Round 1 Winners (Da Bears!) and Losers (the Eagles!), Plus Guess the Lines With Cousin Sal

What It Covers

Bill Simmons and Cousin Sal break down NFL Wild Card weekend upsets, including the Bears' 25-point fourth quarter comeback against Green Bay, San Francisco's injury-riddled win over Philadelphia, and Patriots' defensive victory over the Chargers in their Netflix podcast debut.

Key Questions Answered

• •Fourth Quarter Coaching Decisions: Green Bay's Matt LaFleur threw two incomplete end zone passes with a three-point lead and three minutes remaining instead of running clock, then missed a field goal, giving Chicago time to drive 30 yards for the winning score. Teams protecting late leads should prioritize clock management over aggressive scoring attempts.
• •Playoff Quarterback Performance Patterns: First-time playoff quarterbacks historically struggle early before finding rhythm. Drake May went 7-for-17 before finishing 17-for-29, while Caleb Williams threw two interceptions before completing crucial fourth quarter drives. Teams should expect inconsistent first-half performance from rookie playoff quarterbacks regardless of regular season success.
• •Offensive Line Impact on Playoff Outcomes: Los Angeles Chargers' inability to protect Justin Herbert with backup tackles proved decisive despite strong defensive performance. Teams ranked 26th or lower in sacks allowed during regular season face significant disadvantage in playoff games where pass rush intensity increases and backup linemen get exposed against elite defenses.
• •Home Field Advantage Execution: Chicago scored 25 fourth-quarter points at Soldier Field after trailing 27-16, demonstrating how crowd noise disrupts road team communication. Green Bay called timeout with 10 players on field before two-minute warning. Home teams should maximize noise during opponent's critical possession changes to force procedural errors.
• •Injury Management Strategy: San Francisco won despite missing Christian McCaffrey (limited rushing), George Kittle (Achilles injury mid-game), and multiple offensive linemen by utilizing 12 different receivers and adapting play-calling. Teams with deep injury lists must diversify target distribution rather than force-feeding remaining stars, as Philadelphia learned throwing repeatedly to covered primary receivers.