It all begins Saturday afternoon at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte. The NFC South champion Carolina Panthers host the Los Angeles Rams. Later that night at Soldier Field, the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers battle for the third time this season.
The Philadelphia Eagles were the only team to successfully defend their division title from a year ago. Nick Sirianni’s team is also looking to repeat as Super Bowl champions, which you would have to go all the way back to 2022 and 2023 (Chiefs) to find out the last time that happened.
Here’s a look at five interesting statistics in regards to the NFL postseason, both in terms of this year’s teams, as well as some historical perspective.
Take a look at 5 key numbers for Wild Card weekend
3
It’s now the sixth year of the current 14-team playoff format that began in 2020. Over the first four seasons, there were 32 instances where a club lost its first two games, and only twice (2022 Bengals and 2023 Texans) did a team manage to reach the playoffs. In 2024, the Baltimore Ravens, Denver Broncos, and Los Angeles Rams rallied to reach the postseason. Now for the second consecutive year, three clubs (Carolina Panthers, Chicago Bears, and Texans) overcame a 0-2 start to make the 2025 playoff field.
5
Again, there are 14 teams in this year’s playoff field. There are a handful of franchises among that number that have never won a Super Bowl. Sure, this year’s group features the Patriots (6), Steelers (6), 49ers (5), Packers (4), Broncos (3), Eagles (2), Rams (2), Bears (1) and Seahawks (1) who have teamed for over half (30) of the 59 Super Bowl titles. There are also the Bills, Panthers, Chargers, Jaguars, and Texans—none of which have a Lombardi Trophy. Jacksonville and Houston have yet to make a Super Bowl appearance.
39
This offseason, the NFL began recognizing team, coaching, and playing records from the All-America Football Conference (AAFC), a league that played from 1946-49 and was dominated by the Cleveland Browns. It also housed the San Francisco 49ers, who won a playoff game in 1949 and elevated the Niners’ record-setting total of postseason victories to 39. That’s followed by both the Patriots and Packers with 37, and the Steelers and Cowboys (36). Four of those teams have a chance to add to their total in 2025.
11
In this age of what some refer to as an “offensive league,” defense remains the key to winning football. In 2025, 11 of the top 13 teams in the league in terms of fewest points allowed, led by the Seahawks (292), are in the playoffs. On the other hand, only seven of the NFL’s top 12 clubs in terms of scoring reached the postseason. Sean McVay’s Rams totaled a league-high 518 points this season. Worth noting that the top 14 teams in league history in terms of points scored in a single season failed to win a Super Bowl.
45
Pittsburgh Steelers’ quarterback Aaron Rodgers is in the midst of his 21st NFL season. For the first time since 2021, he’ll be participating in the playoffs. He’s at the helm of a team that hasn’t won a postseason game since 2016. Rodgers appeared in 22 playoff games with the Packers, making 21 starts. His 45 TD passes in those contests is tied for third in NFL history with Pro Football Hall of Famer Joe Montana. The veteran hurler trails only Tom Brady (88) and Patrick Mahomes (46) on the all-time postseason list.