What we watched here
• NFL playoffs’ divisional round: The second weekend of the NFL playoffs are here and two teams have booked their spots in the conference championship round: the Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks.
• The Broncos win in overtime! After Josh Allen throws one last interception and the Bills commit key defensive penalties, the Denver Broncos kick a field goal to win their divisional round matchup against the Buffalo Bills, 33-30.
• Bo Nix out for the season: Nix, the Broncos quarterback who beat Josh Allen and the Bills to advance to the AFC Championship, will miss the remainder of the postseason with a broken ankle. The shocking news came after the game.
• Seahawks blow away the 49ers: The Seattle Seahawks got their game against the San Francisco 49ers started with a bang, returning the opening kickoff for a touchdown. They never looked back, blowing away San Francisco with a 41-6 victory.
Broncos top Bills in OT thriller
In a postseason already characterized by late-game dramatics, the Broncos emerged victorious from the first overtime game of the playoffs, beating the Buffalo Bills.
It was a measure of revenge for the Broncos after the Bills eliminated them last year. Their 33-30 victory, Denver’s first playoff win at home in a decade, sends them to the AFC Championship.
The Broncos won it on an easy field goal after the Bills defense committed a pair of pass interference penalties for a total of 47 yards on the final drive of the game.
That was indicative of how Buffalo’s blunders proved costly. The Bills finished the game with 100 more yards than the Broncos, but were undone by untimely turnovers — five total as a team, including four by Josh Allen, who had committed only six turnovers through his first 14 playoff games prior to tonight.
Broncos second-year quarterback Bo Nix, whose only previous playoff start was the loss to the Bills last season, threw for three touchdowns. The 25-year-old appeared poised, even as Buffalo ramped up its pass rush in the second half.
Bills Mafia, denied again even in a year without the Chiefs, will likely be left grumbling about not only their team’s sloppy play but how heavily certain overtime officiating calls factored in the end.
Broncos QB Bo Nix out for the season with broken ankle
Bo Nix, the Broncos quarterback who beat Josh Allen and the Bills to advance to the AFC Championship, will miss the remainder of the postseason with a broken ankle.
Just over an hour after the game ended, head coach Sean Payton announced that Nix had broken a bone in his ankle on the second-to-last play of the game. Payton added that surgery is scheduled for Tuesday.
Jarrett Stidham, who appeared in one game this year and took just four snaps, will replace him at QB next week.
It was a measure of revenge for the Broncos after the Bills eliminated them last year. Their 33-30 victory, Denver’s first playoff win at home in a decade, sends them to the AFC Championship.
The Broncos won it on an easy field goal after the Bills defense committed a pair of pass interference penalties for a total of 47 yards on the final drive of the game.
Seahawks utterly dominate 49ers in statement win
The Seattle Seahawks put on one of the most dominant performances you’re ever going to see as they steamrolled the San Francisco 49ers 41-6 Saturday night at Lumen Field in Seattle.
It was all Seattle from the opening kickoff, which Seahawks wide receiver Rashid Shaheed ran 95 yards for a touchdown.
That was about as good as things were going to get for the 49ers on this night.
With the Seattle fans in a full frenzy, the Seahawks pummeled the Niners with punishing defense. A turnover on downs led to a Seattle field goal, then a fumble resulted in another Seahawks touchdown and it was 17-0 after the first quarter.
The Niners clawed back with a couple of scoring drives, but Brock Purdy and the San Fran offense couldn’t find the end zone, twice settling for field goals.
The Seahawks tacked on another touchdown before halftime with an 80-yard drive culminating in a seven-yard touchdown run from Kenneth Walker III. Walker came up huge for Seattle after starting running back Zach Charbonnet exited the game with a knee injury. Walker finished the game with 19 carries for 116 yards and three touchdowns.
The 49ers couldn’t stop the bleeding in the second half, as the Seahawks’ offense exhausted the San Francisco defense and the Niners’ offense couldn’t mount any sort of consistent attack against Seattle’s swarming defense.
