NFL Game Recaps: 2025 Playoffs

NFL Game Recaps of previous weeks and seasons can be found via links at the bottom of the page.

Texans 30, Steelers 6

A margin of 30-6 usually indicates that one team dominated the other, but that wasn’t the case concerning this game. The Steelers and Texans battled in a close contest for more than three quarters, with neither team leading by more than four points until a game-changing play.

The Steelers opened this final wild card-round playoff game with a good drive in which Aaron Rodgers hit DK Metcalf for a 25-yard gain. This led to a field goal to put the Steelers up 3-0. It seemed like Pittsburgh found something with Metcalf, who had been absent the past two weeks because of a suspension, but multi-billionaire offensive coordinator Arthur Smith couldn’t figure out how to get Metcalf the ball after that. Metcalf was inexplicably targeted only once in the second half.

The Texans put together one quality drive as well in the opening half with some big runs, which culminated with a Christian Kirk touchdown. C.J. Stroud, however, lost two fumbles. The second cough-up allowed the Steelers to kick a field goal to draw to within one point. Stroud also made a mistake in the second half, throwing an interception in the red zone. The Steelers couldn’t get anything going, however. The Texans eventually did, as Stroud located Kirk for a 46-yard reception to set up a field goal to go up 10-6.

This was still a close contest in the fourth quarter, but everything changed on one play when the Steelers had the ball. Smith stupidly called a running play on second-and-10, putting Rodgers in a third-and-long situation. Rodgers was promptly strip-sacked by Will Anderson, and Sheldon Rankins scooped and scored. The Texans then added an offensive score when the Steelers gave up defensively, and then Rodgers tossed a pick-six to make the final result look especially ugly.

Patriots 16, Chargers 3

Drake Maye enjoyed an MVP-level season, but would be making his first-caeer playoff start. How would he handle it? Well, the early returns weren’t promising. Maye threw an early interception and couldn’t lead his team to a touchdown drive in the first three quarters.

Luckily for Maye, the Chargers couldn’t get anything going either outside of the area in between the 20s. Justin Herbert was able to reach the red zone on a couple of occasions in the opening half, but the Patriots stalled twice inside the 3-yard line. They failed on fourth down on one try and settled for a field goal the second time.

The Patriots were up 6-3 or 9-3 in the third quarter. They appeared to be on the move to score, but Maye sailed a pass over a wide-open Austin Hooper’s head for a potential touchdown and then lost a fumble on a strip-sack. However, Maye rebounded with a perfect touchdown pass to Hunter Henry to take a 16-3 lead.

This 16-3 advantage was insurmountable for the Chargers. Herbert could do nothing with New England’s secondary locking down his receivers. Herbert had some nice scrambles on a possession in the middle of the fourth quarter, but he also lost a fumble on a strip-sack to effectively end the game.

49ers 23, Eagles 19

The Eagles entered this game as near-touchdown favorites, but the 49ers established that they would be a threat to win the game on their opening drive. Brock Purdy found Demarcus Robinson of all players for multiple receptions, including a 61-yard play. A touchdown put the 49ers up 7-0.

Philadelphia, however, took over for the next two quarters. George Kittle went down with a torn Achilles, while Purdy seemed to have issues throwing into the wind. Meanwhile, the Eagles ran the ball well with Saquon Barkley for a change. They made some mistakes, like Jalen Hurts misfiring on too many occasions, and A.J. Brown dropping the ball on multiple occasions, but they still had a 13-10 lead at halftime and a 16-10 advantage following the third quarter.

The Eagles’ blunders prevented them from establishing a big lead, however, and it allowed the 49ers to hang around. San Francisco capitalized with a trick-play touchdown, where Jauan Jennings found Christian McCaffrey for a touchdown pass. Purdy then threw his second interception of the evening, but the Eagles couldn’t do anything more than kick a field goal. This once again opened the door for the 49ers to take the lead, and they did so by scoring a touchdown via a McCaffrey reception from Purdy this time.

Hurts still had three timeouts and plenty of time to move down the field. He dealt with no pressure, allowing him to move the chains into the red zone. However, some errant passes and a wasted timeout meant that a fourth-and-11 was for the game and the season. Hurts inexplicably fired a helpless pass into quadruple coverage that fell incomplete.

