NFL wild card overreactions: Is Matt LaFleur on hot seat after Packers' meltdown? Are Rams' flaws fatal?

The NFL playoffs kicked off with a bang Saturday, as the doubleheader featured two wildly entertaining matchups that came down to the wire. When the dust settled, the Los Angeles Rams and Chicago Bears were the teams advancing to the divisional round.

The Rams pulled off their victory on the road against the NFC South champion Carolina Panthers. While Los Angeles was a double-digit favorite, it was put on upset alert, falling behind 31-27 with a little over two minutes left in regulation. With its back against the wall, Matthew Stafford orchestrated a 71-yard touchdown drive to put the Rams back in front and keep their season alive.

The drama didn't stop there, as the Chicago Bears pulled off a comeback for the ages, erasing an 18-point lead by the Green Bay Packers at Soldier Field. Caleb Williams led a fourth-quarter rally in which the Bears outscored the Packers 25-6. The second-year quarterback made several impressive throws as he clawed his team back into the game.

Now that the games are in the books, we're trying to digest what just happened as storylines begin to pour out. But which are overreactions, and which should be taken seriously? Below, we'll comb through the notable takeaways from Day 1 of Wild Card Weekend and assess what's real and what's overblown.

Rams' defense and special teams will be their demise

Overreaction or reality: Reality

Even after narrowly escaping the Panthers, the Rams still have a Super Bowl ceiling thanks to the brain trust of Stafford and Sean McVay. However, if they fall short of hoisting a second Lombardi Trophy during this Stafford era, it would likely be due to the other two phases of the game: defense and special teams. 

The L.A. defense didn't have many answers for Bryce Young and the Panthers' passing attack. Jalen Coker lit them up for 134 yards and a touchdown, while Tetairoa McMillan averaged 16.2 yards per reception. With elevated competition on deck, the further the Rams advance, the more that deficiency could be exposed.

As for special teams, this has been a problem for the Rams all season. Their shortcomings were on full display down the stretch of the regular season -- particularly in the Week 16 loss to Seattle that knocked them out of the race for the No. 1 seed -- and it reared its head again Saturday night. Late in the fourth quarter, the Panthers blocked an L.A. punt, giving the Carolina offense the ball at the Rams' 30-yard line and setting up a touchdown drive to take the lead with just over two minutes remaining in regulation.

That miscue nearly cost them the game, if not for Stafford orchestrating a game-winning touchdown drive on the ensuing possession. Next time, they may not be as fortunate.

Panthers can't win with Bryce Young at QB

Overreaction or reality: Overreaction

Bryce Young

CAR • QB • #9

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While quarterbacks are often judged by whether they win in the postseason, that doesn't mean we should close the book on Bryce Young because he lost his playoff debut. In fact, the Carolina quarterback was solid. He completed 21 of 40 passes for 264 yards, a touchdown and an interception. That pick wasn't entirely his fault, as Coker, his intended receiver, slowed up on his route.

Young rose to the occasion late in the fourth quarter, leading a go-ahead touchdown drive that featured some nifty passes. First, he zipped an RPO throw to Tetairoa McMillan for 16 yards.

With the ball on the Rams' 7-yard line, Young then dropped it in the bucket on a fade pass to Coker for a touchdown. For a moment, it looked like it would be the game-winning score, but Stafford put together a winning drive of his own on the next possession. Still, Young held up his end of the bargain.

Young has been a polarizing figure since Carolina selected him No. 1 overall in 2023, and his tenure has been bumpy, even including a benching during his sophomore season. However, this strong showing in his first taste of the playoffs should give the Panthers confidence they have a quarterback capable of leading them to the postseason. 

Matt LaFleur is on the hot seat

Overreaction or reality: Reality

There was a report earlier Saturday from NFL Media that the Packers and Matt LaFleur plan to engage in contract extension talks after the season. However, plans can change, especially after blowing an 18-point lead to the Bears on Wild Card Weekend to be eliminated from the playoffs. It was the largest blown lead in franchise history.

"With all due respect to your question, now is not the time for that," LaFleur said postgame when asked if he believed he'd be back next season. "I'm just hurting for these guys. I can only think about what just happened, and then there will be time for that."

It was an utter collapse by LaFleur's Packers, who allowed Chicago to outscore them 28-6 in the second half. It's the type of loss that makes an organization reevaluate everything and can result in heads rolling, especially when it continues a pattern of falling short of expectations. This marks the second straight year Green Bay has been one-and-done in the postseason, and LaFleur's playoff record with the Packers has dropped to 3-6.

LaFleur is entering a lame-duck season in 2026, so a decision on his future is likely to come to a head at some point this offseason. While it initially looked like he would ink an extension to keep lurking on the sidelines at Lambeau Field for years to come, this loss now puts him squarely on the hot seat.

Caleb Williams has the clutch gene

Overreaction or reality: Reality

Caleb Williams

CHI • QB • #18

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One of the big takeaways from Chicago's miraculous comeback over the Packers was how well Caleb Williams played when the Bears needed him most. The former No. 1 overall pick made several tremendous throws down the stretch as he helped will Chicago back into the game.

None was more impressive than a 27-yard throw to Rome Odunze on fourth-and-8 with the game effectively on the line. Williams was under pressure and rolled to his left, then threaded the needle, lofting the ball over the heads of Packers defenders and into Odunze's arms to move the sticks.

Five plays later, he connected with Olamide Zaccheaus for a touchdown to pull Chicago within a field goal. 

While Williams makes some puzzlingly poor throws at times, there's no denying he has developed a clutch gene this season. He has been a key figure in Chicago pulling out multiple last-minute wins. Saturday's victory was the seventh this season when the Bears were down in the final two minutes of the fourth quarter, an NFL record including the playoffs. Chicago is also 3-3 when down 10 or more points in the final five minutes this season, while the rest of the NFL is 3-158.

A good deal of the credit for that success goes to Williams. If he continues to rise in those pressure moments, Chicago becomes quite scary as it continues its playoff march.