March Madness is still over a month away, but that doesn’t mean the NFL won’t try to get in on some bracket madness themselves.

The wild-card weekend slate features six games and 12 teams, all hoping to survive and advance to the divisional-round. Unfortunately for six teams, they will be voted off the island and sent to the offseason. The remaining six will join the two No. 1 seeds, the Kansas City Chiefs and Detroit Lions, next weekend as part of their continued quest for a Super Bowl.

Last year’s postseason didn’t feature many bracket busters in the opening round. Will that remain the case this season?

Favorites have dominated in 2024, but this is a new year and anything can happen. Here’s everything to know about the 2025 NFL playoff bracket as the wild-card results trickle in.

NFL playoff bracket 2025

Here’s how the NFL playoffs bracket looks as the wild-card weekend results come in:

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AFC divisional round

No. 1 Kansas City Chiefs vs. No. 4 Houston Texans
No. 2 Buffalo Bills vs. No. 3 Houston Texans

NFC divisional round

No. 1 Detroit Lions vs. TBD
TBD

NFL playoff scores, results

This section will be updated.

Saturday, Jan. 11

Texans 32, Chargers 12
Ravens 28, Steelers 14

Sunday, Jan. 12

Bills 31, Broncos 7
Eagles vs. Packers
Buccaneers vs. Commanders

Monday, Jan. 13

Rams vs. Vikings

2024-25 NFL playoff remaining schedule

Wild card (all times Eastern)

All times Eastern

Saturday, Jan. 11

Los Angeles Chargers at Houston Texans, 4:30 p.m. ET, CBS
Pittsburgh Steelers at Baltimore Ravens, 8 p.m. ET, Amazon Prime Video

Sunday, Jan. 12

Denver Broncos at Buffalo Bills, 1 p.m. ET, CBS
Green Bay Packers at Philadelphia Eagles, 4:30 p.m. ET, Fox
Washington Commanders at Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 8 p.m. ET, NBC

Monday, Jan. 13

Minnesota Vikings at Los Angeles Rams, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN/ABC

Divisional round

All times TBD

Saturday, Jan. 18

TBD at Kansas City Chiefs divisional game: TBD
TBD at Detroit Lions divisional game: TBD

Sunday, Jan. 19

AFC divisional game: TBD
NFC divisional game: TBD

Conference championships

Sunday, Jan. 26:

NFC championship game: 3 p.m.
AFC championship game: 6:30 p.m.

Super Bowl 59

Date: Feb. 9, 2025
Location: Caesars Superdome (New Orleans)
Time: 6:30 p.m.
TV: FOX

How does the NFL playoff bracket work?

The NFL playoff bracket is ever-changing and differs from the static formats common in other leagues. That means that seedings play a big role in future matchups. The No. 1 seeded Chiefs and Lions will face off against the worst team, based on seeding, remaining in their conference in the divisional-round.

Kansas City and Detroit will also hold home-field advantage throughout their side of the bracket provided they remain in the playoffs. If either team loses, the best remaining team, based on seeding, would then gain home-field advantage.

Since the NFL’s bracket is dynamic, that ensures that regular season results matter in terms of matchups for the postseason.

The Green Bay Packers got the ball to start their wild card playoff game against the Philadelphia Eagles. It didn’t take them long to make a critical, game-changing error.

Packers kick returner Keisean Nixon tried to bring the Jake Elliott kickoff back on the first play of the game. Nixon was lit up on the play by Eagles linebacker Oren Burks, which caused him to lose control of the ball as he went to the ball.

It was clear that Nixon had fumbled on the play. What wasn’t as clear was which team recovered the fumble. The officials ruled the Eagles had pounced on it, but replay review painted a different picture.

Video of the play appeared to show Nixon was able to wrangle the ball before Eagles linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Jr. got possession of it. This could be seen both from the ground angle of the shot and an overhead angle shown on the Fox broadcast, which led rules analyst Mike Pereira to believe the call may be overturned.

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Despite this, Brad Allen’s crew decided to let the call stand. Naturally, the officials’ decision drew scrutiny from NFL fans and media analysts alike, with some thinking the call should have been overturned and others thinking Allen’s crew was right to let the call stand.

Below are some of the most notable reactions to the play:

Right or wrong, the call gave the Eagles possession on Green Bay’s 28-yard line to open the game. Philadelphia capitalized on this, as Jalen Hurts found Jahan Dotson for an 11-yard touchdown to give the No. 2 seed Eagles an early 7-0 lead.

The Buffalo Bills made a key decision in the third quarter of their wild-card matchup against the Denver Broncos. They had a chance to go for a field goal to put themselves up nine points on a fourth-and-1 in Denver’s territory.

