# NFL Playoff Thread 2026 **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** football-nfl\ **Created:** [January 5, 2026, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-playoff-thread-2026/1026372 "2026-01-05T16:53:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 10
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2026, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-playoff-thread-2026/1026372/181 "2026-01-12T16:52:05Z")
I was half-watching ESPN this morning (no audio, just closed captioning) and I believe I saw one of the analysts call the Eagles offensive scheme “high school level”. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2026, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-playoff-thread-2026/1026372/182 "2026-01-12T17:26:42Z")
> [@Jasmine](#): > > First of all, San Francisco has a REALLY good team. They have a good QB and a good running game. Their defense is also good. They would have been the top seed if it wasn’t for their loss at Seattle. I’m not surprised they won, and their victory doesn’t mean that Philly or their coach is bad. With a few breaks they could, in fact, go to the Super Bowl. It’s not like San Francisco dominated them. The Niners won by 4 points. If you want to see a team absolutely handled on Wild Card weekend, watch what the Patriots did to the Chargers. **That’s** a game that should be demoralizing. Philly came up short but I think they showed why they were the 3 seed. > [@ShadowFacts](#): > > Patriots win ugly and Drake Maye was hardly in “MVP” form, but the defense really stepped up against a depleted Chargers offensive line and dominated in the trenches. The offense has been carrying this team while the defense has dealt with a lot of notable injuries over the past many weeks, so it was good to see them back to early season form, particularly as it relates to stuffing the run. The defense just wrecked Justin Herbert. I’m surprised he escaped injury in that game. There was one time the officials missed what should have been a roughing penalty from forcible contact to his helmet, but otherwise those were clean hits from a punishing pass rush. And I have to say, Maye might be careless at times, but the guy is fun to watch. I told my wife I was rooting for the Patriots because I am a fan of Maye, and also I like watching Jim Harbaugh lose. > [@garygnu](#): > > The 49ers blood sacrifices continue. I don’t normally watch injury replays, but Kittle didn’t look _too_ bad. Then I could see it snap through his sock. Ouch. I told my wife, “I’m as torn as Kittle’s Achilles.” Because I like him a lot and hate him being hurt, but I’m also glad the Seahawks won’t be facing him next weekend. The idea that he might not even be able to play next year sucks. Sometimes there are players on rival teams I like despite the rivalry. Kittle is one of those guys, just like how I loved Larry Fitzgerald back in the day. You can’t not like guys like that. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2026, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-playoff-thread-2026/1026372/183 "2026-01-12T17:41:34Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > The defense just wrecked Justin Herbert. I’m surprised he escaped injury in that game. There was one time the officials missed what should have been a roughing penalty from forcible contact to his helmet, but otherwise those were clean hits from a punishing pass rush. One thing about attending a game, you hear a lot of nonsense. The guys behind us were complaining about all the blitzes because sometimes they didn’t work, but it was clear they _were_ working, just sometimes the Chargers had play calls going the right way…but their OL was truly awful, and the blitzes were protecting the Pats DBs from long balls, and it was clear that sooner or later he was going to get clocked hard. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2026, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-playoff-thread-2026/1026372/184 "2026-01-12T17:45:27Z")
> [@Maserschmidt](#): > > The guys behind us were complaining about all the blitzes because sometimes they didn’t work, but it was clear they _were_ working, just sometimes the Chargers had play calls going the right way… Yup! A pressure doesn’t have to end in a sack to be successful. Sometimes it forces the QB to abandon the initial plan. It can prevent a long route from developing. And if you keep it up, it has a cumulative effect on an offense. The only time you can complain is when a team is taking advantage every time, by exploiting soft coverage with too many rushers. I don’t remember that being the case with the Chargers though. And you can’t complain too much when you sack their guy 6 times. (Even one case where there were back-to-back sacks on two plays, which is a total drive-killer.) ---
**Author:** ![Thing.Fish](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thing.fish/32/9168_2.png) [@Thing.Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing.Fish)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2026, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-playoff-thread-2026/1026372/185 "2026-01-12T17:55:14Z")
Well, my favorite teams are the Bears, Niners and Steelers, so I had a good NFL weekend and am hoping for the trifecta. In any case, the Steelers are going to be a very distant third in my heart as long as they have Aaron Rodgers on the payroll, so tonight is the least important. (Of course, I’m also an Oregon fan, and by extension a Justin Herbert fan, so it wasn’t a _great_ weekend by any means ☹ ) ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2026, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-playoff-thread-2026/1026372/186 "2026-01-12T18:25:26Z")
People in general are too results-oriented but this is especially true of sports fans. If something works, then obviously it was smart and the right decision, but if it fails, then it was the dumbest decision ever and we should fire the coach! The reality is that football is a lot more random and probabilistic than people think. Even about teams that win and lose – they act as though the result of one game is the definitive unmistakeable proof that one football team is clearly and thoroughly better than the other, when in reality a lot of close matchups can be like 52/48 and if they played the same game a thousand times over with slightly different random factors like wind gusts and fumble bounces or when a player lets his attention lapse for half a second, it could go either way. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2026, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-playoff-thread-2026/1026372/187 "2026-01-12T19:22:36Z")
