By: Rory Zeman and Katie Nelson

Culture and Media Production Editors

On Jan. 13, the NFL playoffs kicked off with the Wild Card games followed by the Divisional Round. With major upsets, great performances, and single-elimination heartbreak, here is a recap of the beginning stages of the 2024 NFL playoffs.

The first game of the playoffs took place in Houston, with rookie quarterback CJ Stroud leading the Houston Texans to victory over veteran quarterback Joe Flacco and the Cleveland Browns. Following the playoff opener, the defending champion Kansas City Chiefs hosted the Miami Dolphins, with weather conditions around -20 degrees Fahrenheit, making it the fourth coldest game in NFL history. Through harsh conditions, the Chiefs were able to pull ahead. Additionally, the Buffalo Bills, led by quarterback Josh Allen, took down the Pittsburgh Steelers. In two of the most surprising matchups so far, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat the Philadelphia Eagles and the Green Bay Packers eliminated the Dallas Cowboys, ending possible Super Bowl run for two teams that were title favorites.

The Detroit Lions also took a one-point win over the Los Angeles Rams in an exciting, historic game at Ford Field Stadium in Detroit. After a drought, the Detroit Lions won a playoff game for the first time in 32 years. Former Detroit Lions quarterback of 12 years Matthew Stafford (now with the Rams) battled it out with former Rams quarterback Jared Goff (now with the Lions). The two teams were neck and neck throughout the game, but the Lions pulled ahead with a narrow victory.

In the Divisional Round of the playoffs, the Texans took on the Baltimore Ravens — who had a bye week for the first round — and went into halftime tied. However, quarterback Lamar Jackson led the Ravens to a massive victory, winning by 24 points, due to a second-half surge. Additionally, the San Francisco 49ers, who also had a bye week, hosted the Green Bay Packers. In a battle that came down to the last possession, the Niners narrowly defeated the Packers after a game-winning interception by linebacker Dre Greenlaw.

On Sunday, Jan. 21, the Lions came out on top against the Buccaneers at their home stadium once again. The teams traded blows the entire game, with both Gared Goff and Baker Mayfield connecting with their receivers for large yard gains. At the half, the teams were tied 10-10 and by the third they were tied 17-17. However, the Lions were able to pull through with the help of an incredible 31-yard run by Jahmyr Gibbs and a touchdown pass by Goff to Amon-Ra St. Brown. The game ended in a 31-23 Lion win. The Lions will meet the 49ers next weekend at Levi Stadium for a chance at the NFC championship title. 

The Chiefs also advanced to the AFC championship, beating the Buffalo Bills by a narrow 3-point margin. In the first quarter, both teams traded only field goals, but quarterback Josh Allen got the ball moving at the start of the second quarter with a touchdown run. The quarter ended with a Chiefs touchdown with a pass to Travis Kelce from Mahomes, tying them for the most quarterback-tight-end postseason touchdowns to match Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski. The teams continued to trade touchdowns in the 3rd quarter before coming to a standstill for most of the fourth quarter. In the final two minutes, Bills kicker Tyler Bass missed a 44-yard field goal in an attempt to tie it 27-27. With that, the Chiefs took the win 27-24 and will travel to Baltimore to face the Ravens in the AFC Championship next weekend.

(Sources: Fordfield.com, Fox News, KMBC News, Midland Daily News, NFL.com)