So, you’re staring at your TV or scrolling through your sportsbook app, and you're wondering: nfl what week are we in exactly? It’s a fair question. The NFL schedule has become a bit of a beast lately. Between the 17-game regular season and the expanded playoff format, the calendar feels like it never stops moving.
Right now, as of Friday, January 16, 2026, we are officially in the Divisional Round of the playoffs.
Wait. Did you miss a week? Probably not. We just wrapped up a wild, three-day "Super Wild Card Weekend" that saw some massive upsets. Now, the league narrows the field to the final eight teams. If you’re a purist who still counts by "weeks," we’re essentially in the 20th week of the overall NFL calendar. But nobody really calls it "Week 20." It’s Divisional Weekend, and it’s arguably the best weekend of football in the entire year.
Why the Divisional Round is the "Real" Start of the Playoffs
A lot of people think Wild Card weekend is the peak. They’re wrong. Honestly, the Divisional Round is where the wheat gets separated from the chaff. This is the week where the No. 1 seeds—this year, the Denver Broncos in the AFC and the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC—finally get off their couches and put their pads back on.
There’s a massive debate every year about whether that "bye week" helps or hurts. Does a week of rest make you "rusty" or "rested"?
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If you look at the stats, home teams in the Divisional Round historically win about 70% of the time. But tell that to the 2024-25 Ravens or the 49ers of years past. Sometimes that week off just kills your momentum. This Saturday, January 17, we’re going to find out if Bo Nix and the Broncos can handle a Buffalo Bills team that is currently playing like they’re possessed by the ghost of 1990s dominance.
The Upcoming Schedule (January 17-18, 2026)
You’ve got four games over two days. Here is how the "week" breaks down:
- Saturday Afternoon (4:30 PM ET): No. 6 Buffalo Bills at No. 1 Denver Broncos. This is a rematch of a 2024 Wild Card game, but the stakes are way higher now. Denver’s defense is currently ranked second in the league for pass completion percentage allowed (57.8%). Josh Allen is going to have to be "Superman" to get through that.
- Saturday Night (8:00 PM ET): No. 6 San Francisco 49ers at No. 1 Seattle Seahawks. An NFC West bloodbath. Seattle took the regular season series, but Brock Purdy has this annoying habit of winning games he’s supposed to lose.
- Sunday Afternoon (3:00 PM ET): No. 5 Houston Texans at No. 2 New England Patriots. C.J. Stroud is basically the face of the league now, but he’s heading into Foxborough without his top target, Nico Collins, who is out with a concussion. That's a huge blow.
- Sunday Night (6:30 PM ET): No. 5 LA Rams at No. 2 Chicago Bears. The Bears at Soldier Field in January? Good luck to Matthew Stafford’s ribs.
Misconceptions About the 18-Week Regular Season
A big reason people get confused about nfl what week are we in is the 18-week regular season schedule.
Back in the day, the regular season was 17 weeks long with 16 games. Now, it’s 18 weeks with 17 games. This extra week pushed the entire playoff bracket deeper into January. It’s why the Super Bowl (Super Bowl LX) isn’t until February 8, 2026.
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If you feel like the season is dragging on, you aren't imagining it. We just finished Week 18 on January 4th. Then we had Wild Card games on January 10th, 11th, and 12th. The NFL basically owns January now. It’s a marathon, not a sprint, and the "weeks" are starting to blur together for even the most hardcore fans.
Injuries Are Defining This "Week"
You can't talk about the Divisional Round without talking about the training table. It’s brutal out there.
Take the Houston Texans. They barely survived the Steelers last week, and now they’re limping into New England. Or look at the 49ers. They lost George Kittle to a torn Achilles and they're still somehow favored by some analysts. It’s not just about who has the better QB anymore; it’s about whose backup offensive lineman can hold a block for more than two seconds.
Looking Ahead: The Path to Santa Clara
Once this weekend wraps up, we move into the Conference Championships on Sunday, January 25.
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If you’re trying to plan your life, just know that the NFL has a very specific rhythm from here on out. There are no more Monday night games. No more Thursday night surprises. It’s all weekend action from here until the trophy is hoisted at Levi's Stadium.
- Divisional Round: Jan 17-18
- Conference Championships: Jan 25
- Pro Bowl (The "Break"): Feb 1
- Super Bowl LX: Feb 8
Actionable Tips for This Playoff Weekend
If you're watching the games this weekend, don't just stare at the scoreboard. Pay attention to the "short-yardage" situations.
Experts like Joe Brady (Bills OC) are obsessed with leverage in these moments. The Bills converted 80% of their third-and-shorts last week. If they can keep that up against Denver’s front, they’ll pull the upset.
Also, keep an eye on the weather in Chicago. Soldier Field in mid-January is basically a frozen tundra. If the Rams can’t establish a run game early with Kyren Williams, Stafford is going to have a very long, very cold night.
Basically, the "week" we are in is the most important one so far. The regular season was the appetizer. The Wild Card was the soup. This—the Divisional Round—is the main course. Clear your schedule for Saturday and Sunday, because these matchups are significantly tighter than the opening round blowouts we saw last week.