NFL Divisional Round 2025 Takeaways: What's Next for Playoff Winners and Losers?
The NFC and AFC championship matchups are set.
On Saturday, the Kansas City Chiefs made their first step toward a historic three-peat with a win over the Houston Texans. The Chiefs offense, most notably tight end Travis Kelce, is in full playoff mode.
The Detroit Lions and Washington Commanders met for the first time this season, and the Lions probably wish they hadn't. Coming off a bye week, the Lions were healthier, but the first upset of the weekend leaves Detroit wondering what might have been.
Washington, meanwhile, is riding rookie phenom Jayden Daniels to its first NFC Championship Game appearance since the franchise won a title in the 1991 season.
Sunday's early game was a snowy affair in Philadelphia. The Los Angeles Rams gave the Philadelphia Eagles all they could handle, but 205 rushing yards from Saquon Barkley propelled Philly to an all-NFC East conference title tilt.
The Baltimore Ravens faced the Buffalo Bills in the final divisional matchup that featured MVP candidates Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen. Neither played their best. Jackson fell short despite putting the Ravens in position to extend the game, while Allen was a more effective runner than passer on the winning squad.
Bleacher Report analysts Gary Davenport, Brent Sobleski, Kris Knox and Maurice Moton broke down the aftermath of each game with their biggest takeaways.
Buffalo Bills 27, Baltimore Ravens 25
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Continued Physicality and Aggressiveness Will Allow Bills to Finally Reach the Super Bowl
The Buffalo Bills have to feel like they reached the final boss stage of the game, with Patrick Mahomes and Co. looming in the AFC Championship Game after claiming a 27-25 victory Sunday over the Baltimore Ravens.
The Super Bowl is the ultimate goal. However, Mahomes maintains his super-saiyan status until the Chiefs are defeated and prevented from becoming the NFL's first back-to-back-back Super Bowl champions.
The blueprint that Buffalo pieced together against Baltimore can help the Bills finally overcome the Chiefs and possibly lift the Lombardi Trophy for the first time in franchise history.
Allen wasn't his most effective version as a passer during Sunday's action. Instead, he provided a battering ram in the run game, particularly in short yardage and near the goal line with a pair of touchdown runs.
The Bills' front five doesn't get enough credit. However, a former NFL offensive lineman definitely noticed the play of Dion Dawkins, David Edwards, Conner McGovern, O'Cyrus Torrence and Spencer Brown.
The Bills' offensive line is good enough to control the game, while the defense plays complementary football.
Buffalo came out intending to lock down the Ravens' wide receivers, a group that was already impacted by injuries and was without Zay Flowers, who was inactive. As NFL Next Gen Stats noted, the unit "played man coverage on 46.7 percent of pass plays in the first half, the unit's highest rate since Week 12, 2022."
When playing man coverage, the Bills consistently created pressure with their defensive front.
Granted, Mahomes is a different animal at quarterback. The Bills may be inclined to drop more into coverage. However, the Chiefs have had issues at wide receiver as well, though they're still more explosive and experienced than the Ravens.
While Kansas City's offense has been better overall, this is a squad that struggled to generate the same type of explosiveness as seen in previous years. The Bills can lay back and hope Mahomes doesn't pick them apart, or attack and continue the same type of approach that forced Lamar Jackson into mistakes.
Questions About Lamar Jackson In Playoffs Need to Stop Even after Another Ravens Loss
Ravens faithful will be replaying the two-point conversation attempt during Sunday's contest for the entirety of the offseason.
Jackson rolled to his right, and he found an open Mark Andrews near the corner of the end zone to tie the game with less than two minutes remaining. Andrews has consistently been one of the game's most reliable pass-catchers and Jackson's favorite target. Instead, the three-time Pro Bowler couldn't adjust to the football in the cold weather, fell to the ground and dropped the pass.
Yes, Jackson threw a poor interception in the first quarter. He also fumbled the ball later upon being sacked, which directly led to the Bills' second touchdown.
Yet with the game on the line, Jackson had given his team a chance to extend the action and potentially win. During Baltimore's final offensive drive—which started at the Ravens' own 12-year line—the two-time (three-time?) league MVP completed six-of-seven passes for 80 yards and ran for the other eight.
Jackson's perceived legacy shouldn't quietly include multiple drops and a fumble by Andrews. The Ravens had every chance to escape Buffalo with a victory. Despite Jackson's mistakes, he still made up for them with multiple plays that had his team in it until the end. Others let the quarterback down.
Philadelphia Eagles 28, Los Angeles Rams 22
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Eagles Ride Run Game to Win, But Passing Attack Needs to Show Up in NFC Championship Game
The last time the Philadelphia Eagles and Los Angeles Rams squared off, Saquon Barkley exploded for 302 total yards and a pair of touchdowns in a three-score win. With snow expected for Sunday's game, Barkley told reporters that he was going to consult Eagles legend LeSean McCoy, who had a 200-yard game in the snow over a decade ago.
