When the Los Angeles Rams got the ball back trailing by four with 2:38 left and their season on the line, Puka Nacua never doubted the outcome. “Never a doubt — No. 9 is with us,” Nacua said, referencing Matthew Stafford.
Matthew Stafford Does It Again as Rams Survive Panthers’ Scare
Stafford proved him right, calmly leading a 71-yard drive and capping it with a perfectly placed 19-yard touchdown to Colby Parkinson with 38 seconds left to seal a 34–31 comeback win over the Carolina Panthers and send the Rams to the Divisional Round.
Stafford finished 24-of-42 for 304 yards, three touchdowns, and an interception, while Nacua starred with 10 catches for 111 yards and two total scores. The Rams advanced despite being pushed to the edge by a Carolina team that refused to fold, even after falling behind early on a Stafford-to-Nacua touchdown pass and a 5-yard Nacua rushing score.
Kevin Ng-Imagn ImagesCarolina stormed back into the game and briefly seized control late in the fourth quarter. After a blocked punt set up a short field, Bryce Young found Jalen Coker for a 7-yard touchdown to give the Panthers a 31–27 lead with just over two minutes remaining. Young finished with 264 passing yards, a passing touchdown, and a rushing score, while Chuba Hubbard added two short rushing touchdowns.
It wasn’t the first time Stafford had answered. Earlier in the fourth quarter, he led a go-ahead drive capped by a 13-yard touchdown to Kyren Williams, only for the Panthers to rally again. Carolina’s final chance ended when Jimmy Horn dropped a fourth-down pass, closing a season filled with progress but little consolation.
The win was far from flawless. Stafford turned the ball over, the Rams had a punt blocked, and opportunities were left on the field — including a dropped potential third touchdown by Nacua before halftime. Still, the Rams survived. Named an All-Pro earlier in the day, Stafford capped the night by passing Kurt Warner for the most postseason passing yards and completions in franchise history, adding yet another signature moment to a career defined by them.
Up next, the Rams head to Chicago for a Divisional Round showdown next Sunday.
Matt Marton-Imagn ImagesJosh Allen Outlasts Jaguars, Ends Bills’ Road Playoff Drought
Josh Allen absorbed punishment and dished it out in equal measure Sunday, looking every bit like the reigning MVP while dragging the Buffalo Bills to a 27–24 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars in the AFC Wild Card opener on Sunday. The victory marked Buffalo’s first road playoff win in more than three decades, snapping a skid that had hovered over the franchise.
With linebacker Devin Lloyd closing in late, Allen delivered a 36-yard strike to Brandin Cooks just before the two-minute warning, then finished the go-ahead drive himself with a 1-yard touchdown run that Jacksonville all but conceded. One play earlier, Allen powered for 10 yards on a fourth-down sneak, refusing to go down as defenders dragged him toward the goal line.
Allen was efficient and fearless, completing 28 of 35 passes for 273 yards and a touchdown while adding two rushing scores and playing turnover-free football. Khalil Shakir caught 12 passes for 82 yards as Buffalo leaned on its quarterback with the run game largely contained. James Cook finished with 46 yards on 15 carries.
Syndication: USA TODAYJacksonville had one last chance, but Trevor Lawrence saw his first pass tipped and intercepted after Tre’Davious White got a hand on it, and Cole Bishop secured the takeaway. Lawrence finished 18-of-30 for 207 yards with three touchdowns, including scores to Brian Thomas Jr., Parker Washington, and Travis Etienne, though questions lingered about Jacksonville’s reluctance to run against a vulnerable Bills front.
Up next, Buffalo heads to Denver for a Divisional Round rematch of last year’s Wild Card game — one the Bills won convincingly.
49ers Lean on Creativity, Grit to Oust Eagles
The San Francisco 49ers eliminated the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles with a 23–19 Wild Card win, fueled by equal parts execution and ingenuity. Brock Purdy threw for 262 yards and capped the go-ahead drive late in the fourth quarter with a 4-yard touchdown to Christian McCaffrey. Earlier, San Francisco flipped the game with a trick play — a pitch to Jennings, who rolled right and lofted a perfect 29-yard touchdown to McCaffrey on the first snap of the fourth quarter.
