The NFL playoffs keep on chugging, and four more teams crash out of the playoffs after a fantastic Divisional Round weekend. The Bills and the Bears both put up terrific fights this weekend, but ultimately, they were short, while the other two losers, the Texans and the 49ers, had poor performances in pretty miserable defeats. There is a lot to discuss regarding these four teams, and they now have an offseason to look forward to.Â
The first loser of the Divisional weekend was the Buffalo Bills. On one hand, I feel sorry for them, but on the other, I do not. Allen had perhaps one of his worst performances ever in a Bills uniform, as he accounted for four of their turnovers, in a day he would like to forget. Buffalo only lost 33-30 in an overtime thriller, but if their quarterback played any better, they would have walked out of Denver with a win. The team played well against a stingy Denver defense and battled in the Mile High City, but they lost another tight game. More than Allen’s performance, though, I believe a more underlying problem remains with Buffalo. To me, it looks like they have not changed their system, and it keeps costing them late in the playoffs. Running the ball is their strength and is the anchor of the offense, but this team desperately needs an X-receiver. Late in games, there has to be a guy that Allen can find for a 20-30 yard pass, and stretch the defense. The Chiefs had this for years with Tyreek Hill, and even Kelce did it late in games. Defenses tighten up late in games, and running the ball does not work for the whole game. On the other hand, in breaking news earlier this week, the Bills fired head coach Sean McDermott in what I think is the right move. McDermott has been a tremendous coach, guiding them to seven successive playoff runs, but all in all, they could never get to the Super Bowl. The Bills have one of the greatest quarterbacks in our generation, and a change had to be made for them to reach that elusive Super Bowl. It is a risk, but something needed to be done to finally achieve that supreme glory of winning the Super Bowl. For now, there is more heartbreak in Buffalo, and we will see what changes they will make in the offseason.
The second loser of the Divisional Round was the San Francisco 49ers, in a killing loss against the Seahawks, 41-6. Honestly, just getting to this stage in the playoffs speaks volumes about how good a coach Kyle Shanahan is and how well-structured it is. In the game vs Seattle, the Niners were without Fred Warner, Nick Bosa, George Kittle, Brandon Aiyuk, Tatum Bethune, Mykel Williams, and players like Ricky Pearsall and Trent Williams were banged up too. Injuries dragged the caliber of this team down, but San Francisco still battled to the Divisional Round, and while the result was not pretty, they earned the right to be there. In 2026, they need to get healthy and get their stars back because this is a team with loads of talent that can contend for a Super Bowl next season.
Next, on Sunday, the Houston Texans lost 28-16 against the Patriots. Two words describe the outcome of this game. CJ. Stroud. In the two playoff games the Texans played in, he combined for 7 turnovers and a 41.7 quarterback rating. Stroud was careless with the football and gave Houston no chance to win the game against New England. The Texans’ defense was marvelous, as they had Drake Maye uncomfortable, but Stroud turned the ball over too much, and his play cost his team the win. They were without Nico Collins, but Stroud’s decision-making was reckless and poor, ultimately leading to his putrid performance. In the offseason, he has to find his game again and provide much better play for Houston because he was simply awful in these playoffs. Houston has one of the best defenses in the league and can shut down teams, but Stroud gave the Patriots superior field position way too many times. It is a disappointing loss for the Texans because they were in the game, but their quarterback gave it all away.
The final loser of the weekend was the Chicago Bears, in a Sunday Night thriller. Regardless of the result, the Bears should be proud of themselves because they battled hard in a difficult division and took the Rams to the wire in this one. Watching Caleb Williams is like being on a roller coaster, and you get both the highs and the lows from him. Williams must pick up his consistency next season and stats like completion percentage, but he already possesses the cool, clutch mindset that many quarterbacks do not have. He is durable, can make those big plays, and he is at the helm in what is the start of a revolution in Chicago football. Honestly, along with him, I love where this team is going. They hit the jackpot on rookies Colston Loveland and Kyle Monangai, two crucial players in the offense, as Loveland averaged 12 targets a game in his final four games and Monangai developed into a strong tandem player with Swift. They need more consistency from the receivers, but they will keep getting better going into future years. The Bears will be a force to reckon with, and it is a new era in the Bears’ chapter.
These four teams battled hard to be one of the final eight teams left, but their journeys ended in the divisional round. Two games went to overtime, but the other two games were not close at all as the winner won by double digits. Looking ahead, what is next for Josh Allen as the Bills still seek to win their first Super Bowl? Can the 49ers get healthy and go deep in the playoffs next year? Will C.J. Stroud keep regressing, or will he bounce back? Can Ben Johnson keep the Bears’ success going into the 2026-27 season?