Sound Sensible: 6 Observations From the NFL Divisional Spherical

Soldier Field (Chicago) — You saw the Los Angeles Rams edge the Chicago Bears in a thriller and the Seattle Seahawks annihilate the depleted San Francisco 49ers. You saw the Denver Broncos prevail against the Buffalo Bills in controversial fashion and the New England Patriots outlast the Houston Texans. 

You probably didn’t see Broncos quarterback Bo Nix break his ankle, but you know by now that it happened.

So let’s try to spin it forward, dive deeper and think outside the box about what we witnessed in the divisional round of the playoffs. This is “Sound Smart,” where we prepare you for Monday morning with six observations from the second round of the postseason. If I do my job, you’ll be fluent in the NFL’s playoff action.

1. IF THERE’S ONE THING YOU SHOULD KNOW

Ben Johnson’s message about the Bears’ season was spot-on, but his players might’ve missed the point: They missed an opportunity.

Given the way Johnson’s tenure with the Detroit Lions went (and how the Lions’ season went this year), the Bears head coach must have appreciated how close his team was. How they let the victory slip through their fingers in their 20-17 overtime loss to the Rams. How this sort of special run is hard to replicate.

Look at what happened to the Kansas City Chiefs in 2025 after their theatrical run of narrow victories in 2024. 

Look at what happened to the Minnesota Vikings from last season to this one.

It’s not easy to win one playoff game. It’s not easy to get into a position to take down Sean McVay, Matthew Stafford and the Rams in the postseason. Ask Josh Allen about how many shots he’s gotten to play in the conference title game. And so I found one quote from Johnson to be salient during his postgame press conference.

A reporter asked whether Johnson felt momentum building into next year.

“Next season is next season. It’s a new chapter,” Johnson said at the postgame podium in Chicago. “We’ll have to write a whole brand new story. That’s the thing about this, you put in all this work and you sacrifice and you trust the people around you and you can’t take any shortcuts. I wish I could say this is momentum from year one. It doesn’t work that way. It doesn’t work that way. And honestly, I don’t want to talk about next year yet.”

The momentum for next year is as real as the momentum that Chicago felt after tight end Cole Kmet caught Caleb Williams‘ miraculous heave to the end zone on fourth down in the final moments of regulation. At that point, the Bears thought they were winning Sunday, defensive tackle Grady Jarrett admitted. Williams said he was visualizing the different scenarios where the Bears would win in overtime.

None of his imaginations came true.

Caleb Williams made the two biggest throws in the Bears’ loss to the Rams: a last-second TD pass in the fourth quarter and an interception late in overtime. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

Just as quickly as Soldier Field flooded with momentum, it dried up with Williams’ overtime interception. A few minutes later, the Rams kicked a field goal to win.

“This is what happens. It ends abruptly,” Johnson said.

I was surprised upon hearing a particular word cropping up in the Bears locker room — and then also during Williams’ postgame press conference:

“Excited.”

Excited?

“It’s a frustration. It’s a fire. Those are the two words I’d go with. I’m excited, though,” Williams said. 

He added: “Every year is its own thing, but I will say that … we’ve got a good core that the organization’s done a good job of building and so the growth that we’ve had is going to be enjoyable. … We’re going to be here for a little bit. I’m excited about it.”

Enjoyable?

Williams wasn’t the only player who was “excited” after what — at least to me — seemed like a devastating defeat.

“I’m so excited to have [Williams] as my quarterback,” Jarrett stated. “Simply the combat. Simply the resiliency. Simply the uncooked expertise and the idea. The sky’s the restrict for him. I’m so happy with him to see the expansion from the primary day of OTAs to now. Do not get it twisted. We damage. … I am saying we damage, however we’re additionally happy with the trouble and the dedication that it took to even get up to now.”

And what concerning the working backs? They’d an particularly laborious time changing these third- and fourth-and-short performs versus the Rams.

“We took a step in the precise route this yr, and we’ve been counted out all yr,” Bears RB D’Andre Swift stated. “It ain’t no ethical victory. I perceive that, however I’m rattling happy with this group, this teaching workers — the work that all of us put in. No person is aware of, outdoors of this constructing, what we do each single day. So we took a step in the precise route.”

