The Kansas City Chiefs and the Miami Dolphins faced off in a historic NFL showdown, battling through one of the coldest games in the league’s history at the freezing Arrowhead Stadium. The Patrick Mahomes-led Chiefs, defending champions, emerged victorious with a 26-7 win over their rivals. The temperature during the game was -20.0°C, marking the fourth-coldest game ever recorded in NFL history.
Simultaneously, the Houston Texans achieved a significant milestone, becoming only the fourth team in NFL history to secure a playoff victory with both a rookie head coach and a rookie starting quarterback. They dominated the Cleveland Browns with a convincing 45-14 victory. Quarterback CJ Stroud made history by becoming the youngest quarterback to start and win a playoff game, surpassing the record set by his idol Michael Vick. Stroud also etched his name in the annals of NFL history as the first rookie to defeat a Super Bowl-winning quarterback in a playoff game.
In another playoff matchup, the Green Bay Packers made history as the first No. 7 seed to win a playoff game since the NFL expanded its playoff format in 2020. This victory broke ground, with the Packers being the last team to win a Super Bowl as the lowest seed in their conference in 2010. The Dallas Cowboys, their opponents, suffered a historic defeat, conceding at least 40 points in a playoff game for the first time in franchise history.
Quarterback Jordan Love of the Green Bay Packers achieved a remarkable feat, boasting the highest passer rating by any player on the road in a playoff game with at least 20 pass attempts. His passer rating of 157.2 surpassed legendary performances by Bart Starr and Dak Prescott in previous seasons.
The Detroit Lions ended their lengthy playoff win drought of 31 seasons by defeating the Los Angeles Rams. Their last playoff victory dated back to the 1991 Divisional Round against the Cowboys. With this win, the Lions broke their longstanding dry spell, leaving the Miami Dolphins with the longest active playoff win drought in the NFL, stretching over 23 seasons.
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