The playoffs are just different. You can feel it in the air, especially when the top seeds finally have to defend their turf against battle-tested teams coming off Wild Card adrenaline. If you’re looking for the nfl football scores today, you likely already know that January 17, 2026, was always going to be a massive day for the AFC and NFC hierarchies. The Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks, both sitting on 14-3 regular-season records, finally had to prove that their first-round byes weren't just a recipe for rust.
The Denver Broncos survive a Buffalo surge
Honestly, the atmosphere at Empower Field at Mile High was electric. People forget that this was Denver’s first home playoff game since 2015. That’s a decade of waiting. The Denver Broncos defeated the Buffalo Bills 23-17 in a game that felt a lot closer than the final yardage suggested.
Bo Nix was... efficient. That’s the best word for it. He didn't blow the roof off the stadium, but he didn't give the game away either. Nix finished 7-for-13 in the first half for 76 yards and a crucial 7-yard touchdown pass to Frank Crum. Yeah, you read that right—tackle-eligible Frank Crum. It's those kinds of weird playoff plays that end up being the difference.
Josh Allen and the Bills didn't go quietly, though. James Cook was a problem for the Denver defense early on, racking up 38 yards on just three carries during the opening drive. But turnovers killed Buffalo. Absolute momentum killers. They fumbled three times in the first three quarters. You just can't do that against the number one seed on the road.
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- Final Score: Denver Broncos 23, Buffalo Bills 17
- Key Stat: Denver's defense held Buffalo to just 10 points in the first half despite Josh Allen’s dual-threat pressure.
- Turning Point: Alex Singleton’s forced fumble on James Cook in the second quarter, which Talanoa Hufanga recovered.
Chaos in the NFC West: 49ers vs. Seahawks
Then we had the nightcap. The late-night playoff games always hit different. The San Francisco 49ers at Seattle Seahawks matchup was basically a grudge match after they split their regular-season series. Seattle entered as the No. 1 seed, but San Francisco was coming off a gritty win over the Eagles last week.
Lumen Field was predictably deafening. There were major questions about Sam Darnold's oblique injury heading into this one. Adam Schefter reported earlier in the day that Darnold hadn't thrown much during the week, but the Seahawks staff felt he was good to go.
Why the 49ers are so dangerous right now
Basically, it comes down to Christian McCaffrey. Even when teams know he's getting the ball, they can't stop him. He’s the safety net for Brock Purdy. The 49ers' defense, which surrendered some yards this season, seems to tighten up in the red zone. They’re allowing roughly 21.8 points per game, but they play "bend-but-don't-break" football better than almost anyone else in the league.
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Seattle, on the other hand, had the best scoring defense in the league this year, allowing only 17.2 points per game. When you have two units like that clashing, it’s rarely a shootout. It's a grind.
Looking ahead to Sunday's slate
The nfl football scores today only tell half the story of the Divisional Round. Tomorrow, January 18, we get the rest of the picture.
- Houston Texans at New England Patriots: Kickoff at 3:00 PM ET. The Patriots are the No. 2 seed and have been dominant at home, but C.J. Stroud and the Texans are playing with house money after blowing out the Steelers last week.
- Los Angeles Rams at Chicago Bears: Kickoff at 6:30 PM ET. This is the one everyone is talking about. Matthew Stafford vs. the Bears' defense at Soldier Field. The forecast looks cold, which usually favors the home team, but the Rams' offense is clicking at the right time.
It's kinda wild how the seeds are holding up so far. Usually, we see at least one massive upset by now, but the home-field advantage at Mile High and Lumen Field is no joke.
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If you're tracking these games for betting or just bragging rights in the group chat, keep an eye on the injury reports for tomorrow. Drake Maye and Matthew Stafford are both dealing with minor dings that could drastically change the spread before kickoff.
To stay ahead of the curve, make sure you're monitoring the weather reports for Chicago tomorrow evening. If the wind picks up at Soldier Field, expect a heavy dose of the run game and a lower-than-projected total score. For the AFC matchup, watch how the Patriots' secondary handles the Texans' deep threats early in the first quarter; that'll tell you everything you need to know about how that game will go.