Seattle’s Sam Darnold was playing with a oblique injury that limited the quarterback’s reps during practice this week, and the Seahawks’ total dominance meant that Darnold didn’t have to shoulder much of the load. He finished the game just 12/17 passing for 124 yards with one touchdown.
Seattle now gets to kick their feet up and await their next opponent. The Seahawks will host the winner of Sunday’s game between the Los Angeles Rams and Chicago Bears in next weekend’s NFC championship game.
Despite injury, Darnold says he 'felt good'
Playing through an oblique injury, Sam Darnold didn’t show much signs of any discomfort.
“Felt good. Once I got going, I felt really good,” Darnold told the Fox broadcast. “And it was no problem.”
The 28-year-old finished 12 for 17 with 124 yards and a touchdown.
All eyes turn to who the Seahawks will play next week in the NFC championship game – either the Los Angeles Rams or Chicago Bears.
The beatdown is over with Seahawks coasting to easy win
And just like that, the game is over.
The Seahawks dominated in every aspect, downing division rivals 49ers 41-6 to advance to the NFC championship game.
Final: Seahawks 41, 49ers 6
49ers have thrown in the towel
It looks like San Francisco has thrown in the towel, as Kyle Shanahan has turned to his backups here in the closing minutes of the game.
The backup unit didn’t fare much better, eventually punting the back to Seattle.
Believe it or not, this was the 49ers’ first punt of the game.
Score: Seahawks 41, 49ers 6
Seahawks pull starters as game is out of hand
Who would’ve thought the Seahawks would be playing backups with more than half of the fourth quarter still to play.
With a big lead, the team pulled Sam Darnold, Kenneth Walker and Jaxon Smith-Njigba for their backups to finish out the game.
Maybe the 49ers will follow suit with the result pretty much determined.
Score: Seahawks 41, Seahawks 6
Seahawks defense forces another turnover
The game may be well out of reach, but the 49ers continue to fight and claw and turn the ball over.
Brock Purdy and Christian McCaffrey grinded out a couple first downs before the Seahawks defense struck again.
DeMarcus Lawrense got Purdy from behind for a strip sack. Seattle’s Nick Emmanwori dove on top of the loose ball, and things go from bad to worse for the Niners.
Score: Seahawks 41, 49ers 6
Have a day Mr. Walker -- Seattle running away with this one
One hundred ten yards, three touchdowns – what a game for Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker as he finds the end zone for the third time tonight.
With Zach Charbonnet banged up, Walker took it upon himself to carry the Seattle offense and the Niners have no answer for him.
It’s pretty safe assume the Seahawks will be hosting the winner of Sunday’s Los Angeles Rams and Chicago Bears divisional showdown next weekend with a trip to Super Bowl LX on the line.
Score: Seahawks 41, 49ers 6
Seahawks defense is absolutely dominating the 49ers
With the game seemingly out of reach, Christian McCaffrey is back on the field to start this drive.
McCaffrey was hit for a two-yard loss on first down and ridden hard into the turf on his injured shoulder.
On a third down, Purdy threw a beautiful deep ball to Jauan Jennings, who appeared to make the catch, but Riq Woolen got a hand in to break up the catch.
On fourth down, Purdy was once again running for his life before heaving a deep pass downfield that fell incomplete. Seahawks take over on downs.
We go into the fourth quarter with the Niners needing a miracle.
Score: Seahawks 34, 49ers 6
Seahawks keep piling on
After Brock Purdy was picked off by Ernest Jones IV trying to force the ball downfield, the Seahawk’s offensive unit was right back on the field.
And from there it was a cake walk to another score.
Kenneth Walker found the end zone on a 15-yard run to officially make this a blowout.
The Niners still have some time to get back into this game but it isn’t looking promising to say the least.
With Sam Darnold injured, how much longer do we see the Seahawks play him and risk further injury?
Score: Seahawks 34, 49ers 6
Seahawks keep extending the lead
Another offensive drive with the Seahawks moving the ball with ease, which led to a Jason Myers 24-yard field goal.
