Wild Card Weekend has been a smashing success for the NFL, which has seen the most compelling round of games in this round since the field expanded to 14 total teams in 2020. Now Seattle and Denver are set to join the fray for the Divisional Round and it feels like every team still alive has a legitimate case to win the Lombardi Trophy.
With only four games in the Divisional Round, each of the NFL's four primary broadcast partners (CBS, FOX, NBC and ESPN/ABC) will get one matchup in the next round. Houston's blowout victory over Pittsburgh on Monday night punched the final ticket to the Divisional Round, allowing the NFL to fully release the Divisional Round schedule.
The NFL Playoff schedule 👀 pic.twitter.com/PWQXa8KtCE
— The Sporting News (@sportingnews) January 13, 2026
NFL Divisional Round Schedule
- Saturday, Jan. 17 at 4:30 p.m. ET — Bills at Broncos
- Saturday, Jan. 17 at 8:00 p.m. ET — 49ers at Seahawks
- Sunday, Jan. 18 at 3:00 p.m. ET — Texans at Patriots
- Sunay, Jan. 18 at 6:30 p.m. ET — Rams at Bears
There will be two games on Saturday, beginning at 4:30 with as the Bills head to Denver to take on the Broncos in a rematch of last year's playoff game which Buffalo won in a blowout. CBS will kick off the weekend as they get Josh Allen for a second consecutive week.
Next up is a Saturday night affair between the Seahawks and 49ers, who staged an epic showdown in Week 18 to determine home field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs. ESPN aired that matchup but FOX will get it at 8:00 p.m. ET.
New England kicks off the action on Sunday afternoon at 3:00 p.m. ET fresh off their first postseason victory since Super Bowl LIII. The Patriots will try to slow down the Texans' ferocious defense, with the winner of this game in play to host an AFC Championship game if Buffalo upsets Denver. ESPN will broadcast this game.
The Divisional Round wraps up as the Rams head to Chicago to take on the Bears, who pulled off a dramatic comeback in the Wild Card round to earn their first postseason victory since 2011. The game will kick off at 6:30 p.m. ET on NBC, fittingly letting them have the Sunday night slot ahead of Super Bowl LX in Santa Clara.