"I know all about (the 2013 game)," he said. "…Even watching Shady (McCoy), his highlights, it was one of his most memorable games. … I'm definitely gonna call Shady if we do get some snow and see what he did, because it doesn't make sense how he was able to cut in that snow. You can see he was just on a whole different level."
Early on, it appeared that Barkley and the Eagles would be an unstoppable juggernaut on the ground—the team rushed for 171 yards in the first half, including long scores from Barkley and quarterback Jalen Hurts.
It was also Barkley who sent the Eagles on to the NFC Championship Game—with a 78-yard dagger that was the game's deciding score.
That run gave Barkley 196 rushing yards and tied an Eagles playoff record (he then broke it). He's been amazing this year, including 150 yards on the ground the last time the Eagles and Commanders met.
Jalen Hurts left that game in Washington with a concussion, and while the Eagles have won two playoff games, Hurts and the passing attack have yet to click in the postseason. Sure, weather played a part against the Rams, but Hurts threw two picks against Green Bay and has a passer rating under 95 in both postseason games. Hurts threw for just 128 yards against the Rams and tweaked his knee.
Philly will be rightly favored next week, and the Eagles have no shortage of passing-game weapons, even if A.J. Brown is clearly not 100 percent.
If the Eagles are going to defeat Washington and advance to Super Bowl LIX, the aerial attack needs to complement Barkley better.
Because the upstart Commanders aren't playing around. And they will score points.
Rams Season Ends in Disappointment, but Los Angeles Will Be Back in 2025.
For the Rams, this gut-wrenching loss will be hard to swallow. Despite all that the members of the team (and L.A. as a whole) has endured due to the devastating wildfires in Southern California, Los Angeles gave Philly all it could handle. When Puka Nacua caught the ball deep in Eagles territory with about a minute left, it looked for a second like Matthew Stafford was going to pull off the greatest comeback of his career.
That comeback came up short. But a Rams team not much was expected from in 2024 should hold their heads high—because the future for the team looks pretty bright.
Stafford is about to be 37, but he's still playing at a high level and has given no inclination he intends to retire. Nacua has quickly become one of the league's most dangerous wide receivers. The Rams' young front seven had another great game rushing the passer Sunday, piling up seven sacks.
Yes, there are improvements that need to be made—the Rams need to get better along the offensive line, and watching Barkley gash the Rams again made the team's decision to unload linebacker Ernest Jones IV just before the season all the more puzzling.
But that trade is one of the few questionable moves general manager Les Snead has made in recent years—his 2024 draft was one of the best by a team in recent memory. The Rams have over $46 million in cap space and not many big names set to hit free agency. Sean McVay is one the league's best head coaches. They have a Hall of Fame-caliber quarterback.
There will be plenty of talk about the San Francisco 49ers in the offseason. But the Rams are the defending division champs.
They could easily repeat next season.
Kansas City Chiefs 23, Houston Texans 14
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Texans Must Revamp Offensive Line, Add Wide Receiver Help in Offseason
C.J. Stroud will take the brunt of the blame for the Houston Texans' underwhelming 19th-ranked scoring offense and passing attack, which finished outside the top 20 in yards. Rightfully so, but the Texans must strengthen their quarterback's supporting cast to advance beyond the AFC Divisional Round.
This season, Stroud has taken the second-most sacks (52). On Saturday, the Kansas City Chiefs sacked him eight times, and he needed assistance walking off the field late in the game.
According to Pro Football Focus, offensive linemen Shaq Mason (eight), Tytus Howard (four), Blake Fisher (four), Kenyon Green (five) and Juice Scruggs (five) gave up 26 sacks combined.
Fisher, a rookie, and Scruggs are 25 years old or younger and have room for growth. Green is entering the final year of his rookie deal and hasn't started at guard since Week 9. Mason will be 32 in August, and his contract carries a $14.6 million cap hit for the 2025 term. He could lose his starting job in the offseason.
Houston must address uncertainty at wide receiver.
Recovering from a torn ACL, 31-year-old Stefon Diggs will be a free agent. Late in December, Tank Dell suffered a torn ACL and a dislocated kneecap.
According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 in Houston, Dell will need several surgeries and has a "very long road" to full recovery.
In the meantime, the Texans have to add wide receivers, which could lighten the coverage on Nico Collins and help Stroud in his development.
Chiefs Shift from Cruise Control into High Gear in First Step Toward Historic 3-Peat
For three-quarters of the season, the Kansas City Chiefs seemed vulnerable, winning by thin margins, but over the past month, they have kicked into high gear with their sights set on a third consecutive Super Bowl title.
