Rashid Shaheed’s opening kickoff return for a touchdown set the tone as Kenneth Walker III rushed for three scores and the Seattle Seahawks overwhelmed the San Francisco 49ers 41-6 to reach the NFC Championship Game.

Will Lutz drilled a 23-yard field goal in overtime to send the Denver Broncos to the AFC Championship with a 33-30 win over the Buffalo Bills in a game defined by late drama and turnovers. After Josh Allen forced overtime with a last-minute field goal drive, his fourth turnover of the night — an overtime interception — set up Lutz’s winner and ended Buffalo’s season.

PFF’s media research team has been hard at work this week, preparing for kickoff by pulling data-driven insights and talking points for our broadcast partners around the league. Now, we’re sharing those same nuggets with you. So, whether you’re looking to hit on your bets or just get smarter about the game, these are the key storylines to know for every divisional round contest.

One long-shot angle worth targeting pairs Drake Maye’s downfield efficiency with Demario Douglas’ separation and explosive profile, making a bet like Maye over his passing yards alongside Douglas clearing a modest yardage threshold an intriguing upside play. On the other side, if New England’s pass game forces Houston into a negative script, Xavier Hutchinson’s expanded role without Nico Collins sets him up as the most likely Texans receiver to benefit from increased volume.

Drake Maye’s league-best deep passing efficiency lines up perfectly against a Texans defense that consistently invites shots downfield, while New England’s man-heavy, high-disruption defense attacks C.J. Stroud’s well-documented struggles versus pressure and man coverage — issues compounded by Houston’s injuries at wide receiver.

The Bills’ passing game faces a tough matchup against a Broncos defense that plays man coverage at one of the highest rates in the league and fields three above-average corners. Meanwhile,Matthew Stafford draws a Bears defense that ranks bottom-five in disruption, setting up an ideal spot for him to thrive from clean pockets.

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The Rams' struggling coverage unit may not be able to contain surging Bears rookie Luther Burden III, whose average of 2.51 yards per route run ranks fifth among receivers with at least 100 routes run.

Wide receiver Nico Collins is still in concussion protocol, so look for rookie Jayden Higgins to take on an increased role in the Texans' offense.

With George Kittle sidelined, look for Jake Tonges to take on an important red-zone role.

Jaleel McLaughlin's 5.2 yards per carry since Week 11 ranks in the top 10 among qualifying backs, allowing him to surpass this line in six of his past seven games.

Ben Linsey provides data-driven, contextual betting notes for both sides of the ball for every divisional-round game.

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