Look, I get it. You’re sitting there, maybe on your lunch break or just finished a long week, and you’re itching for some playoff football. You hopped on Google to find out what are the scores of the nfl football games today, but here is the cold, hard truth: there are no games today.
Today is Friday, January 16, 2026.
The NFL is many things—a multi-billion dollar juggernaut, a master of marketing, and a source of endless Sunday stress—but one thing they rarely do is play on Fridays in January. We are currently in that weird, quiet "calm before the storm" between the chaos of Wild Card Weekend and the heavy-hitting Divisional Round.
The Reality Of The NFL Schedule Right Now
If you were looking for live updates, the scoreboard is currently showing zeros across the board. The Wild Card round wrapped up this past Monday when the Houston Texans absolutely dismantled the Pittsburgh Steelers 30-6. Since then, the league has been in prep mode.
Basically, the NFL keeps Fridays clear to build the hype for the weekend. It’s also a player safety thing; nobody wants to play a high-stakes playoff game on a short week unless it's Monday to Sunday.
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Since you're searching for what are the scores of the nfl football games today, you’re likely actually looking for the results of the games that just happened or a preview of what’s starting tomorrow. Let’s look at how we got here.
Wild Card Weekend Recaps (What You Might Have Missed)
The first round of the playoffs was honestly a bit of a rollercoaster. We saw some favorites crumble and some underdogs pull off stunners.
The Los Angeles Rams started things off by edging out the Carolina Panthers in a 34-31 shootout. Matthew Stafford looked like his younger self, threading needles that most quarterbacks wouldn't even attempt. Then we had the Chicago Bears surviving a legitimate scare from the Green Bay Packers, winning 31-27. Caleb Williams is proving that the second-year jump is very real.
Over in the AFC, the Buffalo Bills took down the Jacksonville Jaguars 27-24. It wasn't pretty, and Josh Allen had a couple of those "what are you doing?" throws, but a win is a win in January. The New England Patriots also did what they do best—suffocating defense—to beat the Chargers 16-3.
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The biggest surprise? The San Francisco 49ers went into Philly and beat the Eagles 23-19. Seeing the 6-seed Niners take down the 3-seed Eagles really shook up the NFC bracket.
Looking Ahead: The Divisional Round Matchups
Since there aren't any what are the scores of the nfl football games today to report, you should probably set your calendar for tomorrow, Saturday, January 17. That is when the real fireworks start.
The NFL Divisional Round is arguably the best weekend of football in the entire year. The "rust vs. rest" debate starts for the #1 seeds, and the stakes are just... higher.
Saturday, Jan. 17: The Heavyweights Enter
- Buffalo Bills at Denver Broncos (4:30 PM ET, CBS): This is the game everyone is talking about. The Broncos have been the most consistent team in the AFC all year, earning that first-round bye. But the Bills have momentum. Playing in Denver in mid-January? That’s going to be a cold, physical mess.
- San Francisco 49ers at Seattle Seahawks (8:00 PM ET, FOX): A classic NFC West rivalry on the biggest stage. The Seahawks are the #1 seed, but the 49ers just proved they can win on the road in a hostile environment. Sam Darnold vs. Brock Purdy is the matchup nobody predicted three years ago, yet here we are.
Sunday, Jan. 18: The Finale
- Houston Texans at New England Patriots (3:00 PM ET, ABC/ESPN): C.J. Stroud is a magician. He made the Steelers' defense look pedestrian on Monday night. Now he has to go into Foxborough.
- Los Angeles Rams at Chicago Bears (6:30 PM ET, NBC): If you like points, this is your game. Some analysts are already predicting this could be the highest-scoring playoff game in history. Matthew Stafford and Caleb Williams in a dome? Yes, please.
Why There Aren't Games on Friday
You might wonder why the NFL doesn't just spread the games out more. High school football owns Fridays in the fall, and while that doesn't apply in January, the NFL likes the "event" feel of a Saturday/Sunday split.
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Kinda sucks for us fans who want a Friday night game, but it makes the Saturday triple-headers (or double-headers) feel more special.
Honestly, the only time you’ll see the NFL on a Friday is during a weird holiday scheduling quirk, like Black Friday or if Christmas falls on a Friday. For the playoffs, it’s strictly a weekend affair.
Final Word on Today’s Scores
To summarize: the answer to what are the scores of the nfl football games today is that there are no scores because there are no games.
If you are looking for action, you have to wait about 24 hours. The Denver Broncos and Buffalo Bills will kick things off tomorrow afternoon. Until then, use today to check your injury reports—especially for Nico Collins in Houston and Sam Darnold in Seattle—because those "Questionable" tags are going to decide who moves on to the Championship games.
Check the Saturday injury reports tomorrow morning before you place any bets or finalize your watch party plans.