ClutchPoints
The Wild Card round had quite a lot of fireworks this season, as the 2025-26 NFL playoffs opened up with a bang. Down to the best 8 teams, the Divisional Round of the NFL playoffs will feature four must-see matchups. See how the AFC and NFC playoff brackets shake out heading into the Divisional Round in ClutchPoints’ NFL Playoff Power Rankings.
The Seattle Seahawks still find themselves atop the NFL Playoff Power Rankings, sitting pretty as the top seed in the NFC. But a matchup with the San Francisco 49ers awaits them, a team they split the season series with.
Which version of Sam Darnold shows up on Saturday night will dictate what kind of game Seattle will have, as he is the key piece to running the show. If Darnold is able to keep his turnovers down and shake off any bye-week cobwebs, the Seahawks should be in a good position to earn a home win.
But if Darnold and offensive coordinator Klink Kubiak are still stuck in a bye-week slumber, potentially impacted by the potential head coaching gigs Kubiak is rumored to be considered for, then this SEA roster could be out of the playoffs sooner than many thought they would. The Seattle defense will have the elements and a raucous crowd on its side in Lumen Field, providing a key advantage, but Darnold is what will make – or break – Seattle’s Super Bowl chances.
While it was an uphill battle scoring points in the first half, the Wild Card win showed just how strong the New England Patriots can be, especially on defense. A suffocating showing by Mike Vrabel’s defensive unit paved the way for an opening-round win, holding Justin Herbert to 159 passing yards while sacking him six times.
More will be asked of Drake Maye in New England’s divisional matchup with the Houston Texans, as facing arguably the best defense in the NFL will not make things easy. Maye wasn’t asked to do anything crazy last week (268 passing yards, only 29 attempts), but he will need to take on a larger role against a Houston front seven that won’t allow many running lanes for TreVeyon Henderson or Rhamondre Stevenson.
Two fumbles and an interception from Maye in the Wild Card round cannot happen again if the Patriots want to win, but for a quarterback who is a prominent option in this year’s MVP race, odds are that a better version of the former Tar Heel signal caller will come out when the lights are at their brightest Sunday afternoon.
The Denver Broncos help kick off the Saturday slate of the Divisional Round, hosting the Buffalo Bills in what will be a matchup between two underappreciated QBs. Bo Nix will have a heavy weight on his shoulders heading into this game, as the Broncos overachieved this year and must prove they are worthy of being the top seed in the AFC....
