Broncos team. Honestly, if you're the Patriots or the Texans, you have to be looking at that Bo Nix injury and thinking the path to the Super Bowl just opened up wide.
What Most People Are Missing
Everyone focuses on the quarterbacks, but look at the trenches.
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The 49ers lost because their offensive line was a sieve. They were signing guys off the street to protect Purdy, and it showed. Trent Williams was out there playing on one leg, and you could tell.
On the flip side, the Seahawks' front seven, led by Leonard Williams and Ernest Jones IV, is playing at a different speed. Jones was actually sick all week—missed two days of practice—and still came out and spearheaded a defensive performance that held a high-powered offense to two field goals.
Quick Hits from the Weekend:
- Rashid Shaheed: His 95-yard return was the longest in Seahawks postseason history.
- Kenneth Walker III: Averaged 5.3 yards per carry. He looked untouchable.
- Bo Nix: His injury completely flips the AFC power dynamic.
- The Attendance: Lumen Field was so loud it reportedly registered on local seismographs again.
The Road Ahead
So, where does this leave us?
The Seahawks are heading to the NFC Championship to host either the Rams or the Bears. If they play like they did Saturday, I’m not sure anyone stops them. They look like a team of destiny right now.
The AFC is a total toss-up. Usually, you’d say the No. 1 seed is the favorite, but without Nix, Denver is vulnerable. If Maye and the Patriots can finish off the Texans today, they’ll be the favorites to head to the Super Bowl, despite being the No. 2 seed.
If you’re betting or just following along, watch the injury reports this week more than the highlight reels. The medical tent had more action this weekend than some of the end zones.
For your next move, keep a close eye on the final score of the Rams-Bears game later tonight. That result determines if the Seahawks have to prepare for a divisional rematch or a gritty Chicago defense. Check the active roster moves for Denver on Tuesday; seeing who they bring in to back up Stidham will tell you exactly how much confidence they have in their current situation.