The NFL postseason leads to elevated play on the field with the stakes higher -- and one team even upped its pettiness.
The San Francisco 49ers upset the defending champion Philadelphia Eagles 23-19 on the road. The 49ers closed as a 5.5-point underdog -- according to DraftKings Sportsbook -- their third-largest upset win in a postseason game in the Super Bowl era, according to ESPN Research.
With 43 seconds left, Philadelphia faced a fourth-and-11 at San Francisco's 21-yard-line with a chance to take the lead. But Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts' pass was incomplete, clinching a 49ers win. San Francisco quarterback Brock Purdy threw for 262 yards and two touchdowns. Hurts had 168 passing yards and a touchdown.
The 49ers followed up their massive victory by trolling the Eagles. They poked fun at Philadelphia's "Fly Eagles Fly" chant which includes spelling out "Eagles." San Francisco instead spelled out "Niners" in its caption. It also wouldn't be a troll without referencing a Philly cheesesteak, which the 49ers posted to emphasize that they are "still hungry for more."
Here are the top trolls from the NFL wild-card round.
Buffalo Bills 27, Jacksonville Jaguars 24
The Buffalo Bills held off the Jacksonville Jaguars for their first playoff road win since the 1992 AFC Championship Game, according to ESPN Research.
The fourth quarter included touchdowns on each of Jacksonville's and Buffalo's first two drives -- both teams had only one touchdown apiece before the final quarter. The Bills capped off a nine-play, 66-yard drive with a 1-yard rushing score from quarterback Josh Allen. The Jaguars had a chance to answer back with just over a minute left, but quarterback Trevor Lawrence was picked off, sending Buffalo to the next round.
After Jacksonville clinched the AFC South in Week 18, teammate and cornerback Jarrian Jones gave Lawrence a grill in the locker room. The moment was inspired by an AI photo someone posted on social media of Lawrence wearing a grill and a giant chain around his neck.
The Bills' postgame graphic included what resembles a grill -- with "Bills Win" written on it -- buried in the sand at a beach. They also shared a photo of Allen rocking shades and a chain from a July 2024 video and resurfaced a Jaguars' post from Friday.
Los Angeles Rams 34, Carolina Panthers 31
The Los Angeles Rams outlasted the Carolina Panthers in a wild opening playoff matchup.
Los Angeles and Carolina threw haymakers in the fourth, each scoring 14 points. There were four lead changes, tied for the most in a playoff game in NFL history. But the Rams had the go-ahead score when quarterback Matthew Stafford connected with tight end Colby Parkinson for a 19-yard touchdown with 38 seconds left. The Panthers turned it over on downs on their ensuing possession, clinching the Rams' victory.
A huge win came with multiple clever trolls.
Los Angeles first posted a graphic of a hook with a string holding a football as a panther looked up with the caption referencing the sound commonly used to lure cats. The Rams then referenced a famous scene from the 1994 film "The Lion King," when Rafiki presents a young Simba to the other animals as the future king. This time, Rafiki held the Panthers logo then tossed it.
ESPN Research contributed to this report.