Instead, they went for it. Rather than run the ball with Josh Allen, as they had throughout the game, they decided to throw it.

Initially, it appeared Allen would be in trouble on the play. He scrambled out to his right, and it appeared like he wanted to run the ball after seeing that no receiver was open.

The Broncos defense was disciplined. It denied Allen a running lane and, as it collapsed on him, he had to unleash a downfield throw. He pointed downfield, instructing running back Ty Johnson to work the back line of the end zone, and released the ball.

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Somehow, Johnson managed to get his hands under the ball while sliding to reel it in. Even more impressively, he managed to keep both of his feet and his legs from hitting the back line as he secured the ball.

Below is a look at the spectacular catch:

Johnson had just two total touches in the game before his touchdown catch. He handled two carries for 12 yards but drew some extra snaps after backup running back Ray Davis exited the game after taking a hit to the head earlier on the drive.

Johnson’s score provided the Bills with a key momentum swing. It, along with Keon Coleman’s two-point conversion catch, guaranteed the Broncos would need to score two touchdowns to tie the Bills, who extended their lead to 14 points.

The play also marked the 22nd career passing touchdown of Allen’s career. That broke a tie with Hall of Famer Jim Kelly for the most playoff passing touchdowns in Bills history.

But most importantly, the score has the Bills tracking toward another wild-card win and a divisional round date with the Baltimore Ravens.

The two-time defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs broke their franchise record for regular-season wins by finishing 15-2. That performance earned the Chiefs the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoff bracket and a first-round bye in the wild-card weekend.

The Chiefs reached this point even with quarterback Patrick Mahomes experiencing a down year by his standards. The two-time NFL MVP set career lows in yards per game (245.5) and touchdowns (26 in 16 games played), but the Chiefs’ defense picked up the slack. Kansas City finished as a top-five scoring defense once again this season and was especially strong against the run. The defense allowed 30 or more points twice: Week 11 against the Buffalo Bills and Week 18 against the Denver Broncos, when the team rested their starters.

With two weeks off for their starters over Week 18 and the wild card round, the Chiefs will be the most rested team in the NFL for the divisional round. Here’s who they will be playing in the divisional round.

Who will the Chiefs play next week?

As the No. 1 seed in the bracket, Kansas City will play the lowest remaining seed in the AFC playoffs. With the wild card results, the Chiefs will play AFC South champion and No. 4 seed Houston Texans.

NFL STATS CENTRAL: The latest NFL scores, schedules, odds, stats and more.

The Texans hosted a playoff game for the second year in a row in the wild card round against Los Angeles. Houston won 32-12 over the visiting Chargers to reach the divisional round of the AFC playoffs.

These teams met late in the regular season with Kansas City winning 27-19 in Week 16.

AFC playoff bracket

Wild card round

Houston Texans 32-12 Los Angeles Chargers
Baltimore Ravens 28-14 Pittsburgh Steelers
Buffalo Bills 31-7 Denver Broncos

Divisional round

Kansas City Chiefs vs. Houston Texans
Buffalo Bills vs. Baltimore Ravens

Conference championship

Kansas City Chiefs/Houston Texans vs. Buffalo Bills/Baltimore Ravens

NFC playoff bracket

1. Detroit Lions (15-2) BYE
2. Philadelphia Eagles (14-3) vs. 7. Green Bay Packers (11-6)
3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10-7) vs. 6. Washington Commanders (12-5)
4. Los Angeles Rams (10-7) vs. 5. Minnesota Vikings (14-3)

The NFC playoff games will be played Sunday and Monday, but the Eagles vs. Packers game is the first of the bunch. The conference’s playoff scenarios will become clear after that contest.

The Buffalo Bills entered the 2025 NFL playoffs hoping to make it to the NFL divisional round for a fifth consecutive year. Mission accomplished.

The Bills defeated the Denver Broncos 31-7 in the AFC’s No. 2 vs. No. 7-seed matchup to set up a divisional round date with the Baltimore Ravens.

Bo Nix and the Broncos got off to a hot start, scoring a touchdown on the first drive of the game and moving the ball well through the air against the Bills. Denver’s defense also did a good job holding Buffalo in check, limiting them to 10 points in the first half and keeping the game within one score deep into the third quarter.

However, Josh Allen and the Bills finally opened the floodgates after deciding to go for it on a fourth-and-1 on Denver’s 24-yard line. A field goal would have extended Buffalo’s lead to nine; instead, Allen managed to find Ty Johnson for a spectacular touchdown that gave the Bills a 14-point lead.

