Wild-Card Saturday Fallout: Analyzing The Big Stories And Bigger Overreactions
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- William D
- January 12, 2025
The Houston Texans thrashed the Los Angeles Chargers and the Baltimore Ravens demolished the Pittsburgh Steelers on Saturday, marking the start of the 2025 NFL wild-card round.
The absence of competitive drama was far from what supporters had anticipated for as the playoffs began, even if the home teams made it easily to the divisional round. Rather than thrilling matches, the first slate of games featured a display of biased performances that left more questions than answers.
Even though there were no heroics in the last minute, the outcome had significant ramifications for the 2025 NFL playoffs. With a calm performance, quarterback C.J. Stroud hushed his detractors and led the Texans to their second consecutive divisional trip.
Justin Herbert of the Chargers, on the other hand, struggled under pressure and gave a performance that was characterized by a high turnover rate, raising questions about his capacity to perform well under pressure.
In the meantime, running back Derrick Henry’s historic playoff performance helped the Ravens in Baltimore maintain their winning streak. The argument about Henry’s status as one of the greatest postseason running backs of all time was reignited by his outstanding performance.
The Steelers, on the other hand, had one of the biggest late-season collapses in NFL history, and their season ended in disaster, raising questions about head coach Mike Tomlin’s future in Pittsburgh.
Although the 2025 NFL wild-card games may not have provided fans with the thrilling experiences they were hoping for, the aftermath left enough to talk about.
A divisional round full of high stakes and renewed intrigue has been set up by Wild-Card Saturday, which covered everything from quarterback legacies and coaching futures to playoff collapses and outstanding performances.
Mike Tomlin's Prospects in Pittsburgh
The 2025 NFL wild-card round saw the Pittsburgh Steelers lose 24-10 to the Baltimore Ravens, ending their season and casting doubt on Mike Tomlin’s future with the team. This is the Steelers’ third straight postseason loss by 14 points or more, and their sixth straight playoff loss under Tomlin.
Pittsburgh was once hailed as a reliable playoff contender, but it has struggled to go far in the postseason, casting doubt on Tomlin’s ability to guide the team.
The Steelers haven’t won a postseason game in the last five years, and Tomlin’s playoff record is a dismal 3-9 since 2010. But in his 17 years as head coach, he has never experienced a losing season, making his regular-season success unmatched.
During his career, Tomlin has established himself as one of the league’s most dependable coaches by maintaining Pittsburgh’s competitiveness through quarterback changes and squad overhauls.
The Steelers are unlikely to remove Tomlin outright despite the poor postseason outcomes. Stability and loyalty are important to Pittsburgh, and Tomlin’s history shows that he can make the most of the roster that has been assigned to him.
However, the organization might consider trading Tomlin to another club, which is a tactic that prominent coaches are increasingly using. Although it would be a severe step, if ownership believes the team has stagnated under his direction, it might provide a new beginning for both sides.
Mike Tomlin’s 2025 campaign will be crucial. Even while his position seems secure for the time being, he is under increasing pressure to succeed in the postseason.
The Steelers’ management will probably insist on significant victories in January in addition to postseason trips in order to defend Tomlin’s tenure as head coach. Although his seat is unquestionably warming, the veteran coach is still regarded as one of the NFL’s most respected leaders for the time being.
Mike Tomlin:
— NFL Hater Watch (@NFLhaterwatch) January 12, 2025
• 6 Straight winning seasons
• 6 Straight playoff losses
Perfectly balanced as all things should be 😂🙏👀 pic.twitter.com/HYmipoPvIB
The collapse of the Steelers: Among the worst in NFL history?
The 2024 season started off promisingly for the Pittsburgh Steelers, who jumped to a 10-3 record and appeared set to win the AFC North. The Steelers looked set for a deep playoff run with the tiebreaker in hand and a two-game lead over the Baltimore Ravens.
But in one of the most spectacular collapses in NFL history, Pittsburgh lost their last five games, including a landslide defeat to the Ravens in the wild card round.
Averaging only 14.3 points per game and losing important victories to playoff-caliber opponents, the Steelers were outscored by 52 points during their terrible five-game losing streak. Once a dependable unit, their offense faltered against more formidable opposition, and the defense found it difficult to make crucial stops.
Pittsburgh’s dubious achievement, which highlights the extent of their late-season collapse, made them the first 10-win club in league history to end the season on a five-game losing streak, including the postseason.
The 2024 Steelers’ fall puts them in the company of legendary NFL teams like the 1986 Jets, who lost five straight games after a 10-1 start, and the 2023 Eagles, who started 10-1 but lost six of their final seven games.
But considering the Steelers’ dominant position in the AFC North and their established reputation as a tenacious team, their collapse is especially startling. The Ravens surpassed them for the division title and eliminated them in the wild-card round, thus losing twice to Baltimore during the collapse just made it more painful.
