At a Glance
- No. 1 seeds Denver (13-4) and Seattle (14-3) skip Wild Card weekend
- Both clubs need just two wins to reach Super Bowl 60
- Divisional Round matchups set for Jan. 17-18
- Why it matters: Home-field advantage and a first-round bye dramatically shift the playoff path for the AFC and NFC favorites.
Denver and Seattle locked up the only two byes in the NFL postseason, turning the usual three-win march to the Super Bowl into a shorter two-win sprint.
How They Earned the Week Off
The Broncos rode an NFL-best 68 sacks-11 more than any other team-to their first AFC West crown since 2015. Nik Bonitto paced the charge with 14 sacks, giving him 27.5 over the past two seasons. Denver also ranks second in yards allowed (278.2) and third in points allowed (18.3), offsetting a takeaway total that sits tied for 26th (14).
On offense, Bo Nix landed inside the top 10 in both passing yards and touchdowns while improving to 24-10 as the starter.
The Seahawks set a franchise record with 14 wins after swapping to Sam Darnold at quarterback. Darnold earned his second straight Pro Bowl nod, while Jaxson Smith-Njigba led the league with 1,793 receiving yards. A stingy defense finished first in points allowed (17.2 per game), sixth in yards allowed (285.6), sixth in takeaways (25), and tied for seventh in sacks (47).
Who They Could Face Next
NFL playoff reseeding means each No. 1 seed draws the lowest remaining seed in the Divisional Round.
AFC path for Denver:
- If No. 7 Chargers upset No. 2 Patriots, Denver hosts its division rival.
- Otherwise, the Broncos await the winner of Bills-Jaguars, Texans-Steelers, or Patriots-Chargers.
NFC path for Seattle:
- If No. 7 Packers stun No. 2 Bears, Jordan Love returns to Lumen Field.
- If Chicago advances, Seattle faces either No. 6 49ers, No. 5 Rams, or No. 4 Panthers.
| Wild Card Matchup | Current Seed | Winner Could Play |
|---|---|---|
| Chargers @ Patriots | 7 @ 2 | Broncos (if LAC wins) |
| Bills @ Jaguars | 6 @ 3 | Broncos |
| Texans @ Steelers | 5 @ 4 | Broncos |
| Packers @ Bears | 7 @ 2 | Seahawks (if GB wins) |
| 49ers @ Eagles | 6 @ 3 | Seahawks |
| Rams @ Panthers | 5 @ 4 | Seahawks |
All Divisional Round games kick off Saturday, Jan. 17 through Sunday, Jan. 18.
Key Takeaways
- Only Denver and Seattle need two wins, not three, to reach Super Bowl 60.
- Denver’s pass rush and Seattle’s defense are the statistical headline acts of the postseason so far.
- Divisional matchups hinge on Wild Card upsets-a No. 7 seed victory would send either Chargers or Packers straight to the top seed’s stadium.
With home crowds behind them and one fewer game on the schedule, the Broncos and Seahawks control the clearest path to the NFL’s ultimate stage.