NFL STATS CENTRAL: The latest NFL scores, schedules, odds, stats and more.

Allen enjoyed a strong performance during the contest, completing 20-of-26 passes for 272 yards and two touchdowns while adding 46 yards on eight carries. His rushing counterpart James Cook also had a massive outing. He racked up 120 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries. Both were able to get off his feet late in the blowout win.

Sean Payton’s Broncos will now go back to the drawing board, but at least they know they have something in Nix. He finished his first playoff game completing 13-of-22 passes for 144 yards and a touchdown while leading the team with 43 rushing yards on four carries.

USA TODAY Sports provided live updates, highlights and more below. All times are Eastern.

Ty Johnson runs for first down to end game

After forcing the Broncos into a turnover on downs, the Bills needed just one first down to run out the rest of the clock. They managed to get that on a carry from Johnson, who took on primary running responsibilities alongside quarterback Mitch Trubisky for Buffalo’s final series of the game.

The Bills will now be able to end the game by taking a knee three times. That will give them a 31-7 wild-card win.

Bills extend lead to 24 with late field goal

The Bills managed to eat nearly seven minutes of the remaining clock on their most recent drive and got into scoring range. Tyler Bass nailed the 34-yard field goal to cap it off and add to the margin in what is looking like a decisive Buffalo victory.

Bills get key fourth-down stop of Broncos

The Bills let Bo Nix and the Broncos move the ball down the field methodically after going up three scores. However, Buffalo eventually bowed up and forced Denver into a fourth-and-2 at the 14-yard line. 

The Broncos went for it, but Nix’s dump-off to Jaleel McLaughlin didn’t allow the running back to get beyond the line to gain. That gave the ball back to the Bills, who are leading by 21 with 11:32 left in regulation.

Curtis Samuel breaks tackle, speeds to end zone oBills extend lead to 24 with late field goal

The Bills managed to eat nearly seven minutes of the remaining clock on their most recent drive and got into scoring range. Tyler Bass nailed the 34-yard field goal to cap it off and add to the margin in what is looking like a decisive Buffalo victory.n TD catch

The Bills are starting to pour it on.

The Bills opened up a 21-point lead thanks to a touchdown pass from Josh Allen to Curtis Samuel early in the fourth quarter, putting the Broncos firmly behind the 8-ball. Samuel broke a tackle and took it to the house for the 55-yard score. Bills 28, Broncos 7

Josh Allen finds Ty Johnson for miraculous 24-yard touchdown on fourth-down

The Bills decided to go for it on fourth-and-1 rather than kick a field goal to go up nine.

Allen appeared to be in trouble on the play initially. He wanted to run the ball to his right when no receiver was open, but the Broncos were disciplined and denied him a running lane. 

Eventually, Allen saw Johnson in the end-zone and heaved up a prayer to him. The veteran running back made the sliding grab and somehow kept both of his feet and legs from hitting the back-line in the end-zone.

The score guaranteed the Bills would be up two touchdowns. Their 2-point conversion was good, making it a 14-point game.

Ray Davis injury update

Josh Allen tried to feather a wheel route pass to Davis out of the backfield, but he put it just a bit too far in front of the rookie running back. Unfortunately, that left Davis in a vulnerable position as Broncos safety Brandon Jones slammed into him.

Jones’ shoulder hit Davis directly in the helmet, and the running back went down immediately. He laid on his back with his hands in the air as Bills players motioned for the medical staff to tend to Davis.

The officials whistled Jones, who appeared apologetic after the play, for a 15-yard personal foul penalty for a hit to the head.

Josh Allen seen chatting with referee Bill Vinovich after no-call

The officials in the Bills vs. Broncos game appeared to miss an obvious holding call in the end-zone on a third-and-goal. That forced Buffalo to attempt a field goal rather than get another set of goal-to-go downs.

CBS cameras caught referee Bill Vinovich talking to Josh Allen on the bench after the play. It looked like he might be taking responsibility for the missed call based on his gestures during the conversation.

Broncos go three-and-out to start second half

Denver needed to get off to a good start in the second half, if only to stem Buffalo’s significant advantage in time of possession. Instead, they went three-and-out after Bo Nix and Troy Franklin failed to connect on a third-and-5 pass early in the drive.

Riley Dixon had a great 48-yard punt to the Bills, but the Broncos’ drive ate up just 1:10 of the third quarter. That will give Buffalo, leading by six, a chance to continue to run on Denver’s defense and try to wear it down

James Cook stats today

Cook is having one of his finest games as a pro against the Broncos. He has repeatedly ripped off chunk gains for the Bills and has racked up 111 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries thus far.

