If you're clicking around looking for the channel to find who plays in the nfl tonight, I’ve got some news that might be a little frustrating. Take a breath. Put the remote down.
There is actually no NFL game tonight, Tuesday, January 13, 2026.
I know, it feels weird. We just came off a massive three-day binge of Super Wild Card Weekend. But the league follows a very specific rhythm once the postseason hits. We just saw the Houston Texans absolutely dismantle the Pittsburgh Steelers 30-6 last night to wrap up the first round. Now? The league takes a breather.
The Monday Night Hangover
Yesterday was the big finale for the Wild Card round. Honestly, it wasn't the nail-biter people expected. C.J. Stroud and that DeMeco Ryans defense basically turned Acrisure Stadium into their own personal playground. Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers offense just couldn't get anything moving, finishing with a measly six points.
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Because that game happened on a Monday night, the NFL schedules a "dark" period during the week. Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday are strictly for practice, film study, and—for the teams that lost—cleaning out lockers.
Who plays in the nfl tonight? Nobody, but here is the Divisional Round schedule
Since tonight is a wash, you’re probably looking ahead to the Divisional Round. This is where things get serious. The "big dogs"—the Denver Broncos and the Seattle Seahawks—are finally coming off their bye weeks.
The schedule for the upcoming weekend is already locked in. If you're planning your life around the couch, here is how the next round shakes out:
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Saturday, January 17, 2026
- Buffalo Bills at Denver Broncos (4:30 PM ET | CBS/Paramount+): The Bills just scrapped past the Jaguars, and now they have to go into the thin air of Mile High.
- San Francisco 49ers at Seattle Seahawks (8:00 PM ET | FOX): A classic NFC West bloodbath. Seattle took the #1 seed this year, but the Niners just beat the Eagles on the road and look dangerous.
Sunday, January 18, 2026
- Houston Texans at New England Patriots (3:00 PM ET | ESPN/ABC): After that Monday night beatdown in Pittsburgh, the Texans have a short week to travel to Foxborough.
- Los Angeles Rams at Chicago Bears (6:30 PM ET | NBC/Peacock): Matthew Stafford vs. the Monsters of the Midway. This one is going to be cold, loud, and probably decided by a field goal.
Why the NFL avoids Tuesdays
You might wonder why they don't just stretch the games out. Why not a Tuesday night playoff game?
Basically, it’s about player safety and "competitive balance." The NFL is incredibly protective of the turnaround time between games. If a team played tonight (Tuesday), they’d have almost no chance of being physically ready for a Divisional game on Saturday or Sunday. The Texans are already complaining about the "short week" after playing Monday. Adding a Tuesday game would turn the playoffs into a war of attrition rather than a test of skill.
Also, TV ratings. Tuesday night isn't the powerhouse that Sunday or Monday is. The league wants every playoff game to be an "event," and mid-week games usually feel like a Tuesday night MACtion game in November rather than a march to the Super Bowl.
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What to watch instead
Since you've got a football-shaped hole in your heart tonight, you’ve got a few options. Most of the sports talk shows (think NFL Live or The Pat McAfee Show) are spending today dissecting exactly how Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers collapsed.
You could also check out the early lines for the Divisional Round. Currently, the Broncos are opening as home favorites against Buffalo, which makes sense given they’ve had two weeks to rest while Josh Allen was busy running for his life in Jacksonville.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Check your streaming subs: Ensure your Paramount+ and Peacock accounts are active, as two of the four games this weekend are tied to those platforms.
- Update your bracket: If you’re playing in a playoff challenge, the window to set your Divisional Round picks usually closes right before kickoff on Saturday.
- Monitor the Texans' injury report: They played last night, and in a short week, the health of stars like Nico Collins will be the biggest factor in whether they can upset the Patriots.