Wild Card Weekend was a total fever dream. Seriously. If you tuned out after the regular season ended, you missed a literal hurricane of upsets and late-game heroics that basically reshuffled the entire deck.
Right now, the NFL playoff standings today show just eight teams remaining. We are officially entering the Divisional Round. The "pretenders" have been filtered out, and we're left with a mix of heavy hitters like the Seattle Seahawks and some gritty road warriors like the Houston Texans who just refuse to go away.
The State of the Bracket: Divisional Round Matchups
It's Saturday, January 17, 2026. If you're looking for the games today, the schedule is honestly a heater. We’ve got the AFC’s top-seeded Denver Broncos finally getting off their bye week to host the Buffalo Bills. That game kicks off at 4:30 PM ET on CBS.
Then, later tonight, it’s a classic NFC West grudge match. The Seattle Seahawks (the No. 1 seed in the NFC) are hosting the San Francisco 49ers at 8:00 PM ET on FOX.
Here is the quick layout of how things look right now:
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- AFC No. 1 Seed: Denver Broncos (14-3) - Hosting Buffalo today.
- AFC No. 2 Seed: New England Patriots (14-3) - Hosting Houston tomorrow.
- NFC No. 1 Seed: Seattle Seahawks (14-3) - Hosting San Francisco tonight.
- NFC No. 2 Seed: Chicago Bears (11-6) - Hosting LA Rams tomorrow.
Honestly, seeing New England back in the mix as a No. 2 seed feels like a glitch in the matrix, but Drake Maye has been playing out of his mind. And let's talk about those Bills for a second. They came into the playoffs as the No. 6 seed and went into Jacksonville to knock off the Jaguars 27-24. Josh Allen did Josh Allen things, and now they have to try and repeat that magic in the thin air of Denver.
What Happened to the Early Favorites?
You've probably noticed some big names missing from the NFL playoff standings today. The Philadelphia Eagles? Gone. They were the No. 3 seed and got stunned at home by the 49ers, 23-19. It was a massive upset that nobody really saw coming, especially with San Francisco losing George Kittle during the game.
The Pittsburgh Steelers also got absolutely dismantled. They hosted the Houston Texans on Monday night and, well, it wasn't pretty. A 30-6 blowout. CJ Stroud and that Houston defense, led by Will Anderson Jr., made a statement that they aren't just happy to be here. They held the Steelers to 175 total yards.
And then there was the "Packers-Bears" thriller. Caleb Williams orchestrated a miracle 18-point comeback. The Bears outscored Green Bay 25-6 in the fourth quarter alone. That 31-27 win for Chicago set up their home game tomorrow against the Rams.
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Surviving the Wild Card: The Final Scores
- LA Rams 34, Carolina Panthers 31 (Stafford game-winning TD with 38 seconds left)
- Chicago Bears 31, Green Bay Packers 27 (Caleb Williams 4th quarter takeover)
- Buffalo Bills 27, Jacksonville Jaguars 24 (Tyler Bass clutch field goal)
- San Francisco 49ers 23, Philadelphia Eagles 19 (McCaffrey's late score)
- New England Patriots 16, LA Chargers 3 (Total defensive masterclass)
- Houston Texans 30, Pittsburgh Steelers 6 (The only real blowout of the round)
Key Matchups to Watch This Weekend
The NFL playoff standings today suggest we're in for a much more defensive-minded round.
Take the Texans-Patriots game on Sunday. You have the No. 1 defense in the league (Houston) going up against a New England team that just suffocated Justin Herbert and the Chargers. It's going to be a chess match. Drake Maye threw for 268 yards in his first playoff start, which is huge, but the Texans' front four is a different beast entirely.
In the NFC, the Seahawks are coming off a well-deserved rest. They've already played the 49ers twice this year and split the series. The 49ers are playing on just five days of rest after that emotional win in Philly. Usually, that's a recipe for a blowout, but Kyle Shanahan always seems to find a way to make it competitive.
Tracking the Path to Super Bowl LX
If you're trying to project the rest of the way, keep an eye on the No. 1 seeds. The Broncos and Seahawks have home-field advantage through the Championship round.
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But history is weird. Last year showed us that momentum often beats a bye week. The Rams, currently the No. 5 seed, look terrifying. Matthew Stafford just put up 304 yards and three touchdowns against Carolina. If they can get past Chicago at Soldier Field—a place where the Bears haven't hosted a divisional game in 15 years—they might be the favorites to come out of the NFC.
The Super Bowl is set for February 8, 2026, at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara. Ironically, the 49ers are currently the lowest seed left in the NFC, so they’d have to pull off a "road warrior" run to play a home game for the Lombardi Trophy.
How to Follow the Games Today
If you're sitting on the couch today, here’s how to catch the action.
The Bills at Broncos game is on CBS and streaming on Paramount+. Kickoff is 4:30 PM ET. The nightcap with the 49ers at Seahawks is on FOX starting at 8:00 PM ET.
For tomorrow’s slate, it’s Texans at Patriots on ABC/ESPN at 3:00 PM ET, followed by the Rams at Bears on NBC (and Peacock) at 6:30 PM ET.
Actionable Takeaways for Playoff Fans
- Check the Weather: Denver is expected to be chilly, which usually favors a strong run game. Look for the Broncos to lean on their ground attack to keep Josh Allen off the field.
- Monitor Injuries: The 49ers are thin at receiver and missing Kittle. Keep an eye on the early inactives list to see if Trent Williams is 100%.
- Watch the Line: Road underdogs like the Bills and Texans have been covering the spread at a high rate this postseason. If you're into the betting side of things, the "points" might be your friend this weekend.
- Update Your Bracket: If you had the Eagles or Jaguars going deep, your bracket is likely toasted. Re-evaluate based on the dominant defensive performances we saw in the Wild Card round.
The road to Super Bowl LX is narrowing fast. By Monday morning, we'll be down to the final four. Stay tuned to the live updates as the NFL playoff standings today continue to shift with every touchdown.