The 2025 NFL season has been an absolute thriller. Much of the hype has been surrounding the 15-1 Kansas City Chiefs who are on the hunt to make history to complete the first-ever three-peat, and considering the sheer amount of games they won this season, it’s hard to see past them. Online sportsbooks clearly agree.
The latest odds from the popular Bovada’s Sportsbook currently make the Chiefs a +300 joint-favorite to win the Lombardi once again this season, level with the Detroit Lions. However, when you think about it, those odds could be somewhat flattering. A plethora of walk-off field goals and controversial pass interference calls somewhat padded KC’s record, and they could have finished as low as 8-8 – missing the playoffs entirely – if everything didn’t go their way.
But the exciting campaign of Patrick Mahomes and Co. was representative of the entire league and as such, many expected that to continue into the postseason. The Wildcard Round of the playoffs is usually the most exciting weekend in all of sport, but to say 2025 was a dud would be the understatement of the century.
The Blowouts That Defined the Round
Out of six games, five were blowouts, with margins so wide that excitement evaporated early in most matchups. Let’s look at each game to grasp the issue.
Buffalo Bills 31, Denver Broncos 7
The Broncos powered into the playoffs with a resounding 38-0 thumping of the Chiefs’ practice squad on the final day of the regular season. That set them on a collision course with the Buffalo Bills in the wildcard round, but unfortunately, fans were left longing for the Cincinnati Bengals who were unceremoniously robbed of a spot in the postseason courtesy of KC’s controversial decision to rest their starters, practically guaranteeing Denver the seventh and final playoff spot.
They did get off to the perfect start on their trip to Highmark, with Bo Nix finding Troy Franklin for a 43-yard touchdown after barely three minutes. But from then on, it was one-way traffic.
Josh Allen delivered yet another masterful performance in his bid for the MVP award, throwing for 272 yards, two touchdowns, zero interceptions, and providing an additional 46 yards on the ground. The former University of Wyoming star was backed up by solid rushing from James Cook, who added a mighty 120 yards and a touchdown.
Baltimore Ravens 28, Pittsburgh Steelers 14
All season long, the Baltimore Ravens and the Pittsburgh Steelers battled it out for the top spot in the AFC North. And whilst it was a close-run thing at times, it became abundantly clear that it was the former that was far superior to the latter as the season progressed.
The Ravens were one of the most bet-on teams against the spread throughout the opening half of the season, and while they did falter somewhat, the latter part of the campaign saw them truly hit their stride. That was the case in the postseason as well, with a Derrick Henry and Lamar Jackson masterclass securing a resounding 28-14 victory. The hosts led 21-0 and 28-7 at points, and a victory for the Black and Yellow never looked likely.
Houston Texans 32, Los Angeles Chargers 12
Perhaps the tightest game to call on wildcard weekend was the Los Angeles Chargers’ visit to the Houston Texans. The Californian side was narrowly favored to secure the victory against the AFC South winners, but unfortunately, talented quarterback Justin Herbert picked the worst possible time to deliver his poorest performance under center.
The 26-year-old threw for four interceptions after the Lone Star State defense put on an absolute clinic. They secured a pick-six and returned a two-point attempt to lead their side to a resounding 32-12 victory.
Philadelphia Eagles 22, Green Bay Packers 10
While slightly more competitive on paper, the Eagles-Packers clash never really threatened to take off. Philadelphia’s defense ranked first in the league, smothered Jordan Love, intercepting him three times and forcing several costly mistakes. The Eagles offense did just enough, with Jalen Hurts contributing two touchdown passes and Saquon Barkley rushing for 119 yards.
Los Angeles Rams 27, Minnesota Vikings 9
Even with relocation challenges due to wildfires in Los Angeles, the Rams took apart Minnesota with relative ease. They sacked Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold nine times – a postseason record – completely erasing any semblance of a contest despite Minnesota’s impressive regular season. Had they beaten the Detroit Lions on the final day of the regular season, they would have headed into the playoffs as the NFC’s top seed, instead they lost back-to-back games and are already out of contention.
Sole Saving Grace
The sole glimmer of excitement in this dismal round was the matchup between the Washington Commanders and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, which ended in a thrilling 23-20 victory for Washington. Rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels was the star of the show, throwing for 268 yards and two touchdowns, including a clutch connection with Terry McLaurin late in the fourth quarter. A last-second, doinked field goal by kicker Zane Gonzalez sealed the game, the capital city outfit’s first postseason win in almost two decades.
How Did 2025 Stack Up To Recent Years?
While this year may have felt particularly painful, last season’s wildcard round wasn’t much better. Just one game last term was decided by one score or less, that being the Detroit Lions’ emotional victory against the Los Angeles Rams, the franchise’s first postseason victory in 32 years.
The year before however was gripping. All three AFC wildcard games were nail-biters, with the Jaguars defeating the Chargers by just one point and the Bills beating the Dolphins by a field goal. The Bengals beat their divisional rival Ravens by a touchdown and if there’s one thing we can all agree on, the 2025 campaign would have been far more exciting had Joe Burrow and Co. featured somewhere.