Bills 27, Jaguars 24

Things looked grim for the Bills in the first half. They secured an interception when Trevor Lawrence didn’t see Shaq Thompson, allowing them to kick a field goal. However, Josh Allen entered the medical blue tent. This was one of three medical problems that Allen had throughout the afternoon. Allen then banged his finger on a helmet and injured his knee on a sneak.

Allen was 11-of-12 for 110 before the hand injury. For the next two quarters, he didn’t quite look like himself. As this happened, Jacksonville’s offense came alive. Lawrence overcame his slow start with some great throws to Parker Washington and Travis Etienne. He led two touchdown drives in the fourth quarter, taking a 24-20 lead with a few minutes remaining.

It was up to Allen to overcome his injuries, and that’s exactly what he did. He suddenly looked like his usual self. He completed some impressive passes and then scrambled for a big gain down to the goal line. With a minute remaining, Allen sneaked into the end zone to take a 27-24 lead.

Buffalo’s final touchdown tied the record for most lead changes in the fourth quarter of a playoff contest. Lawrence still had one minute to move into field goal range for his big-legged kicker, but a pass of his to Jakobi Meyers was tipped by Tre’Davious White and picked to end this game.

Bears 31, Packers 27

The Packers entered this game having lost four consecutive games, but they displayed no signs of that. They got off to a hot start with a touchdown drive on their opening offensive possession and then two more touchdown drives in the second quarter. Meanwhile, the Bears lost top linebacker T.J. Edwards to an injury and constantly saw themselves botch fourth-down attempts.

The fourth-down miscues were prevalent throughout the first three quarters. On a fourth-and-4, Ben Johnson went for it on his own 35. The play was a disaster because of a high snap and an ensuing batted pass. This set up a Green Bay touchdown. Later, on a fourth-and-4, Caleb Williams was wide of the mark. Following halftime, Williams was heavily pressured on a fourth-and-3 in the red zone. He was promptly intercepted.

This was a 21-3 Green Bay lead at halftime and a 21-6 advantage following three quarters. The Bears couldn’t get anything going, but everything changed in the final quarter. Williams’ final quarter saw his horribly errant passes turn into precise strikes. The Bears drew to within three, but the Packers had a good shot to score. They drove into Chicago territory, but a delay of game penalty and a missed 44-yard field goal gave Chicago plenty of life. Williams drove down the field and connected with D.J. Moore for a touchdown to go up 31-27.

The Packers had one more chance with about 1:20 remaining. “No Cookie” Jordan Love hit Matthew Golden on a fouth down and then found Romeo Doubs on third down. Love followed that up with a 22-yard dart to Jayden Reed, but the reception was a Pyrrhic gain because the center suffered an injury, and with it came a 10-second run-off. The Packers sorely needed those 10 seconds – or the aforementioned 44-yard kick to be good – because Love was forced into a pass into the end zone from the Chicago 28-yard line, which fell incomplete.

Rams 34, Panthers 31

This looked like a completely lopsided blowout to start the game. The Rams were up 14-0 via two Puka Nacua touchdowns. Meanwhile, the Panthers lost left tackle Ikem Ekwonu and saw Bryce Young throw an interception when Jalen Coker stopped his route. And if that wasn’t enough, Trevor Etienne muffed a punt in a 17-7 game.

What occurred on the ensuing possession completely changed the game. The Rams eschewed a field goal and failed on fourth down, but that wasn’t the deciding factor. What was had to do with Matthew Stafford hitting his finger on a helmet of a Carolina defender. Stafford should have thrown a touchdown to Nacua when the All-Pro wide receiver dropped a sure score right before halftime, but the presumed MVP wasn’t nearly himself. Stafford was way off on some throws, including an interception where he couldn’t get the ball over the cornerback’s head. The Panthers, meanwhile, took a 24-20 lead, thanks to a 52-yard reception by Coker.

The Rams struck back with a touchdown drive, though Stafford was lucky to not be intercepted on a throw to the end zone to Nacua. Stafford eventually hit Kyren Williams for the score to go up three again. Following an exchange of stalled offensive drives between the two teams, the Rams had a punt blocked. The Panthers took over at the Los Angeles 30. Young lofted a pretty pass to Coker to go up 31-27.

With 2:34 remaining, the Rams had one more chance to win, and Stafford was finally able to overcome his finger injury to drive down the field, ultimately throwing a touchdown pass to Colby Parkinson. The Panthers were then given a final chance, but Young fired four incomplete passes to end the game.