It is that time of year where every single snap feels like it carries the weight of an entire season. Honestly, if you're asking what is the score in the football game tonight, you’re probably looking at the massive NFL Divisional Round doubleheader that’s currently taking over the airwaves. We have reached the point in the 2025-26 postseason where the pretenders have been sent home and only the heavy hitters remain.
Tonight, January 17, 2026, the bracket is split between a snowy high-altitude battle in Denver and a fierce divisional rivalry in the Pacific Northwest.
NFL Scoreboard: Buffalo Bills at Denver Broncos
The early window kicked off with a high-stakes AFC clash at Empower Field at Mile High.
No. 6 Buffalo Bills vs. No. 1 Denver Broncos
- Kickoff Time: 4:30 PM ET / 1:30 PM PT
- Current Status: Game in Progress / Final (Check live ticker)
- The Vibe: Denver came into this as the top seed after a dominant 14-3 regular season. Meanwhile, Josh Allen and the Bills have been playing "must-win" football for a month.
Josh Allen is basically a human wrecking ball at this point. Coming off a Wild Card win where he posted a 135.4 passer rating against these very same Broncos last year, the pressure was on Denver’s Bo Nix to prove the regular season wasn't a fluke. The Broncos defense, led by Nik Bonitto and his 14 regular-season sacks, has been chasing Allen all afternoon.
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If you are tracking the what is the score in the football game tonight specifically for the AFC, keep an eye on the turnover battle. The thin air in Denver always makes those deep balls a bit unpredictable.
Late Night Drama: San Francisco 49ers at Seattle Seahawks
Once the sun goes down, the focus shifts entirely to the NFC West. This isn't just a playoff game; it's a grudge match between two teams that know each other's playbooks better than their own phone numbers.
No. 6 San Francisco 49ers vs. No. 1 Seattle Seahawks
- Kickoff Time: 8:00 PM ET / 5:00 PM PT
- Venue: Lumen Field, Seattle
- The Spread: Seattle opened as 7-point favorites.
Seattle earned the first-round bye with a 14-3 record, but the 49ers are the ultimate "bracket busters." They just took down the Eagles in a 23-19 nail-biter last week. Brock Purdy hasn't been perfect, but with Christian McCaffrey back and healthy, the Niners' offense is a completely different beast.
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On the other side, Sam Darnold has had a career resurgence in Seattle, throwing for over 4,000 yards this season. Watching him try to navigate the "12th Man" noise while dealing with a Nick Bosa-led pass rush is the main event everyone is waiting for.
Beyond the NFL: Global Football Results
If you’re a fan of the "other" football—soccer—the morning and afternoon were absolutely packed with drama across Europe.
The Manchester Derby actually lived up to the hype today. Manchester United, in a stunning performance under Michael Carrick, beat Manchester City 2-0. Bryan Mbeumo and Patrick Dorgu provided the goals that painted the city red.
- Premier League: Manchester United 2, Manchester City 0
- La Liga: Real Madrid 13:00 kickoff against Levante (check final)
- Bundesliga: RB Leipzig vs. Bayern Munich (the massive late game in Germany)
Why these scores matter for your bracket
The winners of tonight’s NFL games move directly to the Conference Championships. If Buffalo pulls the upset in Denver, they’ll face the winner of tomorrow’s Texans vs. Patriots game. If the 49ers can silence the crowd in Seattle, they’ll be one win away from yet another Super Bowl appearance.
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The parity in the league right now is wild. You've got 14-win teams like the Seahawks and Broncos who dominated the regular season, yet they're facing "lower" seeds that are currently playing the best football of their lives.
What to watch for in the second half
- Conditioning: The Denver altitude usually starts gassing visiting teams midway through the third quarter.
- Kicking: Seattle’s wind can be a nightmare for field goal units.
- The Stars: Can McCaffrey break a long one? Will Josh Allen keep tucking the ball and running?
To get the most out of tonight’s action, make sure you are following the live play-by-play on the NFL app or tuning into CBS for the AFC game and FOX for the NFC matchup. If you're out and about, sports bars are likely hitting capacity right now—get there early if you want a seat for the fourth quarter.
Check the live betting lines if you’re into that; the "live total" usually fluctuates wildly in these divisional rounds as teams get more aggressive with their play-calling.
Keep your eyes on the injury reports as well. Any tweak to a guy like Jaxon Smith-Njigba or Deebo Samuel in these games changes the entire trajectory of the Super Bowl race.