NFL Wild Card Weekend Nears Its Finale with Three Thrilling Sunday Games
Sunday brought more excitement to the NFL Wild Card Weekend, with three high-stakes matchups delivering drama and surprises.
The day kicked off with the AFC East-champion Buffalo Bills securing a victory over the Denver Broncos. Next, the NFC took center stage as the Philadelphia Eagles edged out the Green Bay Packers in an intense matinee. The action wrapped up with an upset in the nightcap as the Washington Commanders stunned the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The Wild Card Round will officially conclude on Monday night with a showdown between the Los Angeles Rams and the Minnesota Vikings.
In the meantime, here’s an updated look at the playoff bracket following Sunday’s results.
AFC Wild Card Round
No. 1 Kansas City Chiefs (bye)
No. 2 Buffalo Bills def. No. 7 Denver Broncos, 31-7
No. 3 Baltimore Ravens def. No. 6 Pittsburgh Steelers, 28-14
No. 4 Houston Texans def. No. 5 Los Angeles Chargers, 32-12
AFC Divisional Round
No. 1 Kansas City Chief vs. No. 4 Houston Texans, Jan. 18, 4:30 p.m. ET
No. 2 Buffalo Bills vs. No. 3 Baltimore Ravens, Jan. 19, 6:30 p.m. ET
AFC Championship Game
TBD vs. TBD, Jan. 26
NFC Wild Card Round
No. 1 Detroit Lions (bye)
No. 2 Philadelphia Eagles def. No. 7 Green Bay Packers, 22-10
No. 6 Washington Commanders def. No. 3 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 23-20
No. 5 Minnesota Vikings at No. 4 Los Angeles Rams, Jan. 13, 8:00 p.m. ET
NFC Divisional Round
No. 1 Detroit Lions vs. No. 6 Washington Commanders, Jan. 18, 8:00 p.m. ET
No. 2 Philadelphia Eagles vs. No. 4 Los Angeles Rams or No. 5 Minnesota Vikings, Jan. 19, 3:00 p.m. ET
NFC Championship Game
TBD vs. TBD, Jan. 26
Super Bowl LIX
AFC Champion vs. NFC Champion, Feb. 9
Bills 31, Broncos 7
Josh Allen led the Bills to their fifth consecutive Wild Card Round victory with a stellar performance. The 2024 NFL MVP frontrunner dazzled on the field, cementing his status as the franchise’s all-time leader in passing touchdowns.
Allen delivered a dominant performance, completing 20 of 26 passes for 272 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions. He also showcased his mobility, adding 46 rushing yards on eight carries to lead the team to victory.
Beyond Josh Allen’s stellar outing, James Cook powered the Bills’ ground game, rushing for 120 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries. Buffalo dominated the ground attack, amassing 200 rushing yards and controlling the clock with superior time of possession.
Despite Allen’s consistent brilliance, the Bills have not advanced beyond the Divisional Round since 2020. This year, they face another tough challenge against the Baltimore Ravens, led by reigning two-time MVP Lamar Jackson. Allen will need to deliver another standout performance to keep Buffalo’s playoff hopes alive.
Eagles 22, Packers 10
The Philadelphia Eagles fought their way past the Packers in a gritty matchup at Lincoln Financial Field. The game was marked by chippy play, with the teams racking up a combined 15 penalties—eight by Green Bay—but the Eagles overcame the sloppy play to secure their second Divisional Round appearance in three years.
Philadelphia struck early, capitalizing on a costly mistake by Green Bay’s Keisean Nixon, who fumbled the opening kickoff. The Eagles quickly turned the turnover into points with an 11-yard touchdown pass from Jalen Hurts to Jahan Dotson, setting the tone for the victory.
Jalen Hurts connected with Dallas Goedert for a 24-yard touchdown in the third quarter, giving the Eagles some breathing room in a tightly contested game. The Packers responded with a one-yard touchdown run by Josh Jacobs early in the fourth quarter, cutting the lead to one possession. However, the Eagles sealed the win with two clutch field goals by Jake Elliott and a dominant defensive stand down the stretch.
Hurts finished the game with 131 passing yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions, adding 36 rushing yards. Saquon Barkley, in his playoff debut with the Eagles, was a force on the ground, rushing for 119 yards on 25 carries.
Commanders 23, Buccaneers 20
In one of the wildest games of the weekend, the Washington Commanders edged out the Buccaneers with a dramatic game-winning field goal by Zane Gonzalez. The kick, which bounced off the upright before going through, secured Washington’s first playoff victory since 2005.
The Commanders became the first road team to claim a win this weekend, led by rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels, who delivered an impressive performance. Daniels threw for 268 yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions while leading the team in rushing with 36 yards.
Daniels’ pivotal moment came in the fourth quarter when he found star receiver Terry McLaurin for a touchdown after veteran linebacker Bobby Wagner recovered a fumble by Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield. That score gave Washington a 20-17 lead.
The Buccaneers tied the game with a field goal, but Daniels led a composed final drive, setting up Gonzalez’s game-winning kick. While the kick wasn’t flawless, it was enough to punch the Commanders’ ticket to the Divisional Round.
Washington now faces a daunting challenge against the NFC’s No. 1 seed, the Detroit Lions. With Daniels showing poise beyond his years, Commanders fans have every reason to be excited for next week’s matchup.
