If you’re sitting on your couch, remote in hand, frantically scrolling through the guide to find out what channel is the falcons game today, I have some news that might be a little tough to swallow.
The Atlanta Falcons aren’t playing today.
Honestly, it’s a bummer, but there’s a very specific reason for it. Today is Thursday, January 15, 2026. While we are deep in the heart of the NFL postseason, the Falcons didn't make the cut this year. They finished their 2025-2026 regular season with an 8-9 record. That left them sitting in third place in the NFC South, just outside the playoff bubble. Their final game was a nail-biter on January 4th—a 19-17 win over the New Orleans Saints—but that was the end of the road for the Dirty Birds this time around.
The NFL Playoff Gap: Why There is No Football Today
Even if Atlanta had made a deep playoff run, you still wouldn't find them on your TV tonight. We are currently in the weird "dead zone" between the Wild Card round and the Divisional round.
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The NFL schedule-makers usually keep Thursdays clear once the playoffs start. Most people are used to Thursday Night Football on Amazon Prime, but that’s a regular-season staple. Once January hits, the league shifts almost all the action to the weekends to maximize those massive Saturday and Sunday TV audiences.
If you’re looking for the next live NFL hit, you’ll have to wait until Saturday, January 17. That’s when the Divisional Round kicks off. Since the Falcons are officially in "offseason mode," their fans are basically scouts now, watching to see who comes out of the NFC.
What Happened to the Falcons This Season?
It was a rollercoaster. Total "heart attack Falcons" energy. They had some bright spots, like that Week 15 win against the Buccaneers and the Week 17 victory over the Rams. But losing to the Colts in Berlin back in November and dropping a couple of overtime heartbreakers really sealed their fate.
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The 2025 season was supposed to be the one where they finally took control of a wide-open NFC South. Instead, they hovered right around .500 for most of the year. Coach and management are already looking toward the 2026 Draft to figure out how to bridge that small but frustrating gap between "almost good" and "playoff contender."
Where to Watch Other NFL Playoff Games
Since you can't watch the Falcons, you might as well see who else is still alive in the bracket. The Divisional Round is usually the best weekend of football all year. Here is who is playing this coming weekend and where you can find them:
- Buffalo Bills at Denver Broncos: Saturday at 4:30 p.m. ET on CBS.
- San Francisco 49ers at Seattle Seahawks: Saturday at 8:00 p.m. ET on FOX.
- Houston Texans at New England Patriots: Sunday at 3:00 p.m. ET on ABC/ESPN.
- Los Angeles Rams at Chicago Bears: Sunday at 6:30 p.m. ET on NBC.
If you've cut the cord and don't have cable, you're not totally out of luck. You can stream these games on Paramount+ (for the CBS games), Peacock (for the NBC game), and the ESPN app or FuboTV for the rest.
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Looking Ahead to the 2026 Falcons Schedule
The Falcons might be done for now, but the 2026 opponents are already set. If you're planning your fall weekends for later this year, it’s going to be a tough slate. They’ll be facing the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
They also have an international home game scheduled for 2026, though the NFL hasn't announced yet if they'll be headed back to London, Munich, or maybe somewhere new like Madrid.
How to Stay Updated on Atlanta Falcons News
Since there's no game today, the "game" for fans has shifted to the front office. Between now and the draft, there’s going to be a ton of speculation about the roster.
The best way to keep up is to follow the official Falcons social media accounts or check out local Atlanta sports radio like 92.9 The Game. They’re usually the first to break news about coaching changes or free-agent signings.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Stop searching for the channel: There is no game tonight, so you can save yourself the frustration of scrolling through your TV guide.
- Clear your Saturday/Sunday schedule: If you want to see who will eventually represent the NFC in the Super Bowl, the Divisional Round starts in two days.
- Check your streaming logins: If you plan to watch the playoffs on Paramount+ or Peacock, make sure your subscriptions are active before kickoff on Saturday.
- Mark your calendar for the NFL Draft: Since the Falcons are out, the Draft (usually in late April) is your next big milestone for team news.