The NFL playoffs are often about who gets hot at the right time. As we head into the divisional round, the remaining field is a mix of juggernauts riding months-long winning waves and scrappy survivors just happy to have won their last game. Momentum varies wildly across these eight teams, from double-digit unbeaten runs to single victories that saved a season. Here is where every remaining contender stands in terms of their active winning streak.
AFC
Denver Broncos
Streak: 2 Games
Bo Nix guided the Broncos to the AFC’s number one seed by closing the regular season strong, securing a bye week that keeps their streak paused at two. That rest advantage, combined with their winning form, makes them a dangerous, well-oiled machine that hasn’t tasted defeat in weeks, giving Sean Payton plenty of time to script their next victory.
Buffalo Bills
Streak: 2 Games
Josh Allen and company have pieced together back-to-back wins when it mattered most, culminating in a gritty wild-card escape against the Jaguars. They haven’t been blowing teams out, but surviving knockout football requires a different kind of toughness, and Buffalo has found a way to be on the right side of the scoreboard for two straight weeks.
New England Patriots
Streak: 4 Games
Foxborough is finally fearing no one again, as Drake Maye has piloted the Patriots to four consecutive victories, including a wild-card stifling of the Chargers. This is the longest active streak in the AFC East, and it’s built on a revitalized defense and a rookie QB who simply doesn’t know he’s supposed to be nervous in January.
Houston Texans
Streak: 10 Games
This isn’t just a hot streak; it’s a historical correction for a franchise peaking at the perfect moment. DeMeco Ryans’ squad has rattled off ten consecutive victories, completely burying their slow start to become the hottest team in football. They are playing with a “house money” swagger and a suffocating defense that has forgotten what it feels like to walk off the field with a loss.
NFC
Chicago Bears
Streak: 1 Game
Chicago’s lone victory in this streak was a franchise-altering exorcism of the Green Bay Packers, led by rookie sensation Caleb Williams. While it’s only a streak of one, the emotional weight of rallying from a 21-6 deficit to win their first playoff game in 15 years provides a tsunami of momentum that feels much bigger than the number suggests.
San Francisco 49ers
Streak: 1 Game
The Niners might only have one recent W in the column, but it was a season-saver on the road in Philadelphia that reminded everyone of their pedigree. Brock Purdy engineered a clutch game-winning drive that proved this team still has the heart of a champion, even if they aren’t entering the divisional round with a lengthy resume of recent dominance.
Los Angeles Rams
Streak: 2 Games
Matthew Stafford is playing as a man possessed, and his late-game heroics against the Panthers extended L.A.’s winning ways to a pair. This is a team peaking at the perfect time, with an offense that is clicking rhythmically and a veteran quarterback who refuses to let the season die, making their two-game run feel incredibly dangerous.
Seattle Seahawks
Streak: 7 Games
Sam Darnold has turned the Pacific Northwest into a fortress, leading the Seahawks to seven straight wins and the NFC’s top seed. They haven’t lost a game since mid-season, steamrolling opponents with a balanced attack and a defense that has rediscovered its teeth, making them arguably the most complete team left in the bracket.
The heat check is coming
Streaks are made to be broken, and the divisional round is where the hottest teams often face their coldest reality checks. While Houston and Seattle look unstoppable on paper, the playoffs are a graveyard for regular-season momentum, and one bad bounce is all it takes to turn a “W” streak into a season-ending “L.”