2025 NFL Wildcard Roundup

The NFL Wildcard Round has concluded, delivering several surprises as some favorites were eliminated at the beginning of the playoffs.

Right from the opening game, the Houston Texans delivered the first shock by defeating the Los Angeles Chargers 32-12. On Monday, it was the Los Angeles Rams’ turn as they crushed the Minnesota Vikings 27-9 in the closing match.

Another major surprise came from Jayden Daniels and his Washington Commanders, who defeated Baker Mayfield’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers on the final play, making them the only visiting team to advance.

Meanwhile, the Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills, and Philadelphia Eagles all held their ground at home and moved on to the next round.

Wildcard Results

NFL Wildcard Round: Texans 32-12 Chargers

The playoffs kicked off on Saturday with a surprise, as the Houston Texans stunned the Los Angeles Chargers with a commanding 32-12 victory.

Houston’s defense was the key to their success, securing four interceptions against Justin Herbert, who only had three during the regular season. One of these interceptions was returned for a touchdown by Eric Murray, marking the first of his career. This performance wasn’t unexpected, as Houston had ranked second in the NFL for interceptions during the regular season, with 19.

The Chargers initially led with two field goals by Cameron Dicker, but their offense struggled throughout. In addition to Herbert’s interceptions, the quarterback faced relentless pressure, suffering four sacks and nine hits. Herbert completed only 44% of his passes (14 of 32).

On the Texans’ side, C.J. Stroud completed 22 of 33 passes for 282 yards and a touchdown caught by Nico Collins. Running back Joe Mixon also shone, carrying the ball 25 times for 106 yards and scoring a touchdown. Stroud showcased his versatility with a 27-yard run and a brilliant 46-yard pass following a fumble recovery.

The Texans now face a tough challenge as they prepare to take on the favorites, the Kansas City Chiefs.

NFL Wildcard Round: Ravens 28-14 Steelers

The Baltimore Ravens controlled the game from the beginning, and although the 28-14 scoreline against the Pittsburgh Steelers wasn’t overwhelming, the Steelers were thoroughly dominated.

It was a stellar offensive performance by Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry, while the defense limited the Steelers to just 29 total yards.

The first half ended 21-0, thanks to two excellent touchdown passes from Jackson to Rashod Bateman and Justice Hill, along with a rushing touchdown from Henry. On Hill’s touchdown, Jackson held onto the ball for 6.31 seconds, marking the third time he’s thrown a touchdown pass after holding the ball for over six seconds, more than any other quarterback this year.

In the third quarter, Russell Wilson tried to rally the Steelers, and they managed to score with a touchdown by Van Jefferson, but Henry responded with a 44-yard rushing touchdown to seal the game. Henry finished the day with 26 carries for 186 yards and two touchdowns.

The Ravens will now travel to Buffalo to face the Bills in what promises to be a thrilling matchup.

NFL Wildcard Round: Bills 31-7 Broncos

The Denver Broncos were no match for the Buffalo Bills, and despite taking an early 7-0 lead, they ultimately fell 31-7, showcasing why the Bills were the favorites.

The first half, however, was quite balanced. The Broncos opened the scoring with a touchdown by Troy Franklin. Tyler Bass responded with a field goal, and James Cook followed up with a rushing touchdown to turn the score around to 10-7. On the final play of the second quarter, a field goal attempt by Wil Lutz hit the upright, preventing the Broncos from tying the game at 10-10 going into halftime.

In the second half, Josh Allen took control of the game, delivering excellent touchdown passes to Ty Johnson and Curtis Samuel. The Bills added 21 points in the last two quarters, while the defense kept the Broncos scoreless. Allen finished the night with 20 completions on 26 attempts, 272 yards, and no interceptions.

James Cook carried the ball 23 times for 120 yards and scored a touchdown, marking his fifth consecutive game with a score, bringing his total to seven touchdowns during that span.

For the Broncos, it was a strong season overall, as they made the playoffs for the first time since 2015, thanks in large part to rookie quarterback Bo Nix. On Monday, Nix revealed that he has been playing with three fractures in his back since November, yet he still managed to leave a strong impression.