This wasn’t a rainbows-and-butterflies locker room. However it wasn’t what I’d anticipated. And from my vantage level, the gamers are lacking the purpose that their coach made at his press convention.

The Bears had greater than sufficient alternatives to win this recreation. You would possibly even argue that they need to have received this recreation. They missed so many probabilities to place themselves in a greater place to win. There was the fourth-and-2 on the opening drive that resulted in an interception. There was the second-quarter turnover on downs that got here after failed third-and-1 and fourth-and-1 makes an attempt. There have been the crimson zone struggles, together with the truth that they got here away empty after a first-and-goal from the Rams’ 5-yard line within the fourth quarter. 

And naturally, there was the interception in additional time, the place Williams made an unnecessarily dangerous throw on second-and-8 — he later known as it a “miscommunication” with D.J. Moore on how the route ought to’ve been run. Rams security Kam Curl ended up securing the back-breaking turnover.

Swift got here to Williams’ protection on that play.

“Man, that ain’t on Caleb,” he stated when requested if he spoke to Williams after the ultimate interception. “Don’t fear about that. Play that kind of recreation — it ain’t on Caleb in any respect.”

In any respect? 

Williams made unbelievable performs — with the throw to Kmet being downright not possible for each different QB within the league and perhaps within the historical past of the league. However that one throw can’t excuse the errors he made at different factors within the recreation. The blame right here hardly falls on Williams alone, even with three interceptions. Loads of Bears got here up brief, and it is comprehensible for them to again their 24-year-old QB.

The Bears have constructed a tradition round Johnson, who seems to be a particular coach.

Additionally they belief Williams, given the unbelievable late-game work he did all season. His arm and creativity is in contrast to something I’ve seen.

That’s particular, too.

I simply surprise if the Bears (except for Johnson) understand the magnitude of their success this yr, as a result of I’m not completely positive they absolutely acknowledged the magnitude of their shortcomings on this recreation. It’s extremely unlikely that they will do this once more. Groups just like the Bears — with all these late-game heroics — are extra susceptible to regression, even with an elite coach and a younger QB. Even with a formidable core.

The Bears ought to’ve received this recreation. Possibly it hasn’t hit them but. It won’t hit them till at any time when they do not fall two performs wanting making the NFC title recreation, or miss the playoffs altogether. Possibly then they will actually perceive how far they acquired — and what they left on the desk in additional time towards Stafford and the Rams.

2. WHAT IF …

Payments QB Josh Allen by no means wins a Tremendous Bowl?

My coronary heart breaks for Buffalo. 

For those who’re a sports activities fan — a good-faith shopper of competitors — how might your coronary heart not break for the Payments and, particularly, for Allen?

With crimson, teary eyes, he stood in entrance of the media and struggled to get phrases out about Buffalo’s additional time loss to the Broncos. I hope you perceive my sympathy isn’t about bias or fanaticism. It’s about humanity. 

And man, it damage to look at Allen face failure, once more. 

The Payments’ season, on the entire, was spectacular. It was a hit by most groups’ requirements. However when measured towards Allen’s final purpose — a Tremendous Bowl win — the season was a failure. That’s the devastating actuality of the NFL. 

Solely 46 gamers will gown for the successful staff within the Tremendous Bowl. Allen received’t be one in all them.

“It’s extraordinarily tough,” Alen advised reporters. “Really feel like I let my teammates down tonight. … It’s been an extended season. I hate the way it ended. That’s going to stay with me for a very long time.”

With regards to being his fault, he’s proper — and he’s fallacious.

And I’ll get into the methods he let his teammates down and the way they let him down — and the way it all added as much as a devastating calculus that perhaps it’ll by no means occur for Allen. However first, I need to acknowledge the expectations and the stress which have smothered Allen. It’s why he’s clearly extra upset than we’ve ever seen him as a professional.

You should know: Buffalo has by no means ended a postseason run with a win. You should know: Buffalo has ended each Tremendous Bowl pursuit with heartbreak.

