The playoffs are here. Honestly, if you blinked, you probably missed three lead changes and a season-ending heartbreak. Wild Card Weekend just wrapped up, and it was a total fever dream for anyone who likes predictable sports. We saw legendary veterans get humbled and rookies play like they’ve been in the league for a decade.
If you're looking for the NFL scores from this past weekend, you’ve come to the right place. But it’s not just about the numbers on the scoreboard. It’s about how the Chicago Bears somehow erased a 15-point deficit in one of the wildest fourth quarters in playoff history. Or how the Houston Texans went into Pittsburgh and basically turned the lights out on the Steelers' season before the fourth quarter even started.
The Wild Card Results: Who is Still Standing?
Let’s get the raw data out of the way first. Here is how the opening round of the 2026 postseason shook out across the league.
Saturday, January 10
The weekend started with a shootout in Charlotte. The Los Angeles Rams edged out the Carolina Panthers 34-31. Matthew Stafford reminded everyone why he has a ring, engineering a 71-yard drive late in the game to find Colby Parkinson for the winning touchdown with only 38 seconds left.
Then things got weird in Chicago. The Bears beat the Green Bay Packers 31-27. Green Bay was cruising with a 21-3 lead at the half, but Caleb Williams went nuclear in the fourth quarter. He threw for 184 yards in the final frame alone, including a 25-yard strike to DJ Moore to seal it.
Sunday, January 11
Sunday gave us a mix of defensive grinds and narrow escapes.
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- Buffalo Bills 27, Jacksonville Jaguars 24: Josh Allen did Josh Allen things, rushing for a touchdown and throwing another in the fourth. This was huge for Buffalo—their first road playoff win in over 30 years.
- San Francisco 49ers 23, Philadelphia Eagles 19: The defending champs are out. Christian McCaffrey caught a 4-yard pass from Brock Purdy with under three minutes left to send the Eagles packing.
- New England Patriots 16, Los Angeles Chargers 3: This was a defensive masterclass. Drake Maye did enough in his first playoff start, but the Pats' defense was the real story, sacking Justin Herbert six times.
Monday, January 12
The finale wasn't close. The Houston Texans crushed the Pittsburgh Steelers 30-6. It was the first road playoff win in Texans' history. Their defense scored twice in the fourth quarter—a 33-yard fumble return by Sheldon Rankins and a 50-yard pick-six by Calen Bullock off Aaron Rodgers.
Why These NFL Scores Matter for the Divisional Round
The dust has settled, and the bracket is set for the next round. If you’re tracking the NFL scores, you know the "reward" for these winners is a date with the rested giants. The Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks are coming off their byes, and they aren’t going to be easy outs.
The Buffalo Bills have to travel to Denver on Saturday. It’s a 4:30 PM ET kickoff on CBS. Josh Allen vs. the altitude is always a fun narrative, but the Broncos' defense has been a brick wall all season. Then at 8:15 PM ET, the 49ers head to Seattle. These two split their regular-season meetings, so this rubber match at Lumen Field is basically going to be a 60-minute fistfight.
Sunday brings more chaos. The Texans travel to New England at 3:00 PM ET. It’s a battle of the young quarterbacks, with C.J. Stroud facing off against Drake Maye. Finally, the Rams head to Soldier Field to face the Bears at 6:30 PM ET. Can Caleb Williams keep the magic going, or will Stafford’s experience be too much?
Beyond the Box Score: Trends to Watch
Looking at the NFL scores, a few things jump out. First, home-field advantage isn't what it used to be. The Texans, Bills, 49ers, and Rams all won on the road this weekend. That’s a staggering amount of travel success in the postseason.
Second, the "Elite Defense" meta is back. The Patriots and Texans won games almost entirely on the backs of their defensive lines. If you can’t protect your quarterback, you aren't winning in January. Justin Herbert and Aaron Rodgers both found that out the hard way.
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Third, the youth movement is real. We’re seeing guys like Caleb Williams and Drake Maye handle the pressure of the playoffs better than some of the 40-year-old legends. It's a changing of the guard, and it's happening right in front of us.
What’s Next for Football Fans
You’ve got the scores, you’ve got the matchups, and now you’ve got the context. The Divisional Round starts on January 17, and if it’s anything like Wild Card Weekend, we’re in for some heart attacks.
Get your snacks ready and clear your calendar for Saturday and Sunday. The road to Super Bowl LX in Santa Clara is getting shorter, and only eight teams are left in the hunt. Keep an eye on the injury reports this week, especially for guys like Nico Collins in Houston, as that could swing the betting lines significantly before kickoff.
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Now that the bracket is locked, your next move is to check the kickoff times for your local area and make sure your streaming apps are updated. The divisional round is historically where the best football of the year happens. Don't miss it.