There is still 10:03 left in the third quarter, so Cook may be able to challenge his career-high in rushing yards, which currently stands at 179.

Josh Allen sacked in red-zone forcing Tyler Bass chip shot

Allen tried to extend a play on third-and-goal against the Broncos but nobody could shake loose in the end-zone before Denver brought down the quarterback for a second sack. Patrick Surtain got away with an obvious hold in the end-zone, but nonetheless, the Broncos forced the Bills into a field goal, which Bass nailed with ease.

Buffalo now leads 13-7 but Denver is still within striking distance. Bo Nix and Co. will have a chance to take advantage of the defensive stop when they get the ball for the first time of the second half.

What is 5280 on Broncos helmets?

The figure references the city of Denver’s elevation of 5,280 feet. That’s also the origin of the Broncos’ ‘Mile High’ Stadium (which is presently known as Empower Field at Mile High).

Broncos stats vs. Bills at halftime

Bo Nix has comported himself well in his first career playoff game. He was on fire to start the game before hitting a mid-half lull. However, he did well in the two-minute drill to put the Broncos into field goal range as time expired. Wil Lutz just missed the kick.

Below is a look at the Broncos’ stats from the first half:

Bo Nix: 8-of-12 passing, 102 yards, 1 TD, 120.8 rating
Javonte Williams: 5 carries, 22 yards
Courtland Sutton: 3 catches, 51 yards
Troy Franklin: 1 catch, 43 yards, 1 TD
Zach Allen: 2 tackles, 1 sack

Bills stats vs. Broncos at halftime

Josh Allen hasn’t done as much through the air through 30 minutes. Instead, the Bills have often had six offensive linemen on the field and have been running the ball often. That’s why they’re outgaining Denver 128-44 on the ground at halftime.

Below is a look at the BIlls’ stats from the first half:

Josh Allen: 9-of-12 passing, 69 yards, 88.5 rating, 6 carries, 35 yards
James Cook: 13 carries, 78 yards, 1 TD
Khalil Shakir: 3 catches, 34 yards
Matt Milano: 4 tackles, 1 sack

Wil Lutz doinks 50-yard field goal as Bills retain 10-7 halftime lead

Bo Nix led the Broncos to points on his first drive of the half. He nearly did on his final drive of the half as well. 

Denver marched the ball methodically on its final drive of the half before a Nix-to-Courtland Sutton completion put the Broncos into field goal range. Lutz was called on to attempt the 50-yarder, but it just curled right and hit off the right upright, denying Denver points as time expired in the half.

As a result, the Bills remain ahead of the Broncos 10-7, thanks largely to a strong rushing effort. Buffalo has 128 yards and a touchdown on 22 carries, as James Cook and Josh Allen have generated plenty of tough yards against a quality Denver run defense.

The Bills are only outgaining the Broncos 189-161 but they are winning the time of possession battle by 9:20. Buffalo will get the ball to start the second half. Another long drive could start to tire out Denver’s defense, but as long as the Broncos are within striking distance, the Bills can’t get too comfortable.

Marvin Mims called for personal foul penalty after being leveled by Mack Hollins

Punts have been eventful during the Bills vs. Broncos game. This time, Sam Martin uncorked one that Hollins timed up perfectly. The veteran receiver slammed into Mims right when he caught the punt, preventing a return and putting a massive hit on the 5-11 speedster.

Mims didn’t take kindly to a Bills long snapper Reid Ferguson trying to rip the ball out of his hands after he went down. He got up and got in Ferguson’s face, drawing a flag from the officials.

As a result, Denver will be backed up as it looks to score in the two-minute drill.

Broncos sack Josh Allen, force Bills punt at two-minute warning

Allen was sacked just once in six games leading up to the playoffs, but the Broncos managed to bring him down after Zach Allen beat David Andrews on a second-and-13. 

The Bills checked the ball down on a third-and-21 and now will have to punt with two minutes left in the half. That will give the Broncos another chance to score before halftime, trailing 10-7.

Broncos actually punt, pin Bills at 1-yard line

Denver’s fake punt didn’t end up netting the Broncos any points, but it did net them bettere field position. Riley Dixon launched a perfect punt that checked up just inside the 1-yard line. Marvin Mims managed to corral it to pin Buffalo deep for its third drive of the game.

The play was the second strong one for Dixon and Mims on the drive. The two connected on the fake punt pass that helped the Broncos cross midfield.

Broncos fake punt, Riley Dixon completes first-down pass to Marvin Mims

The Broncos appeared poised to punt for the second consecutive possession, but they instead faked the punt. Dixon deked out the defense and lofted a perfect pass to Mims, who brought it in to continue Denver’s possession.

