It is finally here. The Divisional Round of the NFL playoffs is easily the best weekend of the entire year for any self-respecting football fan. Four games. Two days. High stakes. If you're frantically trying to figure out what channel is the game on tonight football game schedules have shifted a bit this year, so you aren't alone in the confusion.
Tonight, Saturday, January 17, 2026, we have a massive doubleheader that determines who moves one step closer to Super Bowl LX. We're talking about the Buffalo Bills taking on the Denver Broncos and a late-night NFC West grudge match between the San Francisco 49ers and the Seattle Seahawks.
The AFC Showdown: Bills at Broncos
First up, we have the Buffalo Bills traveling to the thin air of Mile High to face the Denver Broncos. This one is huge. Buffalo is coming in as the 6-seed, but nobody wants to play Josh Allen in January.
Kickoff is set for 4:30 p.m. ET. If you are looking for the channel, it’s on CBS. If you’ve cut the cord, you can stream the whole thing on Paramount+. Honestly, the Broncos have been a surprise this year under Sean Payton, and Empower Field is going to be rocking. Bo Nix has looked way more comfortable than a lot of people expected for a young guy in the playoffs.
But let’s be real. It’s the Bills. It’s Josh Allen. He’s going to run, he’s going to throw a 60-yard laser, and he might even hurdle a defender or two. If you miss the start, you're missing the best part of the afternoon.
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The NFC West War: 49ers at Seahawks
The nightcap is a personal favorite for anyone who loves old-school rivalry energy. The San Francisco 49ers are heading north to Seattle. Lumen Field is arguably the loudest stadium in the world, and for a playoff game against a division rival? It’s going to be deafening.
This game starts at 8:00 p.m. ET.
You’ll find this one on FOX. For the streamers out there, it’ll be on the FOX Sports app and FOX One.
Seattle has been dominant at home lately, and they actually beat the 49ers pretty handily during the regular season. But the playoffs are a different animal. Kyle Shanahan always has something weird up his sleeve. Whether it’s a random screen pass to Deebo Samuel that goes for 50 yards or George Kittle just bulldozing people, the 49ers are never out of it.
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Quick Broadcast Reference
- Bills vs. Broncos: 4:30 p.m. ET on CBS / Paramount+
- 49ers vs. Seahawks: 8:00 p.m. ET on FOX / FOX Sports App
What about College Football?
I know some of you are looking for the college games. Kinda disappointing news there: there are actually no college football games tonight.
Everything is on pause because we are waiting for the National Championship. That huge matchup between Indiana and Miami happens this Monday, January 19. It’s being played at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, which basically makes it a home game for the Hurricanes. You’ll have to wait until 7:30 p.m. ET on Monday to catch that on ESPN.
Why the "What Channel is the Game on Tonight Football Game" Search is So Messy
Every year, the broadcast rights get a little more tangled. It used to be simple: AFC on CBS, NFC on FOX. Now? We have games jumping between NBC, ABC, ESPN, and even Amazon or Netflix.
For tonight, thankfully, it’s mostly traditional. Stick to the big broadcast networks. If you have an antenna, you're golden. If you're using a streaming service like YouTube TV, Fubo, or Hulu + Live TV, just search for your local CBS and FOX affiliates.
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Keys to the Games
In Denver, keep an eye on the turnover battle. Josh Allen is a superstar, but he can be a bit... "adventurous" with the football. If Denver’s secondary can bait him into a couple of mistakes, the Broncos might actually pull this off.
In Seattle, it's all about the noise. If the 49ers can't hear the snap count, their offensive line is going to struggle against that Seahawks pass rush. Expect a lot of silent counts and frustrated gestures from the San Francisco sideline.
Plan Your Evening
Don't wait until 4:29 p.m. to check if your Paramount+ login still works.
- Verify your subscriptions before the 4:30 p.m. kickoff for the Bills/Broncos.
- Download the apps (FOX Sports, Paramount+) if you plan on watching on a tablet or phone.
- Check your local listings if you are in a weird market area, though these are national broadcasts.
Tomorrow is another big day with the Texans and Patriots followed by the Rams and Bears, but for right now, settle in. The Divisional Round usually delivers at least one classic game that people talk about for a decade. Hopefully, we get two tonight.
Keep your remote handy, get the snacks ready, and enjoy some of the best football of the 2026 season. It doesn't get much better than this.