Seattle is firing on all cylinders, which spells bad news for the 49ers as the clock keeps ticking down.
Score: Seahawks 27, 49ers 6
Second half is off to a familiar start for the Niners
The Niners got the ball to start the second half in desperate need of points in they’re going to mount a miracle comeback.
On a pivotal third down, Brock Purdy escaped the pass rush and completed a long pass downfield to Jauan Jennings for 19 yards and a first down.
On the next play tight end Jake Tonges, San Fran’s leading receiver in the game, left the game with a non-contact injury. A huge blow with Christian McCaffrey yet to return to the game after suffering an apparent injury in his shoulder area.
On a fourth down and two, the Niners had no choice but to go for it, but Leonard Williams got to Purdy for a huge sack, and the ball goes back to Seattle.
Score: Seahawks 24, 49ers 6
Injuries pile up for Niners, making possible comeback even more daunting
Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco’s star running back, is dealing with pain in his left shoulder after a couple hard hits in the first half. He started the third quarter on the sideline.
The Niners are unlikely to mount much of a comeback without him.
And now, tight end Jake Tonges has left the field in apparent discomfort. He’d taken on a bigger role tonight after George Kittle was injured last week in the wild-card game.
Score: Seahawks 24, 49ers 6
And the second half is underway
The second half in Seattle is a go as the 49ers will look to get back into this game.
Score: Seahawks 24, 49ers 6
Falcons hire ex-Browns coach Kevin Stefanski
The Falcons fired Raheem Morris after finishing 8-9 in their eighth-straight season missing the playoffs. The search was overseen by new president of football Matt Ryan, the franchise’s longtime quarterback who was hired to the front office just a week ago.
Stefanski, 43, was fired after six seasons in Cleveland after the Browns went 5-12 this season. In 2020 and 2023, he was named NFL Coach of the Year, but his overall regular season record in Cleveland was just 45-56.
“I’m beyond thrilled to be charged with leading this iconic franchise,” said Stefanski.
49ers nearly strike gold on the final play of the half
With just half a minute left in the second quarter, the 49ers offense needed big plays if they are to add any more points before halftime.
Quarterback Brock Purdy scrambled for a chunk of 18 yards to get the ball near midfield.
On the final play of the half, Purdy heaved a Hail Mary toward the end zone, where it was nearly hauled in by Jakes Tonges, but was broken up by Nick Emmanwori.
The 49ers head to the locker room to lick their wounds, and the Seahawks are 30 minutes away from a trip to the NFC Championship.
Score: Seahawks 24, 49ers 6
49ers defense are having a sleepless night in Seattle
The 49ers are having nightmares trying to stop the Seahawks offense.
On a drive that saw Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet leave the game with an apparent knee injury, it was their other halfback, Kenneth Walker, who led the way.
The former Michigan State product ran it in for a brazen seven-yard run just ahead of halftime.
With all the worries about Darnold heading into the game, he’s done a good job quelling them so far.
Score: Seahawks 24, 49ers 6
49ers settle for another FG
The beleaguered 49ers offense is back in action, facing a 95-yard field.
A couple of runs from Christian McCaffrey gets San Francisco a first down and gets the 49ers out of the shadow of their own goal line.
Brock Purdy then connected with tight end Jake Tonges for gains of 15 and 16 yards and finally the 49ers offfense seems to be finding some rhythm.
On a third and six play, Purdy’s pass to a diving Ricky Pearsall was initially ruled complete for a big first down. But replay showed Pearsall didn’t control the ball through hitting the turf and the call was overturned.
In the end it was Eddy Pineiro booming a 56-yard field goal to give San Francisco three more points.
Score: Seahawks 17, 49ers 6
49ers finally get a stop on defense
It has been a struggle for the 49ers so far but good news is there is still a long way to go.
The SF defense hadn’t been able to stop a nosebleed until finally forcing the Seahawks to go three-and-out.
Can Brock Purdy and the Niners O add more points with halftime slowly approaching?
Score: Seahawks 17, 49ers 3
