Bears’ historic comeback sinks Packers, 49ers upset Eagles
USA TODAY Sports’ Prince Grimes reacts to every game of the NFL’s chaotic but entertaining Wild Card weekend.
32 things we learned from the 2025 NFL Playoffs Wild Card Round:
0. Number of times the Houston Texans advanced to the conference championship game. They are the only team to never advance to the NFL.
1. The Texans had their first road playoff win in their 24-season history when they beat the Steelers 30-6 in Pittsburgh on Monday night. Houston can continue its string of first-time wins by winning the Divisional Round opener this weekend in New England… which would give the Texans their first appearance in the AFC Title Round.
2. Number of teams remaining in the playoffs that have never won a Super Bowl: Texans and Buffalo Bills.
3. Number of teams that have never won a Super Bowl…Teams that were left on brand after losing in the wild card round: Carolina Panthers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Los Angeles Chargers.
4. Houston’s CJ Stroud on Monday joined Otto Graham, Joe Flacco and Russell Wilson for the most quarterbacks in NFL history to win a playoff game in each of their first three seasons.
5. Also the number of consecutive playoff appearances the Philadelphia Eagles made under coach Nick Sirianni, and the number of postseason games they won at home under him before losing to the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.
6. Number of consecutive seasons Bills QB Josh Allen won a playoff game. Only Tom Brady (eight) and Patrick Mahomes (seven) have longer winning streaks, and while both have won multiple Super Bowls, there are still unanswered items on Allen’s to-do list.
7. The number of new division champions this season (Patriots, Steelers, Jaguars, Broncos, Bears, Panthers, Seahawks) compared to 2024 is tied for the most in a season since the NFL was realigned into eight districts in 2002.
8. Although the Eagles were the only repeat division champions and won the NFC East for the first time in 21 years, they failed to become the 10th team to repeat as Super Bowl champions.
9. Years since the Steelers’ most recent playoff win. Pittsburgh has now lost seven straight postseason games, trailing by at least 21 points in every game. No team had ever lost five games in a row by double digits in the playoffs.
10. Number of consecutive wins for the hot-blooded Texans heading into the divisional round. Let’s hope Houston wide receiver Nico Collins is able to return Sunday after being diagnosed with a concussion on Monday night.
11. NFL, can you please allow us to use alternate uniforms in the playoffs? Clearly, the Panthers, who were 3-2 this season wearing black helmets, and the Jaguars (4-0 in the “Prowler” throwback) just needed a little bit of confidence — which could come with a proper fit — or they probably would have won the game on their home field that resulted in a wild-card heartbreak. The Eagles didn’t lose a non-district game all year with their friendly Kelly Greens. (OK, so they didn’t use them in a non-district game in 2025 either.) And if both the Patriots and Chargers had chosen the throwback route, at least how much better would Sunday night’s slog have looked? I’m just saying.
12. The number of starting quarterbacks in these playoffs with first-round draft picks. Four of them (Jacksonville’s Trevor Lawrence, the Rams’ Matthew Stafford, Chicago’s Caleb Williams and Carolina’s Bryce Young) were selected first overall and were the fourth to play in the postseason.
13. 49ers QB Brock Purdy’s jersey number. He is the only QB1 outside of Round 1 to survive Wild Card weekend. The 2022 draft’s “Mr. Irrelevant” got the best of Super Bowl 59 MVP (and 2020 second-rounder) Jalen Hurts.
14. Seahawks QB Sam Darnold’s uniform number. They will be charged with leading top-seeded Seattle by defeating surging San Francisco in next week’s regional round.
14a. It also records Darnold’s regular-season wins in each of the past two seasons, but he’s still trying to get his first postseason win as a starter.
15. The jersey number of 49ers WR Jauan Jennings, who threw the best pass of Wild Card weekend.
16. This is the fourth time this season that the Seahawks have been the No. 1 seed, having reached the Super Bowl the other three times.
17. Purdy is 4-0 at Lumen Field in Seattle. I have to do something on Saturday.
18. As in 2018, which was the last season New England won a playoff game, the Patriots won Super Bowl 53, which was Tom Brady’s last championship with the organization.
19. It’s been years since the Bears last won multiple games in the same postseason…and the last time they made it to the Super Bowl.
20. Similar to Super Bowl XX, the 1985 Bears defeated the Patriots 46-10. What would happen if Chicago and New England met again on the Super Sunday stage to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Bears’ legendary coronation?
twenty one. Sticking with the ’85 Bears theme, the last time Chicago played the Rams in the playoffs was the ’85 season. The Bears won the NFC Championship Game 24-0.
twenty two. Is 2025 league MVP Matthew Stafford already the best quarterback in Rams history? That’s debatable, but his playoff numbers and wins allowed him to challenge two-time league MVP and Hall of Famer Kurt Warner. Stafford and Warner are the only Rams QBs to win a Super Bowl.
twenty three. The number of times the Steelers won consecutive home games on “Monday Night Football” before being blown away by Houston. This is a winning streak dating back to 1992.
twenty four. The 49ers’ 40 playoff wins are the most in NFL history.
twenty five. The Patriots have won 38 games in the postseason, second most behind San Francisco.
26. Josh Allen > Josh Hynes-Allen.
27. The Bills’ victory in Jacksonville was the first postseason victory on the road since the 1992 playoffs, and it is also the only time Buffalo has won multiple road games in the same postseason.
28. The Bills next play at Denver. It’s a year after they defeated the Broncos 31-7 at Orchard Park in the wild-card round.
29. Chargers QB Justin Herbert has as many career playoff TD passes (two) as Jennings, who hit one on a similar trick play in Super Bowl 58.
30. Aaron Rodgers has 45 total TD passes in the postseason…but his only one was against the Texans on Monday night, and that pick-six could be the last of his illustrious career.
31. In summary, we were blessed with a great round of wild card games, even if the last two games weren’t as good as the first four. Here’s hoping the divisional round goes well, the best weekend of NFL football for many fans.
32. But let’s end with a shout-out to 49ers tight end George Kittle, who tore his Achilles tendon Sunday against Philadelphia. Gut for Kittle, gut for his teammates, gut for NFL fans who not only recognize him as one of the best players in the league, but an even better player off the field. Be well, Goalkeeper, and take comfort in the knowledge that your beloved teammates are doing their best in your name.
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