Checking for today's NFL scores on a Sunday in mid-January usually means one thing: the Divisional Round is in full swing and your bracket is probably in shambles. If you missed the action on January 18, 2026, you missed a day where the "home field advantage" felt more like a myth in some cities and a death sentence in others.
The weather in Chicago was predictably miserable—18 degrees with snow showers—while Foxborough stayed chilly but clear for a matchup that looked a lot closer on paper than it did on the scoreboard. Honestly, if you didn't have a stake in these games, you might have just enjoyed the chaos of seeing underdogs refuse to go away quietly.
The Afternoon Slate: Texans at Patriots
The New England Patriots entered this game at 14-3, looking like the juggernaut of old under Drake Maye. But C.J. Stroud and the Houston Texans didn't care about the seeding or the fact that they were 3-point underdogs heading into Gillette Stadium.
New England’s defense has been a brick wall all season, allowing only 18.8 points per game, but Houston came in hot on a nine-game winning streak. The big story here wasn't just the score, but who was missing. Houston had to play without Nico Collins (concussion), which basically forced Stroud to look toward Stefon Diggs and Tank Dell all afternoon.
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The Patriots' Drake Maye has been airing it out all season, ranking 4th in the league in passing yards. But in a playoff environment, the run game usually dictates the pace. Rhamondre Stevenson has been a workhorse for New England, and they leaned on him heavily today to keep Stroud off the field.
Why the Texans Kept it Close
- Defensive Pressure: Danielle Hunter came into today with 15 sacks. He spent a significant portion of the afternoon in Maye’s personal space.
- The Chubb Factor: Nick Chubb, even at this stage of his career, is still a nightmare to tackle in 30-degree weather.
- Third Down Efficiency: Houston has been one of the best teams at converting long third downs, frustrating the New England faithful.
Under the Lights: Rams at Bears
If you wanted a traditional "Old School" football game, Soldier Field delivered the atmosphere. Snow, freezing wind, and two teams that hit like a ton of bricks. The Chicago Bears (11-6) hosted the Los Angeles Rams (12-5) in a game that felt like it belonged in the 1980s.
Matthew Stafford is 37 years old now, but he’s still chucking it. He finished the regular season leading the league in passing yards and touchdowns. Watching him try to grip a frozen pigskin while Caleb Williams tried to scramble away from Byron Young was the highlight of the night.
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Chicago’s defense took a massive hit earlier this week when they lost T.J. Edwards to a fractured fibula. You could see the gap in the middle of the field. The Rams tried to exploit it early with Kyren Williams and Puka Nacua, who has been nothing short of a revelation this season.
"It’s cold. It’s loud. It’s exactly why you play this game," Stafford reportedly told his teammates in the tunnel.
Breaking Down the AFC and NFC Picture
After Saturday’s results, we already knew the Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks were moving on. Denver’s 33-30 overtime win against Buffalo was an instant classic, though it cost them Bo Nix for the rest of the year (broken ankle). Seattle, meanwhile, just embarrassed the 49ers 41-6.
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Because Denver and Seattle won, they will both host the Conference Championship games next week. The winners of today's NFL scores will have to pack their bags and head to Empower Field at Mile High or Lumen Field.
Saturday Recap: The Top Seeds Held Firm
- Denver Broncos 33, Buffalo Bills 30 (OT): A heartbreaking loss for Josh Allen, who handled being trolled by his wife’s old Broncos photos with a lot more grace than I would have.
- Seattle Seahawks 41, San Francisco 49ers 6: Sam Darnold finally exorcised his playoff demons, though the 49ers' injury list looked like a CVS receipt by the fourth quarter.
Actionable Insights for the Conference Championship
If you're looking ahead to next Sunday, the landscape has changed. Denver is now officially a "Stidham Team" with Bo Nix out. That changes every betting line and every defensive game plan for whoever wins the AFC side of today's bracket.
Seattle looks like the team to beat in the NFC. They aren't just winning; they are destroying people. If you're a Rams or Bears fan, you have to be worried about how your offensive line will handle that Seattle crowd noise next weekend.
Keep an eye on the injury reports coming out tomorrow morning. In the playoffs, a "questionable" tag usually means a guy is playing, but in this cold weather, soft tissue injuries like Rome Odunze’s foot or Trent Brown’s ankle can become game-changers in an instant.
Check the official NFL standings and box scores tonight to see the final tallies on time of possession and turnovers. Those are the stats that actually tell the story of why today’s winners are moving on.