Wild Card weekend is over, and honestly, if you weren't glued to your screen, you missed one of the most chaotic stretches of professional football we've seen in a decade. The dust has finally settled on the first round. We saw the Chicago Bears pull off a massive 18-point comeback to stun the Packers, and the Houston Texans absolutely suffocated the Steelers in a 30-6 blowout that nobody—literally nobody—saw coming.
But staying on top of nfl scores and schedules is about more than just checking a box on a Sunday afternoon. It's about knowing who is healthy, who has the momentum, and where the bracket is actually heading. Right now, we are staring down a Divisional Round that feels like a collision course between old-school grit and new-age explosive offenses.
The Wild Card Aftermath: Who Survived and How
The first round was a bloodbath for home favorites. If you’re looking at the recent results, the biggest story has to be the San Francisco 49ers. They took down the Philadelphia Eagles 23-19 in a game that felt more like a street fight than a football match. But it came at a massive cost. Losing George Kittle for the remainder of the postseason changes everything for Brock Purdy. The 49ers' offense relies so heavily on Kittle’s blocking and middle-of-the-field presence that their upcoming schedule looks a lot more daunting.
Over in the AFC, Drake Maye officially arrived. His playoff debut for the New England Patriots was clinical. A 16-3 win over the Chargers might look "boring" on a scoreboard, but New England’s defense sacked Justin Herbert six times. Six. That is how you win in January.
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Then you have the Buffalo Bills. Josh Allen did Josh Allen things, edging out the Jaguars 27-24. It wasn't pretty. It was, however, effective. Now they have to travel to Denver to face a rested Broncos team that has been the most consistent force in the AFC all year.
Wild Card Round Final Results
- Rams 34, Panthers 31: Matthew Stafford found Colby Parkinson late to break Carolina's hearts.
- Bears 31, Packers 27: Caleb Williams to DJ Moore with under two minutes left. Unreal.
- Bills 27, Jaguars 24: A nail-biter until the final whistle.
- 49ers 23, Eagles 19: San Fran wins, but the Kittle injury looms large.
- Patriots 16, Chargers 3: A defensive masterclass in Foxborough.
- Texans 30, Steelers 6: Houston’s first road playoff win in franchise history.
Breaking Down the Divisional Round NFL Scores and Schedules
If you're planning your weekend around the nfl scores and schedules, Saturday, January 17th, is the day you need to clear your calendar. We start in the thin air of Denver. The Bills are heading to Empower Field at Mile High for a 4:30 p.m. ET kickoff on CBS. Denver has the #1 seed for a reason; they are rested and that defense is playing at an elite level.
The nightcap on Saturday is a heavy hitter: the 49ers at the Seattle Seahawks. This is at 8:00 p.m. ET on FOX. These two teams know each other too well. Seattle had the bye, they’re at home at Lumen Field, and the 12th Man is going to be deafening. Without Kittle, San Francisco is going to need a "Deebo Samuel legacy game" to keep their season alive.
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Sunday shifts the focus to the midwest and the east coast. The Houston Texans, fresh off their dominant win in Pittsburgh, travel to face the Patriots at 3:00 p.m. ET (ESPN/ABC). This is the "Young QB Bowl." Maye vs. Stroud. It’s the matchup the league wanted, and we’re getting it in the Divisional Round. Finally, the Rams head to Soldier Field to take on the Bears at 6:30 p.m. ET on NBC. Chicago is riding a massive wave of momentum after that Packers win, but the Rams' offense is clicking in a way that’s scary for any secondary.
Why the Schedule Matters More Than the Spread
Most people just look at the point spread and think they know what’s going to happen. They're usually wrong. In the playoffs, the schedule—specifically the "rest vs. rust" factor—is the real needle-mover. The Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks haven't played a meaningful snap in nearly two weeks. While that helps with healing bruises, it can lead to a slow start in the first quarter.
Look at the Texans. They just played a physical game on Monday night. Now they have to turn around, travel to New England, and play on Sunday afternoon. That’s a short week in the most intense environment possible. Meanwhile, the Patriots have been home, watching film and sleeping in their own beds. You can’t quantify that on a scoreboard until you see a team gassing out in the fourth quarter.
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Divisional Round Matchups and Times
Saturday, Jan 17: Buffalo Bills at Denver Broncos (4:35 p.m. ET, CBS/Paramount+)
Saturday, Jan 17: San Francisco 49ers at Seattle Seahawks (8:15 p.m. ET, FOX/FOX One)
Sunday, Jan 18: Houston Texans at New England Patriots (3:05 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN)
Sunday, Jan 18: Los Angeles Rams at Chicago Bears (6:40 p.m. ET, NBC/Peacock)
Managing the "Information Overload"
Kinda feels like there's too much to track, right? Between the injury reports (watch Fred Warner’s status closely for the 49ers) and the weather forecasts for Chicago and Foxborough, it's easy to get lost.
The best way to handle the 2026 playoff cycle is to focus on the "efficiency" metrics. Don't just look at total yards. Look at Red Zone conversion percentages. The Bears won their Wild Card game because they went 4-for-4 in the Red Zone. The Packers lost because they settled for field goals. When you're checking nfl scores and schedules, keep an eye on those hidden stats. They tell the story the final score often hides.
Actionable Steps for the Divisional Weekend
If you want to stay ahead of the curve and actually understand what you're watching this weekend, here is how you should prep:
- Monitor the Friday Injury Reports: The final "Active/Inactive" lists for the Saturday games come out late Friday. If Fred Warner isn't 100% for the 49ers, Seattle's run game becomes the most important factor in the NFC.
- Check the Foxborough Wind Speeds: Sunday in New England is looking breezy. High winds kill the deep passing game, which favors the Patriots' dink-and-dunk style over the Texans' explosive shots downfield.
- Download the Primary Apps: Don't rely on social media for scores; the lag is real. Use the NFL official app or a dedicated live-score service like Flashscore to get updates without the 30-second delay.
- Watch the "Opening Drive" of the Bye Teams: Specifically Denver and Seattle. If they look out of sync in the first 10 minutes, the "Rust" factor is real, and an early live-bet on the underdog might be the move.
The road to Super Bowl LX in Santa Clara is narrowing. We’re down to the elite eight. Whether you’re a die-hard fan or just trying to win your office pool, paying attention to the nuances of these matchups is the only way to navigate the madness of the NFL postseason.