Payton, Macdonald, and QB Misfires Mark the Divisional Round

Divisional Round delivered a mix of coaching mastery and quarterback misfires: New England beat Houston behind a stingy defense and timely big plays, Denver rode Sean Payton’s creativity to a late win over Buffalo, and Seattle’s defense helped the Seahawks topple San Francisco to reach the NFC Championship, setting up a Rams–Seahawks title-game pairing after Los Angeles survived Chicago in OT. Losers included Caleb Williams’ late-game heroics not quite enough for the Bears, CJ Stroud’s four interceptions, and Josh Allen’s five-turnover heartbreak. The weekend underscored how edge play-calling and late-game decisions defined the results, with Patriots, Broncos, and the Seahawks–Rams survivor bracket shaping the title chase.