Denver is now on the cusp of field goal range. We’ll see if Sean Payton’s gamble pays off, much like his surprise onside kick in Super Bowl 44.

Are James Cook and Dalvin Cook brothers?

Yes, they are. The more interesting thing about them, however, is their middle names.

Dalvin Cook’s full name is ‘Dalvin James Cook.’ James Cook’s full name is ‘James Dalvin Cook.’

James Cook punches in 5-yard touchdown to put Bills ahead

Cook has started the game with some hard-nosed, physical runs. That included his 5-yard carry to cap off a 13-play, 81-yard touchdown drive that put the Bills ahead 10-7, after Tyler Bass’ extra point.

Cook now has 60 yards and a touchdown on nine carries. The Bills have 100 total rushing yards with 12:57 left in the second quarter. Bills 10, Broncos 7

Broncos leading Bills 7-3 after first quarter

Denver got off to a great start with their first drive on the road in Buffalo, as Bo Nix hit Troy Franklin for a 43-yard touchdown to give them an early lead. Since then, the Bills have consistently moved the ball on the Broncos but haven’t yet managed to get into the end-zone.

Nix isn’t looking like a rookie, as he completed 3-of-3 passes for 64 yards and the touchdown in the first quarter. That gives him a perfect 158.3 passer rating.

Comparatively, Josh Allen had a couple of misfires in the end-zone. Otherwise, he has been solid, going 6-of-9 passing for 45 yards with 19 yards on the ground.

The Bills are outgaining the Broncos 124-75 and are threatening to score for a second consecutive drive. They will have the ball on Denver’s 21-yard line facing a first-and-10 to start the second quarter.

Taron Johnson injury update

Good news for the Bills: CBS Sports’ Tracy Wolfson reports that Johnson, the team’s star nickel back, has cleared the NFL’s concussion protocol.

However, Johnson remains in the locker room and is being evaluated for a neck injury. His return is questionable.

Are the Bills building a new stadium?

Yes, the Bills are planning to build a new stadium. The team released new renderings of the arena, which is set to open in July of 2026, ahead of their playoff run.

Bills force three-and-out despite Taron Johnson injury

The Broncos spread out the field on third-and-5 hoping to take advantage of Johnson’s absence. Instead, Bo Nix tried to scramble to the right side of the field but was chased down by Buffalo linebacker Matt Milano for no gain.

Riley Dixon punted the ball back to the Bills, who will start at their own 19-yard line.

Taron Johnson injury update

Johnson suffered an apparent injury on the Bills’ second drive of the game after a helmet-to-helmet collision with Broncos running back Javonte Williams. Johnson remained down on the field as Buffalo’s medical staff came to tend to him.

Johnson was able to get off the field under his own power but was taken to the blue medical, presumably to be evaluated for a head injury. The seventh-year cornerback was an All-Pro second teamer in 2023 and is one of the best slot corners in the NFL.

Bills settle for field goal after Josh Allen overshoots Amari Cooper

The Bills drove the ball with ease on their first drive of the game but got bogged down in the red-zone. Allen took a couple of shots at the end-zone but misfired on a throw to a wide open Dawson Knox on the run before sailing a throw to Cooper out of the back of the end-zone.

Tyler Bass nails the chip shot to cut Denver’s lead to 7-3 in the first quarter.

Bills-Broncos score: Bo Nix, Denver strike first with long TD

Giddy up.

Denver took the ball to start the matchup, and they took it to the end zone less than three minutes into the game. After a third-down conversion, quarterback Bo Nix found receiver Troy Franklin deep for a 43-yard touchdown pass for six. The Broncos are up early, 7-0.

Bills vs. Broncos start time

Start time: 1 p.m. ET

The Bills and Broncos kick off Sunday wild-card action at 1 p.m. ET. The Broncos travel to Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, N.Y. to take on the Bills.

Bills inactives vs. Broncos

No surprises on the Bills inactives list, as they enter the playoffs as one of the NFL’s healthiest teams. Here’s the inactives list for the wild-card matchup:

Broncos inactives vs. Bills

The Broncos once again shuffle their backfield, with Audric Estime hitting the inactives list vs. the Bills. Zach Wilson is the emergency QB today.

NFL best bets today: Bills vs. Broncos playoffs

Looking to make today’s Bills vs. Broncos game more interesting? Here are some of the best bets for the matchup:

Josh Allen OVER 41.5 rushing yards (-115)
Bo Nix OVER 26.5 rushing yards (-115)
Mack Hollins anytime TD (+340)

Bills vs. Broncos odds, moneyline, over/under  

The Bills are favored to defeat the Broncos, per to the BetMGM NFL odds. Not interested in this game? Check out expert picks and best bets for every NFL game this week. 

