NFL Wild Card Roundup

Last Updated on January 13, 2026 12:30 pm by Erwin Noguera

The NFL postseason could not have gotten off to a better start, with thrilling matchups, heart-stopping finishes, and several surprises in the Wild Card round.

It all began with the Panthers hosting the Rams, and despite Los Angeles being heavy favorites, the game ended 31–34 with plenty of late drama. That was followed by Bears vs. Packers, where Chicago pulled off a remarkable fourth-quarter comeback to clinch a 31–27 victory and advance.

On Sunday, the Bills also had to battle until the final moments to defeat the Jaguars in Jacksonville, 24–27, while the 49ers knocked out the defending champions, the Eagles, in Philadelphia with a 19–23 win. Perhaps the only “comfortable” victory that day was the New England Patriots’ 16–3 win over the Los Angeles Chargers.

Monday Night Football closed out the round with a dominant 6–30 road victory by the Houston Texans over the Pittsburgh Steelers, highlighted by an outstanding defensive performance and a great fourth quarter.

At Gambyl Exchange, you can explore all NFL predictions, the final bets for this Matchday, and the odds for each match.

NFL Wild Card Games

NFL Wild Card: Carolina Panthers vs. Los Angeles Rams

It was the matchup that looked the most lopsided, yet it turned into a thrilling game that ended with the Los Angeles Rams defeating the Carolina Panthers 31–34 in Charlotte.

The game seemed easy for the Rams early on, as they scored quickly and took a 0–14 lead at the start of the second quarter. However, the Panthers responded with two touchdowns and went into halftime trailing 14–17.

The second half was a back-and-forth battle: Carolina kicked a field goal, and Los Angeles answered with one of their own in the third quarter. In the fourth, the home team scored a touchdown to take the lead for the first time, only for the visitors to respond as well. Carolina then scored another touchdown, but the Rams delivered the final blow with 38 seconds remaining, as Colby Parkinson made a spectacular catch and literally fell into the end zone, hitting the knee of the pylon that marks the goal line.

On the final play, Bryce Young tried a deep pass for Jimmy Horn, which fell incomplete, though it was nearly impossible to convert.

It was a solid performance from Young, who completed 21 of 40 passes for 264 yards, one passing touchdown, and one interception, while also scoring a rushing touchdown. Chuba Hubbard added two more scores on the ground, while Jalen Coker found the end zone through the air with a nice catch and earlier had a 52-yard reception.

For the winners, Matthew Stafford completed 24 of 42 passes for 304 yards, three touchdown passes, and one interception. Puka Nacua scored both through the air and on the ground, marking his fourth consecutive game with a touchdown, a stretch in which he totaled six scores. The other touchdowns came from Kyren Williams and the aforementioned late score by Parkinson.

Result: Carolina Panthers 31-34 Los Angeles Rams

NFL Wild Card: Philadelphia Eagles vs. San Francisco 49ers

The San Francisco 49ers pulled off one of the biggest surprises of the weekend by eliminating the defending champions, the Philadelphia Eagles, on the road with a 19–23 victory.

It was a very even game that was decided in the fourth quarter, thanks largely to a strong 49ers defense that allowed just one passing touchdown and one rushing touchdown, both by Dallas Goedert, while holding Saquon Barkley to 106 yards on 26 carries.

The key play of the game came in the final quarter, when Jauan Jennings lined up as quarterback and threw a 29-yard pass to Christian McCaffrey for a touchdown, giving San Francisco a 16–17 lead. The running back scored twice, both through the air, while the other touchdown came from Demarcus Robinson, who totaled 111 yards on six receptions.

Despite two interceptions by Quinyon Mitchell, the Eagles’ offense could not get going. Jalen Hurts completed 20 of 35 passes for 168 yards and one touchdown with no interceptions, while Brock Purdy went 18 of 31 for 262 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions.

The bad news for the 49ers was the injury to George Kittle, who will miss the remainder of the season, costing them one of their best players.

Result: Philadelphia Eagles 19-23 San Francisco 49ers

NFL Wild Card: New England Patriots vs. Los Angeles Chargers

Much more was expected from the New England Patriots, but a strong defensive performance was enough to secure a 16–3 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers and advance to the postseason.

It was a game in which Hunter Henry scored the only touchdown, with the rest of the points coming from field goals. Drake Maye struggled in the first half but improved in the second, though without being outstanding.He completed 17 of 29 passes for 268 yards, one passing touchdown, one interception, and was sacked five times, losing two fumbles. He did, however, have an excellent 37-yard run and totaled 66 rushing yards on 10 carries.

For the Chargers, Justin Herbert finished 19 of 31 for 159 yards, with no touchdowns or interceptions, and was sacked six times. K’Lavon Chaisson and Milton Williams each recorded two sacks. They had a great opportunity early on to score in the first quarter and take the lead after recording an interception at the 10-yard line, but they failed to capitalize on it, in what could be a key moment.

Result: New England Patriots 16-3 Los Angeles Chargers

NFL Wild Card: Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Houston Texans

The Houston Texans delivered a major statement thanks to a solid defensive performance, crushing the Pittsburgh Steelers 6-30 on the road to advance to the divisional round.

Despite the lopsided final score, it must be noted that heading into the fourth quarter, the game was still close at 6–7. It was a contest in which the Texans limited Aaron Rodgers to 17 completions on 33 attempts for 146 yards, with no touchdowns, one interception, and four sacks. The Steelers’ only points came from two field goals by Chris Boswell. For many, it may have been the final game of the legendary 42-year-old quarterback.

On the other side, C.J. Stroud completed 21 of 32 passes for 250 yards, with one interception and one passing touchdown caught by Christian Kirk in the second quarter.

The game remained even until early in the fourth quarter, when Sheldon Rankins recovered a fumble after tackling Rodgers and returned it 33 yards for a touchdown. A minute and a half later, Woody Marks scored on the ground, and what ultimately ended the Steelers’ hopes was an interception by Calen Bullock, who returned it 51 yards for a touchdown against a demoralized Pittsburgh defense that practically let him go.

On offense, the scorers stood out: Marks rushed for 112 yards on 19 carries, while Kirk totaled 144 yards on eight receptions.

Result: Pittsburgh Steelers 6-30 Houston Texans