> [@SenorBeef](#): > > People in general are too results-oriented but this is especially true of sports fans. If something works, then obviously it was smart and the right decision, but if it fails, then it was the dumbest decision ever and we should fire the coach! That is so true. If analytics strongly recommend a punt but you go for it and succeed, what a genius for going against conventional wisdom! If you fail, you are an idiot for not doing the obvious thing, and now you’ve just given up favorable field position to the opponent. I think every play comes down to strategy, execution, and luck. They are all a factor. The smartest plan will fail if a guy runs the wrong route, or the center snaps the ball poorly, or somebody misses a key block, or anyone draws a penalty. Players can run things perfectly, but can slip on wet turf, or a defender makes a ridiculously athletic move to get penetration, or you just step wrong to get hurt or get a cramp or whatever. Basically: > [@SenorBeef](#): > > The reality is that football is a lot more random and probabilistic than people think. It keeps football exciting, but also really sucks sometimes. Flukes happen so often that you question what a fluke is anymore. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2026, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-playoff-thread-2026/1026372/188 "2026-01-13T02:47:11Z")
A similar game to last night. Close at the half, and neither team able to get on a roll. And cold and windy! ---
**Author:** ![fedman1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e495f1/32.png) [@fedman1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fedman1)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2026, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-playoff-thread-2026/1026372/189 "2026-01-13T03:02:06Z")
Thanks for kind respectful comments about SF; what surprises me is your guy Richard Sherman seems to talk more about Niners–he only played 2-3 years with us–than Seahawks where he made his bones ---
**Author:** ![fedman1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e495f1/32.png) [@fedman1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fedman1)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2026, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-playoff-thread-2026/1026372/190 "2026-01-13T03:04:55Z")
I mean the kickers that make 50-65 FG regularly yet miss 35-40 XP surprises me ---
**Author:** ![fedman1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e495f1/32.png) [@fedman1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fedman1)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2026, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-playoff-thread-2026/1026372/191 "2026-01-13T03:11:11Z")
um, this is last game of 2026, and he will miss the 2027 season ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2026, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-playoff-thread-2026/1026372/192 "2026-01-13T03:13:04Z")
You’re off by a year. These playoffs are part of the 2025 season (it’s only January 12th, 2026), and the next regular season will be the 2026 season. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2026, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-playoff-thread-2026/1026372/193 "2026-01-13T03:26:56Z")
> [@fedman1](#): > > I mean the kickers that make 50-65 FG regularly yet miss 35-40 XP surprises me As I said in another thread recently: kicking is weird. (And I say that as a football fan who has been a particular student of the kicking game for over 40 years.) This season, the overall league success rate on XPs was 95.9%. In other words, on average, a kicker is missing an XP on one out of 20 tries. XP accuracy in the league has consistently been around 95% since they moved the scrimmage line for an XP back to the 15 yard line (making an XP a 33 yard kick) in 2015. This season, nine different kickers successfully made at least one field goal of 60+ yards. Of those, only two of them (Minnesota’s Will Reichard and Blake Grupe, who played for both New Orleans and Indianapolis) were perfect on XPs; Cincinnati’s Evan McPherson made 89% of his field goals (including a 63 yarder), but also missed three XPs. In the case of the Packers’ Brandon McManus (who missed two FGs and an XP on Saturday), he was an instant solution to the Packers’ kicking woes last year, and has a very strong leg (and was very accurate in '24), but he hasn’t been the same player this year. He missed three games after suffering an injury to the quadriceps muscle in his kicking leg in early October, but he’s been inaccurate all year, even before the injury: including the playoff game, he missed eight field goals this season (only a 75% success rate), and also missed two XPs. ---
**Author:** ![Thing.Fish](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thing.fish/32/9168_2.png) [@Thing.Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing.Fish)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2026, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-playoff-thread-2026/1026372/194 "2026-01-13T03:45:48Z")
WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT?? Discouse! ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2026, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-playoff-thread-2026/1026372/195 "2026-01-13T03:48:02Z")
The old man is getting his ass kicked, and I am here to enjoy it. ---
**Author:** ![Thing.Fish](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thing.fish/32/9168_2.png) [@Thing.Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing.Fish)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2026, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-playoff-thread-2026/1026372/196 "2026-01-13T03:48:36Z")
This game is to Aaron Rodgers’ career what the debate was to Joe Biden’s. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2026, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-playoff-thread-2026/1026372/197 "2026-01-13T03:49:33Z")
Aikman talking about Rodgers’ advanced age is icing on the cake. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2026, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-playoff-thread-2026/1026372/198 "2026-01-13T04:03:10Z")
Next week Texans at New England is going to be a battle. Two great defenses. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2026, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-playoff-thread-2026/1026372/199 "2026-01-13T04:07:02Z")
> [@Railer13](#): > > Next week Texans at New England is going to be a battle. Two great defenses. Indeed. I might consider going to that one too. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2026, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-playoff-thread-2026/1026372/200 "2026-01-13T04:08:22Z")
> [@Maserschmidt](#): > > Is the last play of Rodgers’ career going to be a pick-six accompanied by a half-ass tackle attempt? I think it might well be. My wife commented that Rodgers retired in the middle of the 4th quarter. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-playoff-thread-2026/1026372.md?page=9) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-playoff-thread-2026/1026372.md?page=11)