Spread: Bills (+9) 
Moneyline: Bills (-550); Broncos (+400) 
Over/under: 48 

Bills vs. Broncos live stream  

Live stream: Fubo, Paramount+, NFL+ 

For cord cutters looking for a live stream for the matchup, you can turn to Fubo. Fubo carries NBC, as well as CBS, FOX, NFL Network and the ESPN family of networks. 

CBS’ own streaming service, Paramount+, will also carry the game, as will the NFL’s streaming service NFL+. 

What NFL playoff games are this weekend? 

There are six NFL playoff games for the league’s wild-card weekend. Here’s the schedule: 

AFC wild-card games 

Saturday, Jan. 11: Houston Texans 32-12 Los Angeles Chargers  
Saturday, Jan. 11: No. 3 Baltimore Ravens (12-5) vs. No. 6 Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7) 
Sunday, Jan. 12: No. 2 Buffalo Bills (13-4) vs. No. 7 Denver Broncos (10-7), 1 p.m. ET 

NFC wild-card games 

Sunday, Jan. 12: No. 2 Philadelphia Eagles (14-3) vs. No. 7 Green Bay Packers (11-6), 4:30 p.m. ET 
Sunday, Jan. 12: No. 3 Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10-7) vs. No. 6 Washington Commanders (12-5), 8 p.m. ET 
Monday, Jan. 13: No. 4 Los Angeles Rams (10-7) vs. No. 5 Minnesota Vikings (14-3), 8 p.m. ET

Sean Payton playoff record 

Payton is in the playoffs for the first time as the Broncos’ head coach after reaching the postseason nine times over 15 years in New Orleans. Here’s how he’s fared each time he’s made the playoffs plus his cumulative record: 

2006: 1-1 
2009: 3-0 (Super Bowl championship) 
2010: 0-1 
2011: 1-1 
2013: 1-1 
2017: 1-1 
2018: 1-1 
2019: 0-1 
2020: 1-1 
Overall: 9-8 

Sean McDermott playoff record 

McDermott is back in the playoffs for the sixth consecutive season and his seventh time in eight years as the Bills’ head coach. Here’s how he’s fared each time he’s made the postseason: 

2017: 0-1 
2019: 0-1 
2020: 2-1 
2021: 1-1 
2022: 1-1 
2023: 1-1 
Overall: 5-6 

Bills vs. Broncos TV channel

TV channel: CBS

CBS will broadcast the Bills vs. Broncos matchup. Jim Nantz and Tony Romo will be on the call with Tracy Wolfson providing updates from the sideline. Jay Feely will provide kicking insight.

Bills vs. Broncos predictions, picks

Lorenzo Reyes: Bills 34, Broncos 20
Tyler Dragon: Bills 28, Broncos 20
Jordan Mendoza: Bills 31, Broncos 20

Robert Kraft stayed true to his word that the New England Patriots would move quickly to find a new coach.

The Patriots announced Sunday they have reached an agreement with former Tennessee Titans coach Mike Vrabel. New England will become the first NFL team this offseason to bring aboard a new coach, with the move coming one week after the franchise fired Jerod Mayo after only one season.

Vrabel, 49, interviewed with the Patriots on Thursday. In addition to talking with Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, New England also spoke with former Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich and former Houston Texans offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton, thereby satisfying the Rooney Rule that requires teams to interview at least two external minority candidates for any head coaching vacancy.

Vrabel, who also interviewed with the New York Jets and Chicago Bears, was expected to be one of the most in-demand candidates on the open market. He compiled a 54-45 record and led the Titans to three consecutive playoff appearances from 2019-21, including an AFC championship game berth in his first trip to the postseason. After being dismissed last January and not landing a head-coaching role with any other team, Vrabel spent this past season as a coaching and personal consultant for the Cleveland Browns.

Vrabel already had a longstanding relationship with Kraft after his eight-year run as a linebacker and goal-line tight end for the Patriots. A key cog in three of Bill Belichick’s Super Bowl-winning teams who went on to be selected to the Patriots’ 50th Anniversary Team, Vrabel spoke reverently of the organization during his October 2023 induction into the franchise’s Hall of Fame.

All things Patriots: Latest New England Patriots news, schedule, roster, stats, injury updates and more.

‘I want you not to take this organization for granted,’ Vrabel said. ‘I’ve been a lot of places. This is a special place with great leadership, great fans, great direction, great coaching. Enjoy it. It’s not like this everywhere.’