Mike Tomlin as soon as the Steelers clinch a winning season pic.twitter.com/fgKLNX8vGT
— NFL Memes (@NFL_Memes) January 5, 2025
When the Baltimore Ravens defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers in the wild-card round of the playoffs, Derrick Henry once again demonstrated his supremacy. Henry, the mainstay of Baltimore’s offense, overwhelmed Pittsburgh’s defense by rushing for 186 yards and two scores on just 26 runs (7.2 yards per attempt).
In addition to advancing the Ravens to the divisional round, this effort rekindled discussions on Henry’s status as one of the best NFL running backs of all time.
Unquestionably, Henry has an amazing postseason record. Among players with at least five postseason appearances, he is second only to Terrell Davis with 918 career postseason running yards, ranking tenth all-time with an average of 114.7 rushing yards per game.
In addition to having three postseason games with 175+ running yards, Henry is tied with Davis for the most games with 150+ yards. Henry is now firmly established as one of the NFL’s most successful postseason players because to these achievements.
Henry does not, however, qualify as the best running back in the playoffs when compared against Terrell Davis. In the playoffs, Davis, a two-time Super Bowl champion and Super Bowl MVP, averaged the best rushing yards per game in NFL history at 142.5.
The Denver Broncos won back-to-back championships in the late 1990s thanks in large part to his postseason prowess. Henry’s performances are outstanding, but they don’t have the same impact or championship pedigree as Davis’s illustrious postseason campaigns.
Derrick Although Henry has solidified his status as one of the greatest running backs in postseason history, he has yet to overtake Terrell Davis for the number one place.
Henry’s postseason legacy is still lacking a Super Bowl victory or a pivotal championship moment. Despite his incredible accomplishments, Davis remains the greatest running back in the history of the playoffs.
The idea that Justin Herbert has trouble in prime-time settings was further supported by his performance in the 2025 NFL wild-card round. Herbert had a terrible performance against the Houston Texans, completing just 14 of 32 passes for 242 yards, one score, and an incredible four interceptions.
His 40.9 passer rating was one of the lowest in his career, underscoring the persistent doubts about his capacity to produce in the postseason’s intense spotlight.
This was Herbert’s second playoff game in his career, and it’s getting harder to overlook his difficulties under pressure. Herbert has a 0–2 record and a miserable 60.7 passer rating in his two playoff games, and he has yet to secure a victory.
Herbert has not performed well in crucial situations, and his prospects have been harmed by turnovers and lost opportunities, even though the Chargers’ team-wide inconsistencies haven’t helped either. Doubts about his capacity to succeed in the postseason are fueled by his inability to lead a playoff victory.
Furthermore, the Chargers’ dismal 2024 record against postseason teams highlights the bigger problem. Los Angeles had a 2-6 record at the end of the regular season against teams who were guaranteed to make the playoffs, and their problems were more noticeable when they played top-tier opponents.
Herbert’s incapacity to improve against elite teams is still a significant weakness, even with his stellar regular-season stats, which include more over 21,000 career throwing yards in just five seasons.
The idea that Justin Herbert falters under pressure is based on his recent playoff results and is not merely conjecture. Herbert needs to demonstrate that he can succeed in the postseason and manage the pressure that accompanies it if he hopes to silence his detractors.
The young quarterback’s time is running out, and the 2025 campaign will be crucial in assessing his ability to parlay these prime-time setbacks into future triumphs.
In the 2025 wild-card round, C.J. Stroud led the Houston Texans to a resounding 31-10 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers. In his second postseason appearance, Stroud showed maturity and poise by completing 22 of 33 passes for 282 yards and a touchdown.
Excitement about the Texans’ future and Stroud’s potential as their leader for years to come was sparked by his efforts, which helped the team earn a berth in the divisional round for the second consecutive year.
Even if Stroud has had an outstanding season, it would be a bit early to say that he has fundamentally changed the Texans’ outlook for 2024. Houston struggled throughout the regular season, particularly against elite teams, and went into the playoffs as the fourth seed in the AFC, therefore their success this season was mainly surprising.
Even after Stroud’s breakthrough performance, the team’s general lack of consistency, particularly when playing playoff-caliber opponents, indicates that they are still a long way from being a finished product.
The Texans will probably have to play either the Baltimore Ravens or the Kansas City Chiefs in the divisional round, which presents them with difficult obstacles.
The Texans will need Stroud to maintain his upward trend and boost the team’s overall performance because each of these clubs have a proven playoff history. As Houston looks to get past the divisional round and make a real postseason run, consistency will be crucial.
Although C.J. Stroud’s performance in the wild-card round suggests that the Texans have a bright future, it is too soon to declare that he has significantly altered the team’s course for 2024.
Although Stroud has displayed moments of brilliance, the Texans are still in the process of developing a serious contender, and there is still a long way to go before they can consistently win the playoffs. Houston should keep concentrating on developing around their rookie quarterback and demonstrating their ability to play reliably against elite postseason teams.