Many — most likely Allen included — thought Buffalo might win the Tremendous Bowl on Allen’s expertise alone. The aggressive means Allen performed in Denver (with 4 turnovers and three touchdowns) was proof that even he felt the Payments would solely win a Tremendous Bowl if he carried his staff there. We’ll by no means know for positive whether or not Allen’s play was overly aggressive.

We do know, nevertheless, that it was a delusion that made everybody imagine in Allen and the Payments. Media members had been infatuated with the thought of Allen getting his shot. For those who didn’t have a look at their roster, you’ll suppose: What higher alternative for Buffalo to win? No Patrick Mahomes. No Joe Burrow. No Lamar Jackson. However if you seemed on the roster rigorously, you may plainly see the methods this staff couldn’t — and didn’t — add as much as the others within the AFC.

Not except Allen was unsustainably glorious. And there’s the rub: the unsustainability. As a result of this Payments staff is sweet. However they’re positively not nice. They’re not a Tremendous Bowl roster with out the very best soccer participant on the planet enjoying like the very best soccer participant on the planet.

Josh Allen holds the NFL file for postseason wins (8) by a beginning quarterback and not using a Tremendous Bowl look. (Photograph by Dustin Bradford/Icon Sportswire through Getty Photos)

With Allen, they’d a shot. Till they didn’t.

“I feel all of us really feel that means,” Brandin Cooks stated via tears. “I look again and I’m like, ‘Man what might I’ve performed to have the ability to alleviate a few of that stress from him?’ You simply love this recreation a lot and if you come up brief like this, it’s going to sting for a very long time.”

The Payments’ loss to the Broncos was crammed with elation and deflation in ways in which solely Allen’s video games appear to supply. The throw to Cooks was one in all many who got here below scrutiny, as a result of it ended with cornerback Ja’Quan McMillian intercepting the soccer by snatching it out of Cooks’ fingers (extra on that within the subsequent part.) Cooks actually ought to by no means have been on the sector for the Payments. He joined the staff in late November, and he was one in all many pass-catchers who turned playmakers by necessity on a roster that didn’t have sufficient. And that thinning confirmed on that interception — and on the incompletion to Mecole Hardman (one other midseason addition) on the play earlier than the McMillan interception, the place Allen wasn’t in sync together with his receiver who ran too deep of a route.

Argue all you need over the interception. It was a 50-50 play the place the wonder or horror is within the eye of the beholder. I, for one, suppose the officers acquired that play proper. I additionally suppose they acquired the opposite calls proper. If there was one ambiguous name, it was the primary defensive go interference name on cornerback Taron Johnson, however on condition that there was additionally a roughing the passer penalty, it actually didn’t matter that the DPI seemed questionable.

None of that might’ve mattered if Allen had merely hit Dawson Knox on the Payments’ ultimate throw of regulation. If Allen had hit Knox, the tight finish most likely would’ve scored. And that might’ve effectually determined the sport.

However within the second that mattered most, Allen missed Knox. An overthrow.

There have been extra logic-defying performs the place Allen got here up brief. In an inexcusable play on the finish of the primary half, he scrambled with 16 seconds left (and no timeouts) and fumbled the ball to arrange a Broncos area purpose. It was three free factors for Denver and among the worst situational consciousness I’ve seen from Allen since his second season. (And that’s saying one thing.) Then Allen made issues worse with one other fumble on the second play of the second half. Within the third quarter, Allen threw an interception instantly after Bo Nix threw a choose — letting Denver off straightforward on the Broncos QB’s solely pricey mistake of the evening and the one takeaway from the Payments protection.

These errors made it clear as day: Nobody needed to win a Tremendous Bowl greater than Allen.

It will be foolish to say he needed it an excessive amount of. However it’s truthful to say that he felt he needed to do an excessive amount of. And given the rating, he most likely might’ve performed a complete lot much less and never turned the ball over 4 instances.

