The historic season of the Detroit Lions is ultimately worth nothing, the rest of the NFC North also goes down in the playoffs despite a strong regular season and Lamar Jackson can’t buy anything with his next mega-season either. The NFL is ruthless – and that’s a good thing – a commentary.

We were all thrilled: the Detroit Lions, who stormed to the top of the NFC with 15 wins in the regular season and shone week after week with spectacular and courageous football.

Or the Minnesota Vikings, who resurrected Sam Darnold’s career from nothing and were still in with a chance of getting the top seed in the NFC until week 18. Together with the Green Bay Packers, the three top clubs in the NFC North have a combined total of 40 wins this season – and yet all three were knocked out of the playoffs without a look-in.

Frustration also reigns in Baltimore. The Ravens didn’t even have to punt against the Buffalo Bills, but three turnovers and a drop by Mark Andrews on the game-winning two-point conversion meant an early exit – and the Lamar Jackson playoff saga continues.

As bitter as it may have been for the Lions, Vikings, Packers or Ravens, they too are only too familiar with the NFL reality. There is no safety net in the playoffs, no room for redemption, and every mistake weighs particularly heavily.

Unlike other US leagues, where teams usually work their way into a matchup in a best-of-seven series and can even lose several games, the NFL is brutal – the mantra “do or die” determines the action – and that’s a good thing! That’s why we love the NFL!

Do or Die: NFL playoffs have their own appeal

Favorites usually prevail against the underdog in a game, but nothing can replace the thrill of a playoff knockout game. Compared to a seven-game series, the underdog obviously has a much better chance of leaving the field as the winner in a single game – the Washington Commanders have impressively demonstrated this. Currently, they are probably the favorite team of all neutral NFL fans – we all love Cinderella stories!

Generally speaking, there are certain factors that determine the outcome of a game. In the Divisional Round, all the eliminated teams amassed more total yards than their respective opponents. The problem with this is that, when added up, the teams conceded ten turnovers, while the winners from Kansas City, Buffalo, Philadelphia and Washington did not give the ball away at all. Mistakes are ruthlessly punished in the playoffs – and that’s what makes them so dramatic.

It is clear that the playoffs, with their nerve-wracking knockout system, are where nuances matter – there is hardly any room for error. This means that individual teams’ outstanding regular seasons or individual performances can be rendered meaningless in just one game – that’s the brutal reality of the NFL. For fans, however, it is this dramatic structure that makes the playoffs so appealing and the NFL post-season so unique.