Wild Card weekend was absolute chaos. Honestly, seeing three different games decided by scores in the final two minutes—including the Bears and Bills escaping by the skin of their teeth—tells you everything about why January is the best month of the year. But the national football league schedule for this week shifts gears. No more 14 teams. We’re down to the "Elite Eight."
The Divisional Round is where the pretenders usually get found out. We have the heavy hitters coming off their bye weeks, rested and probably a bit anxious to get back on the grass. The Seattle Seahawks and Denver Broncos are finally re-entering the fray after a week of watching from the sidelines. It’s a different kind of pressure now.
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Saturday's triple-header format from last weekend is gone. Now, we get two massive games that feel like they could easily be conference championships in their own right.
Buffalo Bills at Denver Broncos (4:30 p.m. ET)
Basically, the Bills are living on borrowed time after that 27-24 nail-biter against Jacksonville. Josh Allen had a one-yard touchdown run with 64 seconds left just to keep their season alive. Now, they have to fly into Mile High.
Denver finished the regular season at 14-3, and their defense has been a brick wall at home. The oddsmakers are already leaning toward the Broncos because, let’s be real, playing in that thin air after a grueling Wild Card game is a nightmare for any offensive line. If Allen can't find a way to beat the Broncos' secondary early, this could get ugly.
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- TV: CBS / Paramount+
- Key Matchup: Josh Allen vs. the Denver Pass Rush
San Francisco 49ers at Seattle Seahawks (8:00 p.m. ET)
This is the one everyone's talking about. The 49ers just knocked off the defending champion Eagles in a 23-19 defensive slog. But there’s a huge asterisk here: George Kittle is out. Losing a star tight end to an Achilles tear this late in the game is devastating.
Seattle has been sitting at home, 14-3 and healthy. They own the NFC West, and Lumen Field is going to be deafening. You’ve gotta wonder if the 49ers have enough offensive variety left to move the chains without Kittle acting as the ultimate security blanket for their passing game.
Sunday, January 18: The Old Guard vs. The New Blood
Sunday’s national football league schedule for this week brings us the remaining two slots in the Conference Championships. We’re looking at a legendary venue in Foxborough and a cold, windy afternoon in Chicago.
Houston Texans at New England Patriots (3:00 p.m. ET)
Houston is coming off a complete demolition of the Steelers. A 30-6 win is a statement, no matter how you slice it. But now they face the Patriots, who handled the Chargers 16-3.
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There’s some drama here, too. Tony Dungy and several other analysts have been vocal about the scheduling, noting that Houston is playing on a "short week" after their Monday night game. New England has the rest advantage. In the playoffs, that extra 24-48 hours of recovery for your star linebacker or your starting left tackle is everything.
- Location: Gillette Stadium
- Broadcast: ESPN / ABC / ESPN+
- The X-Factor: Can the Texans' defense repeat their "shut-down" performance on 5 days of rest?
Los Angeles Rams at Chicago Bears (6:30 p.m. ET)
The nightcap takes us to Soldier Field. The Bears beat the Packers 31-27 in a game that probably gave half of Chicago a heart attack. Caleb Williams looks like the real deal, throwing a 25-yard game-winner with under two minutes left.
The Rams, meanwhile, survived the Panthers 34-31. Matthew Stafford is still Slinging it, but he’s heading into a "Bear Weather" environment. It’s going to be cold. It’s going to be loud. The Bears' pass rush is significantly more aggressive than what the Rams saw in Carolina.
Why This Week's Schedule Hits Differently
The national football league schedule for this week is technically shorter—only four games—but the stakes are doubled. If you lose now, there's no "well, we made the playoffs" consolation prize that feels good. You're one win away from a conference title game.
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One thing to keep an eye on is the "Bye Week Rust." Historically, teams like Denver and Seattle should have the advantage. But we’ve seen it before where a team that played in the Wild Card round comes in with all the momentum and catches the #1 seed sleeping in the first quarter.
If the Bills or 49ers can jump out to a 10-0 lead early on Saturday, the "rest vs. rust" debate is going to ignite all over social media.
Actionable Prep for Game Day
If you're planning your weekend around these matchups, here is what you actually need to do to stay ahead:
- Check the Weather Reports for Chicago: Soldier Field in mid-January is unpredictable. High winds can turn a passing offense into a stagnant mess. If the gusts are over 20mph, look for the Bears to lean heavily on the run.
- Update Your Streaming Apps: Since games are split between CBS, FOX, NBC, and ESPN/ABC, make sure your logins for Paramount+, Peacock, and ESPN+ are active. Nothing ruins a Saturday like a "Forgot Password" loop during kickoff.
- Monitor the 49ers' Injury Report: With Kittle out, look at who they elevate from the practice squad or how they shift their receiving sets. This will tell you if they plan to go "run-heavy" or try to find a new target in the middle of the field.
- Set Your Picks Early: If you're in a playoff pool, remember that the "short week" for the Texans is a real statistical disadvantage. New England’s defense thrives on prep time.
The winners of these four games move on to the AFC and NFC Championship Games on January 25. By Sunday night, we will know exactly who has a legitimate shot at Super Bowl LX in Santa Clara.