He will need to have seen the best way Drake Maye is ascending within the AFC East. He is aware of that Burrow and Mahomes and Lamar shall be again. He will need to have seen the best way Nix seemed a complete lot like Allen on this recreation. Even Trevor Lawrence is enjoying his finest soccer. Quarterbacks are the important thing to sustained success and there are so much of groups geared as much as be aggressive for the foreseeable future, particularly within the AFC.

It’s solely going to get tougher for Allen to win a Tremendous Bowl.

This offseason shall be about ensuring Allen has much less to hold — in the best way of offense, expectations and stress — in 2026. However on condition that he’ll be 30 years previous and performs so much like Cam Newton, Allen may be working out of time.

He should be questioning: What if I by no means win one? Will each season finish in tears?

Sean McDermott needed to name a timeout to get officers to overview the Broncos’ Ja’Quan McMillian’s interception. (Photograph by Dustin Bradford/Icon Sportswire through Getty Photos)

3. HE SAID WHAT?!

Sean McDermott known as The Buffalo Information late on Saturday evening to air out further grievances concerning the officiating — particularly the ruling on Denver defensive again Ja’Quan McMillian’s interception.

McDermott felt a uncommon sort of urgency to ship a second message about what occurred across the go supposed for Cooks, which resulted in an additional time interception. The Payments coach addressed the play on the press convention and questioned the officers’ course of in making their ruling and sharing their details about that ruling: that Cooks didn’t possess the ball for lengthy sufficient to represent a downed catch. That meant it was a turnover.

Apparently, after rewatching it and pondering via it once more (and once more (and once more), McDermott determined to name up The Buffalo Information’ Jay Skurski to air out extra grievances.

Sure, this form of cellphone name — which Skurski logged as a pool report — is extraordinarily uncommon.

McDermott repeatedly said: “That’s a catch all the best way.”

I nonetheless suppose it was an interception. 

The foundations say as a lot, even when our eyes make us suppose perhaps it was a catch.

“I assumed the ball got here free after they hit the bottom and McMillan ended up with it,” FOX Sports activities guidelines analyst Dean Blandino texted me. “Cooks has to carry onto the ball till his total physique is on the bottom, and it didn’t appear like he did. When it’s that shut, I like going with survival of the fittest. I assumed they need to have stopped the sport to do a full overview to eradicate any doubt that they checked out it intently. Finally, no matter means they dominated on the sector, to me, would stand.”

Within the slow-mo replay period, this isn’t only a recreation of inches. It’s a recreation of milliseconds. It was the kind of play the place you may solely say what you suppose occurred. However it’s not definitive. That form of grey space drives followers insane. 

It’s 2026. How can we not get it proper?

Properly, that’s as a result of there was concurrently no proper or fallacious name. Even within the yr 2026 — with all of the know-how and punctiliously spelled-out guidelines — there’ll all the time be ambiguity. It may be laborious to see at this precise second, but it surely’s a part of what makes this sport nice. That McDermott can’t see that’s stunning. 

That McDermott is refusing to take accountability within the warmth of the second is notable. He’s, in spite of everything, the identical man that stated this, only a month in the past.

“We go by what the officers name,” McDermott stated after a controversial win over the Patriots. 

The Payments coach will virtually positively face a advantageous for his feedback. He’ll doubtless win over the Buffalo fan base for the criticism and earn respect inside his locker room. I don’t know the way possession will view the outspoken conduct, but it surely stands to cause that McDermott and basic supervisor Brandon Beane might face job insecurity within the coming days. And never simply due to the criticisms of the officiating. McDermott and Beane have had six seasons of Allen in his prime. They don’t have a Tremendous Bowl to indicate for it.

Would possibly it’s time to provide another person a shot?

4. MONDAY MORNING CONTROVERSY

What the heck occurred to C.J. Stroud? Properly …

In a 27-16 loss to the New England Patriots on Sunday, Stroud was the primary participant with 5 or extra interceptions and 5 or extra fumbles in a single postseason since not less than 1991, per FOX Sports activities Analysis. I’d name Stroud a practice wreck, however that might be ungenerous to coach wrecks.

So, what occurred?

The identical factor that occurred to Justin Herbert.

