Honestly, if you missed the Divisional Round action this weekend, you missed what might be the most "NFL" sequence of events in a decade. We saw a legendary franchise get dismantled in the rain and a top seed survive an overtime heart-stopper only to lose their franchise savior in the final seconds. Looking at the football scores for nfl playoff games right now is basically like reading a script that even Hollywood would find a bit too dramatic.
The Seattle Seahawks didn't just win on Saturday. They deleted the San Francisco 49ers from the conversation. A 41–6 scoreline in a playoff game between rivals is usually the stuff of preseason blowouts, not a Divisional Round matchup. Meanwhile, out in the thin air of Mile High, the Denver Broncos outlasted the Buffalo Bills 33–30 in a game that felt like it lasted five years. But the scoreboard doesn't tell the whole story. It never does.
The Seahawks and the 41-6 Statement
Seattle looks terrifying. There is no other way to put it. Usually, playoff games are tight, grinding affairs where one or two plays make the difference. Not here. Rashid Shaheed took the opening kickoff 95 yards to the house before most fans had even sat down with their beer. 13 seconds in, and it was 7–0.
Kenneth Walker III is playing like a man who wants a gold jacket. He racked up 116 yards on the ground and three—yes, three—touchdowns. The 49ers looked old. They looked slow. And honestly, they looked like they had no answer for Mike Macdonald’s defensive schemes. Seattle forced three turnovers and basically parked a bus on San Francisco's chest.
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When you see football scores for nfl postseason games like 41–6, you assume the losing team collapsed. The Niners didn't just collapse; they were dismantled. Sam Darnold (ironically playing for the Seahawks now) looked steady despite an oblique injury, while Brock Purdy and the Niners' offense couldn't find the end zone once.
Denver's Bittersweet 33-30 Overtime Thriller
Then there's Denver. This game was a certified classic. 33–30 in overtime against Josh Allen and the Bills. Wil Lutz nailed a 23-yarder to seal it, but the cost was astronomical.
Bo Nix, the kid who has basically revitalized that entire city, led the game-winning drive with a broken ankle. We found out after the game that he snapped it a few plays before the kick. Sean Payton looked like he’d seen a ghost at the postgame presser. Denver is moving on to the AFC Championship for the first time since the Peyton Manning era, but they’re doing it with a backup.
- The Turnovers: Buffalo turned it over five times. You can't win like that.
- The Heroics: Josh Allen still threw for 283 yards and three scores, but that overtime pick by Ja'Quan McMillian was the dagger.
- The Injury: Bo Nix is out for the season. Period.
It's sorta wild to think that a team can win their biggest game in ten years and feel like they lost their soul at the same time. The Broncos' defense is the only reason they have a prayer in the next round. They were minus-3 in turnover differential during the regular season, yet they came up with five takeaways when it mattered most.
Why These Football Scores for NFL Games Matter Now
We’re heading into a Sunday slate that has a lot to live up to. The Houston Texans are visiting the New England Patriots, and the Los Angeles Rams are heading into the cold of Soldier Field to face the Chicago Bears. If those games are half as chaotic as Saturday, we’re in for a long night.
People always talk about "momentum" in the playoffs, but what does that even mean when your starting QB is headed for surgery? Denver has the win, but Seattle has the momentum. The Seahawks look like the clear favorites to represent the NFC in Super Bowl LX at Levi's Stadium. They are playing "complementary football"—a term coaches love that basically just means everyone is doing their job at the same time.
Real-World Stat Check
| Game | Final Score | Key Performer |
|---|---|---|
| SF @ SEA | 6 – 41 | Kenneth Walker III (3 TDs) |
| BUF @ DEN | 30 – 33 (OT) | Wil Lutz (4/4 FG) |
Most analysts thought Buffalo would finally break through this year. No Mahomes. No Burrow. The path was open. But the Bills' inability to protect the football at Empower Field at Mile High cost them everything. Josh Allen is now staring at another offseason of "what if" questions while Denver fans celebrate through the pain of the Nix injury news.
What to Watch Next
The bracket is narrowing. Denver will host the winner of Texans-Patriots. Seattle gets the winner of Rams-Bears. If you’re tracking football scores for nfl to place bets or just to keep your sanity in the office pool, keep an eye on the injury reports for the remaining AFC teams. With Nix out, the AFC is suddenly wide open for a team like Houston or New England to steal a Super Bowl berth.
Check the active rosters for the Sunday afternoon games. Specifically, look at the weather in Chicago; Soldier Field in late January is a graveyard for dome teams like the Rams. If the Bears' defense can replicate even half of what Seattle did on Saturday, we might see another blowout.
The most important thing to do right now is verify the status of the "inactive" lists about 90 minutes before kickoff. Playoff football is won in the trenches, but it’s lost on the trainer's table. Pay close attention to the Texans' offensive line health as they face a New England pass rush that has been relentless over the last month of the season.