The playoffs are a different beast. You think you know a team after eighteen weeks of regular-season grind, and then January hits. Honestly, looking at espn today’s nfl scores, it’s clear that momentum is a lying stat. One minute you’re the powerhouse; the next, you’re booking a flight to Cancun.
If you’ve been refreshing the app all day, you saw the carnage. Sunday’s Divisional Round slate wasn't just about who moved on—it was about how they did it. We had the Houston Texans traveling to Foxborough to face the New England Patriots, while the Los Angeles Rams headed into the "Windy City" to battle the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field.
The Sunday Scoreboard Breakdown
Let’s get into the actual numbers because that’s why you’re here.
Early in the day, the Houston Texans looked like they might pull off the upset against the Patriots, but New England’s defense is just built for this weather. It’s cold, it’s grey, and the Pats just know how to squeeze the life out of a young quarterback. Meanwhile, the late window featured a heavyweight NFC clash. The Rams and Bears played a game that felt more like a 1990s defensive struggle than a modern-day shootout.
It’s kinda wild when you think about it. Most people expected the Rams’ high-flying offense to just shred the Bears’ secondary. Didn't happen. Soldier Field has a way of leveling the playing field, literally. The grass looked chewed up, the wind was swirling, and the final score reflected a game won in the trenches rather than in the air.
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Saturday’s Ghost Still Lingers
You can’t talk about today without mentioning the absolute beatdown that happened yesterday. The Seattle Seahawks didn't just beat the 49ers; they dismantled them 41-6. Rashid Shaheed taking the opening kickoff to the house? That set a tone that San Francisco never recovered from.
And then there was that heart-stopper in Denver. The Broncos survived the Bills 33-30 in overtime. But it’s a bittersweet win for Sean Payton. Bo Nix is out. A fractured ankle on the second-to-last play of the game is the kind of luck that makes you wonder if the football gods have a cruel sense of humor. They’re heading to the AFC Championship, but they’re doing it with Jarrett Stidham.
What Most People Get Wrong About These Scores
We look at a final score on ESPN and think we understand the game. We don't. A 24-17 score looks "close," but sometimes one team was in control the entire time.
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Take the Texans-Patriots game as an example.
If you just saw the ticker, you’d think Houston was in it. But if you watched the tape, you saw a New England pass rush that didn't allow a single clean pocket in the fourth quarter. It’s those nuances—the stuff between the numbers—that actually decides who covers the spread and who goes home.
- Turnover Margin: Today was a masterclass in why protecting the rock matters. Every losing team today had at least two giveaways.
- Red Zone Efficiency: Moving the ball is easy. Scoring is hard. The Rams struggled to turn 40-yard drives into seven points, and it haunted them.
- The "Home Field" Myth: Sometimes it matters (Seattle), and sometimes it’s just a venue. Today, however, the home crowds were a massive factor in the officiating energy.
The Brutal Reality of the AFC
The AFC is currently a mess, and I mean that in the most entertaining way possible. With the Broncos losing Nix, the bracket is wide open. Who saw that coming? Not me.
People love to talk about "elite" teams, but in the playoffs, it’s about who is healthy. The Bills had Josh Allen playing like a man possessed—283 yards and three scores—but four turnovers? You can't do that. Not against a Denver team that is disciplined, even if they aren't flashy. Checking espn today’s nfl scores after that game felt like looking at a car wreck. You wanted to look away, but you couldn't.
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Why Chicago is the Real Story
Can we talk about the Bears?
For years, they’ve been the "maybe next year" team. But there’s something different about this squad. Their defense is opportunistic. They aren't just stopping teams; they're taking the ball away. When they faced the Rams, they didn't try to out-finesse them. They bullied them. It’s sort of refreshing to see a team win with a "punch you in the mouth" philosophy in an era where everyone wants to throw it 50 times.
How to Use These Results for Next Week
If you’re a bettor or just a die-hard fan, today’s results should change your outlook for the Conference Championships.
- Don't overvalue the blowout. Seattle looked unstoppable, but the 49ers played their worst game of the decade. Regression to the mean is real.
- Watch the injury reports. The Broncos' QB situation is the biggest story in sports right now. How does the line move when a backup starts a title game?
- Weather matters. Next week’s venues are going to be just as cold. Speed teams (like the Rams or Texans) struggle when the temperature drops below freezing.
Basically, the postseason is a war of attrition. You've got to be deep, and you've got to be lucky. Today showed us that even the best-laid plans can go sideways if a kicker misses a chip shot or a star QB's ankle gives out.
Actionable Insights for the Week Ahead:
- Review the Full Box Scores: Go beyond the final score on ESPN and look at "Time of Possession." It tells you which defenses are going to be gapped and tired heading into next Sunday.
- Monitor the Waiver Wire (for DFS): If you're playing daily fantasy for the title games, the injuries to the Broncos' backfield and QB room mean there is huge value in their cheap backups.
- Analyze the Defensive Matchups: The Seahawks' secondary is playing lights out, but they haven't faced a disciplined intermediate passing game in weeks. Look for that to be the exploit next round.
Keep your eyes on the injury updates. The road to the Super Bowl just got a lot more complicated for the favorites.