Looking Ahead to the Divisional Round: Can Josh Allen, Puka Nacua and More Keep Rolling?

That was pretty wild, wasn't it? At least the opening games were filled with playoff excitement. Then the Patriots-Chargers set the clock back to 1977 with a 16-3 New England victory on Sunday night. The Monday Night Football contest was a one-point defensive struggle through three quarters before a 23-0 fourth broke open the game.

Now it's time to look ahead to the Divisional Round. It's four games, two on each day of the weekend. There is no double-digit favorite this weekend, which many call the greatest weekend of football on the calendar. Let's take a quick look at the six teams that advanced.

Preview for the 2026 NFL Divisional Round

Los Angeles Rams

Rams Nation breathed a big sigh of relief when Colby Parkinson skied for a leaping sideline pass and then hit the pylon for a 19-yard score with :38 left to put the Rams up 34-31 in a game that was too close for comfort for a team favored in the double digits on the road … Matthew Stafford played through an injured index finger on this throwing hand after he banged into a helmet on a follow through. This is something to follow in the week ahead … Puka Nacua was his usual Superman self, catching 10-of-18 targets for 111 yards and a score, adding another rushing TD … Davante Adams shook the rust off with Stafford, as he hauled in 5 catches on 13 targets for 72 yards … The running back tandem of Kyren Williams and Blake Corum combined for 133 scrimmage yards and a TD. Williams (48% of the carries) and Corum (41%) split the workload pretty evenly.

Divisional Round Outlook vs. the Bears: The health of Stafford’s finger will be vital, and a talking point all week. As he goes, the LA offense will go. Nacua and Adams could be in for a big day if Stafford is right, as the Bears are No. 4 in most fantasy points allowed to quarterbacks and No. 6 against WRs. Jordan Love just torched them for 323 yards and 4 TDs.

Chicago Bears

The Monsters of the Midway have given way to the Windy City Cardiac Kids. We’ll keep workshopping that … Caleb Williams continued his magic carpet ride, passing for 361 yards and a pair of scores in his playoff debut, including the game-winning 25-yard dagger to DJ Moore with 1:43 left to put them up for good, 31-27 … Colston Loveland went all Gronk/Kelce in his coming-out party nationally, catching 8 balls for 137 yards, all on 15 targets. Can’t put that genie back in the bottle … Moore (7 targets), Luther Burden (7) and Rome Odunze (6) split up the bulk of the rest of the targets … D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai teamed up for 141 yards and a TD.

Divisional Round Outlook vs. the Rams: Williams is in his bag, as both of his 300-yard games this season happened in the past three games. The Rams are 14th against QBs, though keep an eye on the wideouts. Jalen Coker (9-134-1) and Tetairoa McMillan (5-81-0) got loose plenty against the Rams in the Wild Card round. Swift and Monangai must be salivating when watching film of Bijan Robinson going nuts for 229 total yards and a pair of TDs in Week 17. The Rams were 12th with 20.5 fantasy points allowed to RBs.

Buffalo Bills

It all starts and ends with Josh Allen, and in the Wild Card round he started and ended the game. The reigning MVP hit on 28-of-35 passes for 273 yards and a score, adding a pair of TDs and 33 rushing yards on 11 attempts. He was checked for multiple injuries, so his health status will get plenty of monitoring this week … James Cook was bottled up by one of the best run defenses in the league to the tune of 46 yards on 15 carries … Khalil Shakir had a great game against the Jaguars, catching all 12 targets for 82 yards … No other pass catcher surpassed 58 receiving yards, and Dalton Kincaid was on the receiving end of Allen’s only TD pass.

Divisional Round Outlook vs. Broncos: The top-seeded Broncos were tough overall against quarterbacks, allowing the ninth-fewest fantasy points (15) to the position. However, Trevor Lawrence provided Allen with the blueprint with 279 yards and 3 TD passes, adding another rushing TD. In that game Parker Washington went ham with 145 receiving yards, which could mean good things for Shakir. The Broncos were the No. 1 defense against running backs, which likely predicts another tough day for Cook.

San Francisco 49ers

Pour one out for George Kittle. The NFL and all those who follow it are worse off when one of the truly great players and personalities in the league is sidelined for any period of time. And after he tore his Achilles, Kittle will likely be sidelined into next season. For now, the team is a study in grit and perseverance, willing itself to the Divisional Round on a 23-19 victory over the Eagles that really took all the healthy bodies the 49ers could muster … Brock Purdy passed for 262 yards and a pair of scores, the last one was a 4-yard pass to Christian McCaffrey with 2:54 remaining in the game ... CMC was his usual all-world self against the stout Eagles D, accounting for 114 scrimmage yards and 2 receiving TDs … Demarcus Robinson (6-114-1) was the surprise receiving yards leaders … Jauan Jennings made the most of his opportunities, catching 1 pass for 45 yards and hitting on an option pass, a 29-yard score to McCaffrey.

Divisional Round Outlook vs. Seahawks: The 49ers’ reward for winning a hard-fought game against the Eagles is to travel up to Seattle to take on a Seahawks defense that’s top 5 against RBs and WRs, and No. 8 against QBs. The Seahawks just shut down the 49ers 13-3 in Week 18 to clinch the NFC West and the NFC’s No. 1 seed in the playoffs. Purdy and CMC will have to lead the charge if the 49ers are to have any hopes of advancing.

New England Patriots

In Drake Maye’s playoff debut, it proved to be the first team to score a TD would be the one to win what would eventually become a 16-3 rock fight against the Chargers. Maye passed for 268 yards, including a 28-yard TD to Hunter Henry for the game’s only trip to the end zone. Maye was a factor with his legs, leading New England with 66 rushing yards. Rhamondre Stevenson—10-53-0 rushing and 3-75-0 receiving—was the leading running back, with TreVeyon Stevenson pitching in 36 total yards … Kayshon Boutte caught all 4 passes for 66 yards, with Stefon Diggs drawing 5 targets and turning them into just 2 catches for 16 yards.

Divisional Round Outlook vs. Texans: The reward for outlasting a fierce Chargers D is to host the Texans, who are top 5 against RB and WR, and eighth against the QB. This will be a great test for Maye and his pass catchers, especially on any deep balls. Look for the Stevenson-Henderson tandem to get more than the combined 19 carries they received against the Chargers. Hard to feel confident in starting any of the pass catchers, as none have drawn more than 6 targets in the past three games. Expect another defensive showdown.

Houston Texans

The Texans dominated the Steelers, 30-6, with Woody Marks rushing for 112 yards and a score on 19 carries … Nick Chubb still vultured 10 carries, rushing for 48 yards … It was a rough day at the office for C.J. Stroud, who turned the ball over three times on the way to passing for 250 yards and a score … Stroud did, however, help Christian Kirk have a huge night, catching 8 balls on 9 targets for 144 yards and 1 TD … Nico Collins slammed his head into the turf going for a fall, and did not return to the contest. He was evaluated for a concussion.

Divisional Round Outlook vs. Patriots: If Collins misses the game, the Texans’ offense changes drastically. Not for the better. Jayden Higgins could see some extra targets, though Kirk would likely be relied upon to keep his game operating at a high level. The Patriots’ D just dismantled the Chargers in the run and pass game. On the season, New England was No. 5 against RBs, and down slightly to 11th against QBs. It’s another cold-weather game for the dome-dwelling Texans.