Jennings finished with 66 receiving yards, 48 rushing yards, and the touchdown pass, while Purdy shook off two interceptions by All-Pro corner Quinyon Mitchell — turnovers the Eagles turned into just three points. The win was especially meaningful for Purdy, who secured the road playoff victory in Philadelphia that eluded him three seasons ago when he was injured in the NFC title game.
Cary Edmondson-Imagn ImagesPhiladelphia never found an offensive rhythm under embattled coordinator Kevin Patullo. Jalen Hurts threw for 168 yards and a touchdown, but the Eagles managed just 36 total yards in the third quarter and saw their final drive end on an incomplete 4th & 11 pass. Dallas Goedert scored twice, yet it wasn’t enough to overcome the offensive stagnation.
The biggest concern coming out of San Francisco’s Wild Card win centers on George Kittle, who was ruled out late in the first half after suffering what appeared to be a right Achilles injury. Kittle was pushed out of bounds on a 6-yard reception, immediately grabbed the back of his lower leg, and remained on the ground before being carted off the field. It was confirmed after the game that the All-Pro tight end indeed suffered an Achilles tear, which will end his season.
San Francisco now heads to Seattle for an NFC divisional showdown, though questions loom about the status of George Kittle, who was ruled out after suffering a right Achilles injury. The NFC West rivals split the season series, setting up a third meeting with everything on the line.
Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-Imagn ImagesPatriots Defense Overwhelms Chargers as Drake Maye Wins Playoff Debut
Drake Maye delivered the lone touchdown of the game in his playoff debut, and New England’s defense did the rest. The New England Patriots smothered the Los Angeles Chargers and roughed up Justin Herbert in a 16–3 Wild Card win, snapping a postseason drought that stretched back to their Super Bowl triumph following the 2018 season.
Maye completed 17 of 29 passes for 268 yards, ran for a team-high 66 yards, and capped a fourth-quarter drive with a precise 28-yard touchdown strike to Hunter Henry. While the rookie threw an interception and lost a fumble, the Chargers failed to capitalize. Andy Borregales added three field goals for New England, which will host either the Houston Texans or Pittsburgh Steelers in the Divisional Round.
The story, though, was New England’s defense. The Patriots held Los Angeles to just 207 total yards, sacked Herbert six times, and forced a critical strip-sack that set up Maye’s touchdown. Herbert, playing just over a month removed from surgery on his non-throwing hand, finished 19-of-31 for 159 yards and added 57 rushing yards, but fell to 0–3 in his playoff career. It marked the second straight Wild Card exit for the Chargers and their first playoff game without a touchdown since the 2007 AFC Championship loss — also to New England.
Los Angeles briefly threatened early after intercepting Maye inside the Patriots’ 10-yard line, but failed on a fourth-and-2 from the 2. From there, New England slowly took control. A 42-yard completion from Maye to Kayshon Boutte helped set up a third-quarter field goal, and the Patriots put the game away early in the fourth before linebacker K’Lavon Chaisson sealed it with another strip-sack.
Extra Points
Former Commanders OC and Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury has completed an interview for the Ravens head coaching vacancy.We have completed an interview with Kliff Kingsbury for our head coach position. pic.twitter.com/tjbkLXASL6
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) January 12, 2026 Josh Allen continues to shine in the playoffs.It's absurd how good Josh Allen has been in the playoffsHis 26-4 TD/INT ratio is the best in NFL history by far pic.twitter.com/mIlJNZOp8Z
— Lev Akabas (@LevAkabas) January 12, 2026 What a weekend it was:Her: “Why are you even watching the NFL playoffs your team isn’t even playing”Me: pic.twitter.com/lMzfDM4b9T
— NFL Memes (@NFLMemes) January 11, 2026 NBC revealed its updated score bug this week rather than waiting for the Super Bowl.Digging the new NBC scorebug.Upgrade in my book. pic.twitter.com/dzFeE8uaxQ
— NFL Fashion Advice (@fashion_nfl) January 12, 2026Hence then, the article about around the nfl wild card weekend matthew stafford does it again george kittle injury more was published today ( ) and is available on Bleacher Nation ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
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