Excluding Travis Kelce's rookie season in which he didn't play an offensive snap, the star tight end finished the 2024 campaign with his lowest totals in receiving yards and touchdowns. Kelce only reached the 100-yard mark in one game during the regular season.
On Saturday, the Chiefs activated playoff Kelce. He had his most productive outing of the campaign, hauling in seven passes for 117 yards and a touchdown.
Kelce joined Hall of Famer Jerry Rice as the second player to record 2,000-plus receiving yards in the playoffs (h/t CBS Sports).
Patrick Mahomes threw an incredible touchdown pass to Kelce while falling to the ground, allowing the Chiefs to take control of the game with a commanding fourth-quarter lead.
With Mahomes as their starter, the Chiefs have won 11 regular-season games in seven consecutive terms, and yet, they find another gear during the playoffs.
If you thought Kelce lost a step in his age-35 term, think again. As usual, he's playing at his best in the postseason.
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Washington Commanders 45, Detroit Lions 31
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Commanders Aren't Experiencing the Start of Something Special, They've Already Arrived
The Commanders orchestrated an incredible turnaround in 2024, and several people deserve credit.
Head coach Dan Quinn had a franchise that went 4-13 in 2023 ready to win right away. General manager Adam Peters cobbled together a playoff-ready roster that looked very little like last year's team. Rookie Jayden Daniels, the presumptive Offensive Rookie of the Year, has played like a top-five quarterback pretty much since Week 1.
Washington wasn't expected to be this good, this quickly, but here they are. A week after besting the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on a last-second field goal, the Commanders took it to the NFC's top seed on the road.
Daniels was as poised as a quarterback could be, while Quinn's aggressive play-calling kept pressure on the Lions. Washington's defense secured five takeaways on the night, while offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury consistently conjured big plays.
What should concern the rest of the NFC is the fact that the Commanders could be even better next year. While several notable players—including Bobby Wagner, Zach Ertz, Dyami Brown and Olamide Zaccheaus—are impending free agents, Washington is projected to have $93 million in available 2025 cap space.
Of course, the Commanders aren't thinking about next season, and they shouldn't. They have the talent and the confidence needed to make a run all the way to Super Bowl LIX.
Washington will be on the road again next week. It also has a rookie quarterback and a defense that finished the regular season ranked 13th overall and 18th in points allowed. So what?
The stage isn't too big for Daniels, and tough environments haven't shaken the Commanders to this point. While the defense is vulnerable, especially against the run, it's found a knack for forcing key stops and notching takeaways.
The Commanders have also learned to win close games late, though they didn't need to on Saturday. Washington entered the divisional round with five straight wins decided in the final 10 seconds of the game. It hasn't lost a game by more than one score since Week 1.
What once felt like a feel-good story for a long-suffering franchise is now much more. The future is bright in Washington, but the Commanders have every reason to believe they can win it all now.
Lions' Ultimate "What-If" Campaign Leads to Pivotal Offseason
The Lions won 15 games and earned the NFC's No. 1 seed for the first time in franchise history. Yet, injuries headlined arguably the biggest storyline of their season. They were especially problematic on defense, and Detroit entered the postseason without key players like Aidan Hutchinson, Alim McNeill and Carlton Davis.
Cornerback Amik Robertson exited early in the game with what appeared to be a very significant elbow injury.
Unsurprisingly, the Lions struggled to contain Washington's passing attack early. To make matters worse, three Jared Goff turnovers—including one returned by a touchdown by Quan Martin—left Detroit in a 10-point hole at halftime.
A fourth turnover—thrown by wide receiver Jameson Williams on a trick play—cost the Lions in the fourth quarter. Goff's third interception ended Detroit's comeback hopes.
Unfortunately, the injuries and the mistakes were too much for the Lions to overcome. It'll leave the Lions and their fans wondering what 2024 might have been. How far might this team have gone with a healthy roster or with fewer miscues in the most important game of the season? We'll never know.
If there's a silver lining for Detroit, it's that the team is well-positioned to reload and even improve in the offseason. It's clear that the Lions need to improve the depth and talent of a defense that ranked 22nd in yards per carry allowed, 30th in passing yards allowed and 20th overall. Detroit has $67.9 million in projected cap space with which to do it.
Of course, nothing is guaranteed, something to which head coach Dan Campbell alluded after last year's loss in the NFC Championship Game.
"I know how hard it is to get here. I'm well aware," Campbell told reporters. "And it's gonna be twice as hard to get back to this point next year than it was this year. That's the reality."
Finding the right players for the Lions won't be as simple as handing out contract dollars. General manager Brad Holmes must find players that fit the culture and complement the talent the team already has.
There's also a chance that offensive coordinator Ben Johnson or defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn will depart to fill one of the NFL's head-coaching vacancies.
The Lions can be title contenders again in 2025. They didn't win 15 games by accident. However, making it happen will require some offseason work and better fortunes than they experienced in 2024.
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