If you’ve woken up today, January 17, 2026, and the first thing you thought was about the playoff bracket, you’re in the right place. We’ve hit the Divisional Round. This is where the pretenders from Wild Card weekend finally get sent home and the real heavyweights start trading punches. Honestly, it’s the best weekend of the year for any football fan.
The schedule today is split between two major networks. You don't need a complicated spreadsheet to keep track, but you do need to know which remote to grab and when.
What Channel Football Game On: Today’s NFL Schedule
The NFL likes to keep things consistent, so we have a doubleheader today. One AFC clash and one NFC showdown.
First up, the Buffalo Bills are heading into the thin air of Colorado to face the Denver Broncos. This game is airing on CBS. Kickoff is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. ET. If you’re a cord-cutter, you’ll find this streaming live on Paramount+. Seeing the Bills travel to Denver this late in the postseason feels like a throwback to some 90s classic, and with the way Denver's defense has played lately, Buffalo’s offense is going to have its hands full.
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Once that wraps up, we shift over to the Pacific Northwest.
The nightcap features the San Francisco 49ers visiting the Seattle Seahawks. This game will be on FOX, with kickoff at 8:00 p.m. ET. For the Spanish-language broadcast, you can head over to FOX Deportes. If you’re streaming, the FOX Sports app or FOX One are your best bets. Tom Brady is expected to be on the call for this one, bringing that extra level of postseason "been there, done that" energy to the booth.
Saturday, Jan. 17 Viewing Breakdown
- Buffalo Bills at Denver Broncos: 4:30 p.m. ET on CBS (Streaming: Paramount+)
- San Francisco 49ers at Seattle Seahawks: 8:00 p.m. ET on FOX (Streaming: FOX One)
What About College Football?
Wait. If you were looking for the college kids today, you're going to be disappointed. There are zero college games today. Basically, the NCAA clears the deck for the NFL Divisional round. We have to wait until Monday, January 19, for the College Football Playoff National Championship. That game, featuring the Indiana Hoosiers and the Miami Hurricanes, will be on ESPN at 7:30 p.m. ET.
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How to Stream if You Don't Have Cable
Look, "what channel football game on" is a question that usually gets complicated the second you mention streaming. Things have changed a lot since the days of just plugging in a coaxial cable and hoping for the best.
If you’re trying to catch the games without a traditional cable package, you have a few reliable options. FuboTV and YouTube TV carry both CBS and FOX in almost every market. They usually offer free trials, which is a savvy move for a playoff weekend.
NFL+ is another sneaky good option, though there's a catch: you can only watch the live playoff games on your phone or tablet. It won't let you cast it to your 75-inch TV. For the CBS game specifically, Paramount+ is the direct route. For the FOX game, they've been pushing their FOX One service lately, which usually requires a provider login or a standalone subscription.
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Anticipating Tomorrow's Games
If you’re already planning your Sunday snacks, here’s the quick rundown for tomorrow, January 18:
- Houston Texans at New England Patriots: 3:00 p.m. ET on ABC/ESPN.
- LA Rams at Chicago Bears: 6:30 p.m. ET on NBC (Streaming on Peacock).
The Nuance of Regional Blackouts (Or Lack Thereof)
One thing people get wrong about the NFL playoffs is worrying about regional blackouts. During the regular season, you might get stuck with a "game of lesser interest" if your local team isn't playing. That doesn't happen in the Divisional Round. These are national broadcasts.
Whether you’re in Maine or Maui, the Bills-Broncos game is on CBS. There is no secondary game competing for the time slot. This is "appointment viewing" in its purest form.
Common Tech Hurdles to Avoid
Nothing ruins a game faster than a spinning loading icon. If you’re streaming the Seahawks-49ers game tonight, remember that 4K streams take up significantly more bandwidth. If your internet is acting flaky, jump into the settings of the FOX Sports app and manually drop the resolution to 1080p. You’ll barely notice the difference in quality on a standard screen, but you’ll definitely notice the lack of buffering.
Also, if you're using an over-the-air antenna—which is still the cheapest way to get high-def football—make sure you scan for channels now. Don't wait until 4:29 p.m. signals can drift, and you don't want to be adjusting "rabbit ears" while Josh Allen is mid-snap.
Actionable Next Steps for Fans
- Check your logins now: If you’re using Paramount+ for the 4:30 game, log in now to ensure your subscription didn't lapse or require a password reset.
- Download the apps: Get the CBS Sports and FOX Sports apps on your smart TV or Roku before kickoff to avoid the last-minute download rush.
- Plan the National Championship: Since there's no college ball today, make sure you've got your ESPN credentials ready for the Indiana vs. Miami showdown this coming Monday night.