You've probably been there. It's Wednesday, January 14, 2026, and you're itching for some high-stakes football. The Wild Card round just wrapped up with that absolute nail-biter between the Steelers and Texans on Monday night, and now the energy is shifting toward the Divisional Round. But here is the thing: if you are asking what time does the nfl football games come on today, the answer is actually zero.
Honestly, it's a bit of a letdown. We get so used to that "football every day" rhythm during the holidays and the end of the regular season that a Wednesday in mid-January feels like it should have a game. But today is actually a massive logistical day for the league, even if there aren't any pads popping on your TV screen.
Why There Aren't NFL Games Today
The NFL schedule is basically a finely tuned machine, and Wednesday is the "reset" button. Today, January 14, is actually the deadline for college underclassmen to declare for the NFL Draft. While you're looking for kickoffs, GMs are staring at a list of kids who just decided to turn pro.
Also, the league just "froze" the rosters for the playoff teams. As of 4:00 p.m. ET today, teams like the Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks—the two #1 seeds—can’t really fiddle with their active rosters anymore. It’s the "locked in" phase.
If you're looking for football on TV right now, you might find some NBA action (like the Nuggets playing the Mavericks later tonight) or some college basketball, but the NFL is in a deep-prep mode. They’re practicing. They’re watching film. They aren't playing.
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When the Real Action Starts: The Divisional Round Schedule
Since there aren't games today, you’re likely looking for the next time you can sit on your couch and ignore your responsibilities. That happens this Saturday. The Divisional Round is widely considered the best weekend of football in the entire year. Better than the Super Bowl? Kinda. You get four games featuring the eight best teams, and usually, the matchups are elite.
Here is how the upcoming weekend looks:
Saturday, January 17, 2026
- Buffalo Bills at Denver Broncos: Kickoff is set for 4:30 p.m. ET. You can catch this one on CBS or stream it on Paramount+. Denver has been resting for a week, and Buffalo is coming off a physical Wild Card win.
- San Francisco 49ers at Seattle Seahawks: This is the primetime slot at 8:00 p.m. ET on FOX. It’s an NFC West rivalry in the playoffs. It’s going to be loud, and frankly, a little bit toxic in the best way possible.
Sunday, January 18, 2026
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- Houston Texans at New England Patriots: Start time is 3:00 p.m. ET on ESPN/ABC. The Texans looked scary on Monday night, but going into Foxborough in January is a different beast entirely.
- Los Angeles Rams at Chicago Bears: The weekend wraps up at 6:30 p.m. ET on NBC. If you like cold-weather football, this is your game. Soldier Field is expected to be freezing.
Navigating the "Dead Zones" of the Playoff Calendar
It’s easy to get mixed up about what time does the nfl football games come on today because the league has toyed with Monday Night Football and Saturday games so much lately. But once we hit the Divisional Round and the Conference Championships, the NFL reverts to a very strict Saturday/Sunday weekend format.
There are no Tuesday games. No Wednesday games. No Thursday Night Football.
The reason is simple: player safety and preparation. In the playoffs, you cannot ask a team to play on a short week. Every team playing this coming Saturday or Sunday will have had at least five days of full preparation. The only exception was the Texans, who played Monday and now have to travel to New England for a Sunday game. That's a "normal" week in NFL terms, but still grueling after a playoff game.
Common Misconceptions About Playoff Times
- "There’s always a Thursday game." Nope. Not in the postseason. The last Thursday game of the season is usually late December.
- "Games start at 1:00 p.m. ET." Actually, the NFL pushes the start times back for the playoffs to maximize West Coast viewership. Notice the earliest game this weekend is 3:00 p.m. ET or 4:30 p.m. ET.
- "All games are on one network." The NFL spreads the love (and the money). You’ll need to bounce between CBS, FOX, NBC, and ESPN/ABC this weekend.
What to Watch While You Wait
Since you can't watch the NFL today, what's a football fan to do? Honestly, this is the best time to check the betting lines.
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Currently, the Denver Broncos are early favorites against Buffalo, which makes sense given the altitude and the rest advantage. Over in the NFC, the Seahawks are favored to handle the 49ers at home, but that line has been moving.
You could also dive into the "ManningCast" archives if you've got ESPN+. Seeing Peyton and Eli break down the Texans' win from Monday night is probably the closest thing to live football you'll get today.
Actionable Next Steps for Fans
- Check your local listings for Saturday: Double-check that you have access to CBS and FOX. If you’re a cord-cutter, make sure your Paramount+ and FOX Sports apps are updated.
- Set your DVR for 4:30 p.m. ET Saturday: That's the first real "live" window.
- Monitor the weather in Chicago: If you’re planning on betting the Rams/Bears game, keep an eye on the wind speeds at Soldier Field. It’s looking like a "ground and pound" kind of day.
Basically, enjoy the quiet today. The chaos returns in about 72 hours.
Expert Insight: The 2026 season has shown a massive shift in how home-field advantage works. While the #1 seeds (Denver and Seattle) have the week off, the "momentum teams" like Houston have historically performed well in the Divisional Round. Don't assume the rested teams will come out firing; sometimes "rest" leads to "rust."
Next Step: You should verify your streaming subscriptions for NBC and Peacock before Sunday night, as the Rams vs. Bears game will be a major broadcast event that often sees high traffic.