As for the Bills, their next challenge will be a tough test against a team with similar strengths and the tools to eliminate them on their home turf in Buffalo: Baltimore Ravens.

NFL Wildcard Round: Eagles 22-10 Packers

In a game much closer than anticipated, the Philadelphia Eagles secured a 21-10 victory over a determined Green Bay Packers team.

The Packers, already facing a tough challenge against the Eagles, suffered multiple injuries before and during the game, further complicating their situation. Despite this, a resolute defense kept them in contention until the end, as the score was 16-10 with 14:56 left on the clock.

The Eagles couldn’t fully showcase their talent, relying heavily on kicker Jake Elliott, who accounted for 10 of their 21 points. Jalen Hurts completed 13 of 21 passes for 131 yards but managed to throw two touchdowns. Saquon Barkley carried the offensive load with 119 yards on 25 carries.

The first quarter ended 10-0 with a touchdown by Jahan Dotson and a field goal by Elliott. The second quarter was scoreless. In the third, Brandon McManus put the Packers on the board with a field goal, but later, Dallas Goedert caught a pass from Hurts, broke through Carrington Valentine’s tackle, and powered his way into the end zone for the Eagles’ second touchdown.

In the final quarter, Josh Jacobs scored on a rushing touchdown, narrowing the gap to six points. However, Elliott added two more field goals to seal the win for the Eagles.

The Eagles were effectively limited in their passing game and will need to address this weakness against the Los Angeles Rams if they hope to avoid an upset in the next round.

NFL Wildcard Round: Buccaneers 20-23 Commanders

One of the weekend’s biggest surprises took place in Tampa Bay, where the Buccaneers fell 20-23 to the Washington Commanders.

Tampa came into the game with six wins in their last seven games and as clear favorites, but Jayden Daniels outdueled Baker Mayfield. The rookie completed 24 of 35 passes for 268 yards and two touchdowns, while the “veteran” was more accurate but with less impact, completing 15 of 18 passes for 185 yards and the same two touchdowns.

The game was a thrilling back-and-forth battle. The first quarter ended 3-0 in favor of the Bucs, but in the second quarter, the Commanders turned it around to lead 3-10. However, Mike Evans and Chase McLaughlin tied the game with just 10 seconds left in the half. In the third quarter, Zane Gonzalez, the night’s hero, put Washington back ahead, but Bucky Irving gave the lead back to Tampa with a touchdown, making it 17-13.

In the final quarter, Terry McLaurin reclaimed the lead for Washington with a touchdown on fourth-and-goal, only for McLaughlin to tie it up again at 20-20. However, in the game’s final play, a 37-yard field goal by Gonzalez sealed the victory for the Commanders.

Washington now faces a tough challenge as they travel to take on the Detroit Lions.

NFL Wildcard Round: Rams 27-9 Vikings

In a game relocated due to California’s devastating wildfires, the Los Angeles Rams overcame adversity and crushed the Minnesota Vikings 27-9 in Arizona.

The Vikings entered as favorites, having contended for the NFC’s top seed until the final day. However, a crushing Week 18 loss to the Detroit Lions (31-9) left them at 14-3. While impressive on paper, that defeat took a toll on the team’s morale, which crumbled in the second quarter of this game.

With the score at 10-3 and Sam Darnold in possession, a hit by Ahkello Witherspoon forced a fumble. Rookie Jared Verse recovered it and sprinted 57 yards for a touchdown, paving the way for the Rams to extend their lead to 27-3 by the third quarter. While T.J. Hockenson scored for the Vikings, the fourth quarter became an uneventful formality.

Matthew Stafford had an efficient night, completing 19 of 27 passes with two touchdowns. One of those went to Kyren Williams, who also had three receptions, 16 carries, and 76 rushing yards.

On the Vikings side, Darnold completed 25 of 40 passes for 245 yards but could not find consistency. After a nine-game winning streak before Week 18, Minnesota conceded 58 points over their last two games while scoring just 18, managing only one touchdown, and enduring one interception by Darnold.

The Rams now head to Philadelphia to face the Eagles.

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