Eight teams in the American National Football League NFL still have hopes of reaching the Super Bowl. That is the X-factor for each of the playoff quarter-finalists.
17.01.2026, 04:01
SDA
The NFL playoff quarter-finals, known as the Divisional Round, are scheduled for Saturday and Sunday. In the AFC, the Denver Broncos face the Buffalo Bills and the New England Patriots meet the Houston Texans, while in the NFC, the Seattle Seahawks take on the San Francisco 49ers and the Chicago Bears face the Los Angeles Rams. Eight teams are therefore still in the running for the championship title. An overview of the most important factor that could make them title contenders - or not.
Denver Broncos (AFC No. 1): Home-field advantage at 1609 meters?
As in 2016, the last time Denver was Super Bowl champions, the team from Colorado relies on a strong defense and is not dependent on miracles from its quarterback and offense. If they manage to avoid major mistakes, Denver will be one of the top favorites. The biggest X-factor: As the qualifying winner, Denver can play at home until the Super Bowl, outdoors and at 1609 meters above sea level (one mile). No team in the league has a bigger home-field advantage.
Buffalo Bills (6): Superman Josh Allen
Everything about the Buffalo Bills is average - except Josh Allen. The 29-year-old quarterback and last season's MVP is a Swiss army knife. His throwing arm is among the best, he runs like a running back and he regularly gets his team out of trouble. In four of the last five years, they were defeated by the overpowering Kansas City Chiefs. They missed the playoffs this time.
New England Patriots (2): Youngster Drake Maye
The New England Patriots are the surprise team of the year. For the first time since the departure of superstar Tom Brady six years ago, the team from near Boston is in the playoff quarter-finals. Led by quarterback Drake Maye, who is in his second season, the Patriots improved from four to fourteen wins. If Maye, who is even being talked about as MVP in some quarters, can continue to perform consistently in his first playoffs, his team could go far.
Houston Texans (5th): an outstanding defense
The Houston Texans have the best defense in the league - and little else. In a year where many of the offensive wizards have been stymied, that in itself could be a recipe for a title. In the wild card round, the Texans arguably ended Aaron Rodgers' career with the worst playoff performance of his illustrious career. There will be better opponents to come, but Houston is likely to be a tough one.
Seattle Seahawks (NFC No. 1): Question mark Sam Darnold
Seattle has a top defense, probably the most spectacular pass receiver at the moment in Jaxon Smith-Njigba (JSN), was the most successful team in qualifying together with Denver and therefore enjoys home field until the Super Bowl. The big question mark is Sam Darnold. The quarterback was drafted at number 3 in the 2018 draft, but was unable to make a lasting impression with four NFL teams. He impressed last season with Minnesota in the regular season, but failed brutally in the first playoff round. He probably won't have to excel at Seattle, but he will have to get his nerves under control and avoid big mistakes.
San Francisco 49ers (6th): When will the injury bug pay off?
The fact that San Francisco is still in the mix is nothing short of a miracle. No team has had to cope with so much bad luck with injuries this season. George Kittle, the league's best tight end, ruptured his Achilles tendon in the first round of the playoffs on Sunday, and the two most important defenders have been missing for some time. Can this go well in the long term?
Chicago Bears (2nd): The escape artists
The Chicago Bears are another team with a long dry spell. For the first time since 2010, the Bears survived a playoff round. Including the wild card round against archrival Green Bay, Chicago has won seven games this season in which it was still trailing with two minutes left. Just luck or nerves of steel and a winning formula? The next few weeks will tell.
Los Angeles Rams (5th): When you (almost) beat yourself
Until a few weeks ago, the LA Rams were considered the number one favorite for the title. 37-year-old Matthew Stafford is likely to be named MVP, the defense is good and coach Sean McVay is one of the best in his field. Stafford is the only remaining quarterback with a Super Bowl ring (2022). The only handicap: the so-called special teams. Kickers, punt returns - the Rams repeatedly missed such important points. No wonder the special teams coordinator had to resign before Christmas. It hasn't helped much so far.
