NFL Divisional Playoffs Schedule
NFL Divisional Playoffs Schedule

The road to the Super Bowl tightens this weekend as the NFL Divisional Playoffs take over Saturday and Sunday, January 17–18. Eight teams remain. Every game is win-or-go-home. For fans across the US, this is one of the best football weekends of the year.

What Is the Divisional Round?

The Divisional Round features the four teams that advanced from Wild Card Weekend plus the two No. 1 seeds from each conference. Unlike last week, there are no easy matchups here. Every team is capable of reaching the Super Bowl, and mistakes get punished fast.

Home-field advantage matters. Quarterback play matters more.

Here’s the confirmed Divisional Round schedule for Saturday–Sunday, Jan. 17–18, 2026, with US kickoff times, TV channels, streaming options, and game-by-game predictions based on matchup logic and what typically wins in January: protecting the quarterback, winning third down, and finishing in the red zone.

Read more:

- Can the Super Bowl Logo Really Predict the Champion?

- 2026 NFL Playoffs: Team-by-Team Super Bowl Path Analysis

NFL Divisional Round schedule (kickoff times + TV)

Saturday, Jan. 17

  • Buffalo Bills at Denver Broncos — 4:30 p.m. ET (1:30 p.m. PT) — CBS

  • San Francisco 49ers at Seattle Seahawks — 8:00 p.m. ET (5:00 p.m. PT) — FOX

Sunday, Jan. 18

  • Houston Texans at New England Patriots — 3:00 p.m. ET (12:00 p.m. PT) — ESPN/ABC

  • Los Angeles Rams at Chicago Bears — 6:30 p.m. ET (3:30 p.m. PT) — NBC

How to watch (TV + streaming)

If you’re watching in the US, you’ve got multiple legit options depending on the network:

  • CBS game (Bills-Broncos): stream on Paramount+ (and CBS via many live-TV streaming bundles).

  • FOX game (49ers-Seahawks): stream via the FOX Sports app/site (often requires a TV provider login).

  • ESPN/ABC game (Texans-Patriots): watch on ESPN or ABC, and streaming options typically include ESPN+ where available for the event.

  • NBC game (Rams-Bears): stream on Peacock for NBC’s postseason coverage.

Mobile-only option: NFL+ offers live postseason games on phones and tablets (important: mobile devices, not full TV replacement for everyone).

Matchups that decide this weekend

Bills at Broncos (CBS)

This game screams “one or two plays swing everything.” Buffalo’s best path is explosive offense and clean ball security. Denver’s best path is shortening the game, forcing long drives, and making the Bills earn every yard. At this stage, the home team’s pass rush and the turnover battle usually tell the story.

Prediction: Broncos in a close one, because home-field plus playoff defense tends to travel well in January.

49ers at Seahawks (FOX)

Seattle earned the No. 1 seed and gets this rivalry at home. The key question is whether San Francisco can win early downs and keep the Seahawks out of comfortable third-and-short situations. Seattle’s advantage is a home crowd and familiarity, which matters when the margins are tiny.

Prediction: Seahawks, but it’s tight late. Rivalry games often become fourth-quarter stress tests.

Texans at Patriots (ESPN/ABC)

This one is fascinating because it’s strength-on-strength and style-on-style. The Texans arrive with a defense that can wreck a game plan, and New England’s formula is usually the same in the playoffs: play clean, win situational football, and make the other team blink first. The ESPN/ABC window also means this becomes the national “feature” game of the day.

Prediction: Patriots, narrowly. In this kind of matchup, the team that protects the ball and finishes drives usually survives.

Rams at Bears (NBC)

If this turns into a cold, physical game, Chicago is comfortable living there. The Rams can absolutely win if their offense hits chunk plays early and forces the Bears to chase. But playoff football leans conservative fast: field position, punting smart, and not giving away short fields.

Prediction: Bears, by grinding it out and controlling the pace.

One quick planning tip for fans

If you want a perfect watch setup: Saturday is an easy doubleheader (late afternoon + primetime), and Sunday stacks the ESPN/ABC game into the NBC night game with minimal overlap.

Why This Weekend Matters

Win this weekend, and you’re one step from the Super Bowl. Lose, and the season is over. The Divisional Round often produces the most intense football of the year, with elite teams, smart coaching, and very little margin for error.

If you’re planning your weekend around sports, this is as good as it gets.

Stay tuned for updated kickoff times, injury reports, and Conference Championship previews as the NFL postseason continues.