Mike Vrabel occurred.

Hearken to what Patriots linebacker Robert Spillane relayed after final week’s recreation when the Patriots put a hurting on Herbert and the L.A. Chargers at Gillette Stadium.

“After the sport, speaking to some of the fellows on the opposite staff, they’d no clue what we had been doing,” Spillane advised reporters in a postgame press convention.

The Patriots are enjoying undecipherable protection. Their blitzes are merciless and weird. Cornerback Christian Gonzalez appears to be like like one of many NFL’s finest. Similar with defensive deal with Milton Williams. And so does — of all folks— pass-rusher Okay’Lavon Chaisson.

It’s a testomony to them. It’s a testomony to their chief, Vrabel.

New England was a number of steps forward of Stroud and offensive coordinator Nick Caley — a former mentee of Patriots OC Josh McDaniels.

C.J. Stroud threw 4 interceptions within the first half alone versus the Patriots. (Photograph by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire through Getty Photos)

Stroud tried a tight-window throw on 14 of his 47 passes (29.8%), the best fee pressured by a protection over the previous six postseasons, per Subsequent Gen Stats. New England’s protection added 27.8 anticipated factors throughout 5 turnovers, essentially the most by a playoff protection within the Subsequent Gen Stats period (since 2016).

Stroud has been streaky — at finest — and downright dangerous — at worst — over the previous 10 video games. It ought to come as no shock that he turned the ball over. The shock was simply how typically New England generated takeaways. The Patriots had a good-not-great protection for many of the common season. This unit is barely recognizable, abruptly trying like the most effective within the NFL.

5. ONE PLAY THAT SAYS IT ALL

For all of the skepticism round Bo Nix and his capacity, he delivered.

On the primary play of additional time, the Payments determined to ship two further blitzers. It felt like when a brand new goalie steps in for the starter: You’ve acquired to check him. However Nix was good on the play. He used a tough depend to undress the protection — revealing their blitz and protection. Nix set his safety correctly so he had sufficient time to hit his hot-route, an 11-yard acquire to Courtland Sutton.

Buffalo needed a giant play to open additional time. Nix made them pay.

It was exemplary of what Nix did all recreation lengthy. The Payments had a formidable recreation plan ready for the younger QB, and on third downs, they threw all types of bizarre and artistic blitzes at Nix. It will be hyperbolic to say he didn’t flinch, given he threw an interception and accomplished fewer than 60% of his passes. However he carried out particularly nicely regardless of the literal and emotional stress.

I anticipate that Nix’s unbelievable recreation will get misplaced within the shuffle as everybody turns their consideration to backup Jarrett Stidham, who will take over for Nix within the AFC Championship Recreation. I, for one, don’t suppose the Broncos stand an opportunity anymore, given what the Patriots may have in retailer for Stidham. However I feel that’s all of the extra cause to acknowledge what Nix has performed quietly to determine himself as one of many NFL’s premier passers.

It’s a crowded house. It’s a bit of early to name him elite.

However as a result of Nix is tucked away in Denver and below Sean Payton’s wing, the younger QB doesn’t get a lot love. He had an superior season. He acquired considerably higher. And if he had been nonetheless wholesome, he might have even been a secure guess for Tremendous Bowl MVP.

6. EVERYONE’S AFRAID TO SAY IT …

Half 1: Seahawks GM John Schneider has been sensible, and defensive guru Mike Macdonald may be a … QB whisperer.

Throughout a coaching camp joint observe, Sam Darnold and Jaxon Smith-Njigba carved aside the Inexperienced Bay Packers protection. I had an interview scheduled with Cooper Kupp, who had two catches within the observe — each on significant downs. However I knew I used to be set to talk to the fallacious WR. Smith-Njigba was about to be a famous person. His breakout yr began in coaching camp.

He’s one in all Seattle’s many success tales this yr. Due to him (and all the opposite success tales), Darnold has been glorious. Due to all these success tales, Darnold is ignored.

This offseason, the Seahawks did what each analyst suggests a staff ought to do: exploit a price alternative within the QB market. They discovered a veteran castoff and constructed round him.

