If you’re staring at your phone trying to figure out what time are the nfl games sunday, you’ve probably realized the Divisional Round is a different beast entirely. We aren’t in the regular season anymore. The chaos of triple-headers is gone, replaced by two high-stakes windows that basically dictate whether your Monday morning starts with a celebration or a deep, football-induced malaise.
It's Sunday, January 18, 2026. The air is cold, the stakes are absurdly high, and we have two massive matchups on the docket.
Let's cut to it.
The first game kicks off at 3:00 p.m. ET. That’s the Houston Texans taking on the New England Patriots. If you’re on the West Coast, you’re looking at a noon start—perfect for brunch or, more likely, pacing around your living room. Then, for the nightcap, we head to the Frozen Tundra (or close enough) as the Los Angeles Rams visit the Chicago Bears at 6:30 p.m. ET.
The AFC Afternoon: Texans at Patriots
Honestly, seeing the Patriots back in a Divisional Round home game feels like a glitch in the matrix for some, but here they are. They earned the No. 2 seed and had a week to rest while Houston was busy dismantling the Steelers in the Wild Card round.
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Kickoff and Broadcast Details
- Time: 3:00 p.m. ET / 12:00 p.m. PT
- Channel: ESPN and ABC
- Streaming: ESPN+, NFL+
- Location: Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, MA
Houston is coming in hot. C.J. Stroud has been a revelation, but he’s heading into a defensive buzzsaw. The Patriots' defense, led by a revitalized secondary and the sheer force of Milton Williams up front, essentially bullied the Chargers last week. They racked up six sacks. If you're a Texans fan, that's the stat that should keep you up.
But don't sleep on Houston's defense either. They’re "brutal," to put it lightly. Even with Nico Collins dealing with concussion protocol—a massive blow if he’s out—the Texans have shown they can find yardage in weird places. Christian Kirk’s 144-yard explosion last week proved they aren't a one-trick pony.
The NFC Primetime: Rams at Bears
When people ask what time are the nfl games sunday, they’re often really asking about the night game. There’s just something about playoff football under the lights at Soldier Field.
Kickoff and Broadcast Details
- Time: 6:30 p.m. ET / 5:30 p.m. CT / 3:30 p.m. PT
- Channel: NBC
- Streaming: Peacock, NFL+
- Location: Soldier Field, Chicago, IL
This is the one everyone is talking about. The No. 5 seed Rams versus the No. 2 seed Bears. It’s Matthew Stafford versus the Chicago winter. Tom Brady actually weighed in on this earlier this week, noting that the "Soldier Field factor" is a legitimate variable for a warm-weather team like the Rams.
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The Bears are 11-6 and have been incredibly tough at home. They just squeezed past the Packers 31-27 in a game that probably took five years off every Chicagoan's life. Now, they have to face a Rams team that is arguably the most "balanced" squad left in the bracket. The Rams are sitting in the top five for both offensive and defensive DVOA. That is a terrifying combination for any opponent.
Who is on the mic?
If you're watching on NBC, you're getting the A-team. Mike Tirico will handle the play-by-play with Cris Collinsworth providing the analysis. Melissa Stark is on the sidelines. If you prefer the radio, Kevin Harlan is doing the national call on Westwood One. Honestly, hearing Harlan call a 4th-quarter touchdown is worth the price of admission alone.
Why the Sunday Schedule Matters for Your Bracket
Knowing what time are the nfl games sunday helps you plan your day, but it also changes the momentum of the playoffs. By the time the Texans and Patriots kick off, we’ll already know who made it through from Saturday’s Bills/Broncos and 49ers/Seahawks games.
If the No. 6 Bills upset the No. 1 Broncos on Saturday, the bracket shifts. The winner of the Texans-Patriots game would then know exactly where they are headed for the AFC Championship.
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The NFL does this on purpose. They stagger these games to maximize "eyeballs," but also to build the narrative. You have the young, surging Texans trying to dethrone a legacy franchise in the afternoon, followed by a heavyweight NFC clash in the evening. It’s a perfect television product.
Betting and Watching: A Quick Note
If you’re planning on streaming, remember that Peacock is the exclusive home for the NBC digital feed. Don’t wait until 6:29 p.m. to realize your login has expired. The ESPN/ABC game is a bit easier to find since it’s simulcast, so you can jump between the ESPN app and your local ABC affiliate without much fuss.
Practical Tips for Sunday's Games
Since you now know the times, here is how to actually survive the eight-hour football marathon:
- Check the Weather in Chicago: Early forecasts for Sunday night at Soldier Field are suggesting "typical" January conditions. If it’s windy, the Rams' passing game takes a hit, and we might see a lot more of Kyren Williams.
- Sync Your Apps: If you're following a live box score on Fox Sports or ESPN while watching the broadcast, be prepared for a 15-30 second delay on the stream. It’s a spoiler risk.
- The "Second Screen" Setup: With the 3:00 p.m. game being on ABC/ESPN, it's a great time to have the NFL+ app open for the "all-22" looks or various alternate feeds if you’re a real tactics nerd.
The Divisional Round is often the best weekend of the year for pure football quality. The "bad" teams are gone. The "lucky" teams usually got found out in the Wild Card round. What we have left on Sunday are four teams that genuinely believe they can win the Super Bowl.
Make sure your snacks are ready by 3:00 p.m. ET. Once that first ball is kicked in Foxborough, it’s a non-stop ride until late Sunday night.
Actionable Next Steps:
Check your local listings to confirm that your ABC and NBC affiliates are broadcasting in HD to avoid the dreaded "digital artifacts" during high-motion plays. If you are using a streaming service like Fubo or Hulu Live, do a quick "test run" today to ensure your bandwidth can handle a 4K stream if available. Lastly, if you're attending the game in Chicago, the Bears have issued a weather advisory—wear layers, as the wind chill near the lake is projected to be significantly lower than the ambient temperature.