Mayo, who was appointed Bill Belichick’s successor prior to the legendary coach’s 24-year run ending last offseason, was dismissed following a 4-13 campaign. Kraft took the blame for putting Mayo in what he called an ‘untenable situation,’ but he said he believed the team regressed from midseason onward.

‘In the end, I’m a fan of this team first, and now I have to go out and find a coach who can get us back to the playoffs and hopefully championships,’ said Kraft, who added he wanted to move quickly to find a replacement.

With Vrabel in the fold, the pressure will be on in New England to overhaul a roster that was largely still made up of Belichick holdovers. New England is projected to have in excess of $123 million in cap space – more than any other team, according to Over The Cap – and holds the No. 4 pick in the NFL draft. The offensive line and receiving corps are likely to be particular points of interest for a team looking for additional avenues of support for quarterback Drake Maye, the No. 3 pick in last year’s NFL draft.

Félix Hernández’s Hall of Fame candidacy takes on a greater significance beyond whether a borderline candidate gains entry to Cooperstown.

No, the 15-year Seattle Mariners ace is among the first most notable tests to determine just what a Hall of Fame pitcher looks like in this ultramodern era.

Oh, the coming years will bring plenty of aces whose stuff and statistics would’ve played in any era. Longtime teammates Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander are locks – if they ever stop pitching. Clayton Kershaw, the greatest left-hander of his time, has built a case not dissimilar to that of his predecessor as a Los Angeles Dodgers legend, Sandy Koufax.

Yet after they’ve given their speeches and accepted their plaques, what’s next?

The 200-inning season is on life support. The 4,000-inning career exited when Randy Johnson did. The sixth inning increasingly is deemed too treacherous for starting pitchers.

Follow every MLB game: Latest MLB scores, stats, schedules and standings.

While Hernández’s career partly predated those trends – or touched them at the very end – his run from 2005-2019 certainly spanned a period of time when pitcher evaluation greatly changed.

Now, his resume will get the ultimate scrutiny.

CHASE UTLEY: Phillies legend trending towards Hall of Fame?
IAN KINSLER: Rare 30-30 second baseman debuts on Hall of Fame ballot

The case for Félix Hernández

Hernández won the 2010 American League Cy Young Award and narrowly missed winning the previous year. That he won in the season he posted a 13-12 record and finished second when he went 19-7 – behind 16-8 Zack Greinke – speaks to the shifting evaluations.

Just 24, Hernández painted his masterpiece in 2010, setting career highs in innings (249 ⅔), WAR (7.2) and adjusted ERA (174). He was almost as good in 2014, posting career bests in ERA (2.14), strikeouts and strikeouts per nine innings (248, 9.5) in notching a second AL Cy runner-up finish, this time to Corey Kluber.

Hernández was a six-time All-Star and two-time AL ERA champion, both coming in his most dominant seven-season stretch from 2008-2014, when he posted a 2.82 ERA over 230 starts and 1,595 innings, with a 3.5 strikeout-walks ratio. His 1,533 strikeouts are most in baseball in that span, and his ERA and adjusted ERA (138) are second only to Kershaw (2.48, 151).

The case against

The notion that life begins at 30 certainly doesn’t apply to Hernández; he hit a physical and performance wall right around that time. He made his last All-Star appearance at 29, in 2015, and was a roughly league-average pitcher the following season.

Hernández made just 15 and 16 starts, respectively, in 2017 and ’19, and pitched to a 5.55 ERA over 28 starts in 2018. He was worth a combined -2.0 WAR in his final two years in Seattle before signing with Atlanta prior to the 2020 season. He opted out of the COVID year and spent spring training with the Orioles in 2021, but didn’t pitch in the majors again.

That leaves him with something of an incomplete resume. Hernández would be the only Hall of Fame pitcher in the modern era with an adjusted ERA as low as 117 and less than 3,000 innings pitched. While wins remain properly contextualized, they do him no favor here, either: His 169 wins and 3.42 ERA over 2,729 innings leave him short of the Hall by traditional metrics, while his adjusted ERA and 49.9 bWar put him squarely in a good-but-not-quite-enough neighborhood occupied by the likes of Roy Oswalt, Jamie Moyer and Mark Langston.

X factors

Cursed by a series of teams both middling and maddening, Hernández never pitched in a playoff game, as the Mariners won 86 to 89 games just five times in his 15-year career; that lack of exposure did no favors for a player located in the Pacific Northwest. Hernández did command the national zeitgeist when he pitched a perfect game in August 2012, to the delight of his King’s Court fan group at Safeco Field.  