It ran opposite to the prevailing knowledge, which is that the very best worth is a QB on his rookie contract. The issue with that concept is that younger QBs usually take time to develop — in the event that they develop in any respect. We speak so much concerning the unreliability of QB growth, but it surely doesn’t appear to vary issues on draft day when groups spend first-rounders on QBs they suppose they will plug and play. By the point the QB has developed, he would possibly already be due for a megadeal. And such a contract creates challenges that the Payments and Chiefs now face. It’s laborious to construct a 53-man roster with a large contract taking on cap house. GMs need to hit on draft picks and bargain-bin free brokers at a excessive fee to construct round that QB. 

When Sam Darnold performs mistake-free soccer, as he did versus the 49ers on Saturday, the Seahawks are notably laborious to beat. (Photograph by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Photos)

So why not arrange a QB for fulfillment by giving him every part he wants?

Why not snatch a veteran castoff who is definitely plug-and-play? 

Why not store for a QB within the discount bin, quite than the opposite positions?

It’s simpler stated than performed. And when the counterintuitive idea fails, the manager appears to be like idiotic. He’s a punching bag for criticism. He’s open for firing.

That’s why it’s essential to notice what Schneider did. And it’s not simply how he moved on from Geno Smith to Darnold, which is definitely the least essential of all the selections Schneider made. No, it’s about all the opposite issues: drafting stars like Smith-Njigba, CB Devon Witherspoon, OL Grey Zabel and Charles Cross, DB Nick Emmanwori and working backs Kenneth Walker and Zach Charbonnet. The checklist goes on. And in free company, the Seahawks accomplished the ultimate spots on the roster, with Darnold, Kupp and DeMarcus Lawrence, amongst others. Additionally they traded Rashid Shaheed, who scored the game-opening kickoff return landing towards the San Francisco 49ers on Saturday evening.

It added up to a whole roster that’s harmful at each place.

For the second straight yr, the Seahawks quietly boasted one of many league’s extra prolific passers. Solely this yr, the Seahawks have arrange their roster and their recreation plan to depend upon that QB as little as attainable. Whereas Macdonald is deservedly celebrated for his defensive acumen, he has been excellent in fostering a constructive surroundings for his QBs.

You don’t usually consider the defensive man as a QB guru. However perhaps we must always.

As a result of whereas the 2018 draft class boasted Allen and Lamar Jackson and Baker Mayfield, it’s Darnold (as soon as a Jets choice) who abruptly appears to be like like the very best candidate to win a Tremendous Bowl. 

Half 2: Patriots WR Kayshon Boutte is the reality.

The win over the Texans wasn’t an particularly good recreation from Drake Maye, who turned the ball over thrice (one interception and 4 fumbles with two misplaced). He accomplished 62.5% of his passes for 165 yards and three touchdowns. And if not for Stroud’s efficiency, Maye’s shortcomings might need been a extra outstanding speaking level.

One man who didn’t come up brief was Boutte.

Boutte ripped down a one-handed landing regardless of protection from cornerback Derek Stingley. And perhaps Boutte had the boldness he’d make the catch as a result of he made a really related play towards Stingley earlier this yr. That’s proper, Boutte beat out one of many league’s finest corners on the deep ball a number of instances this yr. As Maye has honed that a part of his recreation, Boutte has been proper there for his QB to optimize the downfield passing.

“He retains on making them. He retains on making performs, making me look good,” Maye advised reporters after the sport. “A one-handed catch, not a lot else to say about it. It was fairly candy. Form of the identical kind of throw as my first one to him, and he made an excellent higher catch this time.”

New England would possibly sometime have a correct WR1. Possibly as quickly as 2026. However Boutte ought to stay the staff’s deep menace, as a result of his rapport with Maye is superlative.

Earlier than becoming a member of FOX Sports activities as an NFL reporter and columnist, Henry McKenna spent seven years overlaying the Patriots for USA TODAY Sports activities Media Group and Boston Globe Media. Observe him on Twitter at @henrycmckenna. 

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