Voting trends

In Hernández’s first year on the ballot, he has received support on 24.6% of publicly revealed ballots, according to Ryan Thibodaux’s Hall of Fame tracker. That’s well short of the 75% necessary for induction but would represent a modest start to the 10 years in which Hernández is eligible for the ballot.

Bottom line

A classic borderline case, Hernández should only see his support grow as the years go on. For now, any strong verdict on his fate is an awful lot like his case for Cooperstown: Incomplete.

The first pass of Jayden Daniels’ NFL career went backward and was ruled a fumble for a loss of 6 yards in his Week 1 debut against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. 

Almost everything since then, an eventual 37-20 loss for the Washington Commanders, has been positive for them and their rookie quarterback. 

They’ll return to Tampa on Sunday in the wild-card round as the NFC’s No. 6 seed and winners of 12 games.

“It’s a full-circle moment. You don’t usually get to play somebody at the start of a season, the start of a second season,” head coach Dan Quinn said Wednesday. “They absolutely got the best of us (Week 1). It’s a good measuring stick to see how much we’ve improved. They’re an excellent team, and clearly on that day showed it.”

Washington won the next week against the New York Giants and started the season 7-2 before a three-game losing streak threatened to derail the first season of Daniels’ and Quinn’s tenure. 

All things Commanders: Latest Washington Commanders news, schedule, roster, stats, injury updates and more.

But they ended the season on a five-game winning streak and clinched a spot in the playoffs – which Quinn referred to as the “second season” – with a week left in the regular season.  

“We were a completely different team now than we were then, probably same with them,” McLaurin said of the rematch. “Both teams have improved. Both teams have had to adjust. I think we’ve really found an identity at this point in the season, whereas that was our first game of the season. It was, for Jayden, his first NFL snaps.” 

On that Sunday, McLaurin saw a different type of intensity than he’d seen in his first five seasons with the Commanders, but not the adequate level of execution. That has improved throughout the season and needs to stay that way, McLaurin said. 

The presence of their rookie signal-caller, who will almost certainly take home Offensive Rookie of the Year honors, has been equally important. 

“The first game, we didn’t know what we were or who we were, what (Daniels) was,” offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury said Thursday. “And so, even me calling plays and understanding how to put him in better situations to be successful.” 

Kingsbury may have exaggerated the result of Daniels’ first pass, but his point was that the 2023 Heisman Trophy winner has improved throughout the year. 

“I mean, the very first pass he threw for like minus-20, like a backwards pass,” Kingsbury said. “And he’s just come a long way. So, it’s a lot of hard work, a lot of mental reps. And so, I’m anxious to see the second time around how far we’ve come as a (sic) entire unit.”

The week the team spent in Arizona after a Week 3 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals – Daniels’ late touchdown pass to McLaurin asserting him as legit – on “Monday Night Football” went a long way in establishing the culture he desired to build, Quinn said. Olympic swimming champion Michael Phelps addressed the team about sustaining winning habits. 

Defensively, linebacker Bobby Wagner said the Tampa Bay offense, coordinated by head-coaching candidate Liam Coen, had success in the screen-game. The scheme is one Wagner is familiar with from his years with the Seattle Seahawks and the one season he spent with the Los Angeles Rams, where Coen spent time under Sean McVay. 

At the line of scrimmage, Wagner said, the defense will check and the offense audible in return. 

“It’s just a fun game, and the whole world is watching,” Wagner said.

Buccaneers rookie running back Bucky Irving can pop long runs and is “someone who has that respect” of the Washington defense, Wagner said.  

“The team has earned this right to go fight and we’re going to fight like hell,” Quinn said. “When you get into the postseason, you want to make sure you’re playing your best football and we’ve worked hard to find those areas of improvement.

“I love what we stand for as a group, and these guys have earned this right to go battle, and I’ll leave it at that.”

American Lauren Macuga claimed her first World Cup victory on Sunday in a super-G race in St. Anton, Austria as her compatriot Lindsey Vonn finished fourth on her comeback to the sport.

Macuga delivered an almost flawless run, winning by 0.68 seconds ahead of Austria’s Stephanie Veiner with Italy’s Federica Brignone finished third.

‘It felt like I was pushing it but I kept getting pushed late, getting low in the line but I think that actually helped me to be clean and really go into it,’ the 22-year-old Macuga told reporters.

The 40-year-old Vonn, four-times overall World Cup champion, stood stunned in the finish area, celebrating her best performance since coming out of retirement this season.

‘I feel really confident. My equipment is getting better every day, my confidence is there. Now I just have to get that last 10-15% that I know I can get to,’ she said.

‘I think I was a little bit more active today but the conditions were not easy. I think I made some pretty big mistakes, so to be fourth is something I am really proud of.’

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