What Time Does the NFL Game Start: Why Kickoff Times Are So Confusing

You’re sitting on the couch, wings are getting cold, and you’re staring at a "pre-game" show that feels like it’s been on for three hours. We’ve all been there. You just want to know one thing: what time does the nfl game start? It sounds like a simple question, but if you’ve followed football for more than a week, you know the NFL loves to keep things moving. Between the regular season "standard" times and the chaos of the postseason, pinpointing the actual kickoff requires a bit of a roadmap.

Today is Sunday, January 18, 2026. If you are looking for the games happening right now, we are in the heart of the Divisional Round. That means the "standard" Sunday 1:00 p.m. ET window is officially gone for the year.

The Sunday, January 18, 2026 Schedule

For today’s Divisional Playoff games, the league has split the day into two distinct national windows. You aren't going to find seven different games on at once like you do in October.

1. Houston Texans at New England Patriots * Kickoff Time: 3:00 p.m. ET (12:00 p.m. PT)

   • Channel: ABC and ESPN
   • The Vibe: Drake Maye and the Pats are looking to keep their Cinderella run alive at Gillette Stadium. This is the early window for the Divisional Round, which always starts two hours later than a normal regular-season Sunday.

2. Los Angeles Rams at Chicago Bears * Kickoff Time: 6:30 p.m. ET (3:30 p.m. PT)

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   • Channel: NBC and Peacock
   • The Vibe: Caleb Williams vs. Matthew Stafford under the lights at Soldier Field. This is the "primetime" slot for the weekend, even though it starts slightly earlier than a typical Sunday Night Football game.

Why the Times Keep Changing

The NFL is a creature of habit until it isn't. During the regular season, we are conditioned to expect games at 1:00 p.m. and 4:25 p.m. ET. But once the playoffs hit, the networks (CBS, FOX, NBC, and ESPN/ABC) demand standalone windows. They don't want games overlapping because they want every single eyeball in America on one game at a time.

Honestly, the 3:00 p.m. ET start time for the first game on a playoff Sunday is one of the best inventions in sports. It gives you enough time to actually run errands or hit the gym before committing to six straight hours of football. It’s a bit of a "sweet spot" that the league has perfected over the last few years.

Understanding the "Real" Kickoff vs. The TV Time

Here is the thing nobody tells you: when the TV guide says 3:00 p.m., the ball is almost never in the air at 3:00 p.m. sharp.

In a typical regular-season game, the actual kickoff usually happens about 2 to 4 minutes after the hour. However, for huge playoff games like today’s Texans-Patriots matchup, the ceremonies are longer. You’ve got the national anthem, player introductions, and the inevitable "keys to the game" segment that runs long. Expect the actual foot-to-ball contact to happen around 3:02 or 3:03 p.m. ET.

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For the night game—the Rams and Bears—NBC likes to stretch things out a bit more. Since Football Night in America leads directly into the broadcast, the 6:30 p.m. start time is usually pretty firm for the broadcast start, but kickoff often slides toward 6:40 p.m. ET to accommodate extra commercial pods.

Breaking Down the Time Zones

If you’re traveling or just moved, the math can be annoying. Here’s a quick cheat sheet for today’s games so you don't miss the first drive:

Game 1 (Texans @ Patriots):

• Eastern: 3:00 p.m.
• Central: 2:00 p.m.
• Mountain: 1:00 p.m.
• Pacific: 12:00 p.m.

Game 2 (Rams @ Bears):

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• Eastern: 6:30 p.m.
• Central: 5:30 p.m.
• Mountain: 4:30 p.m.
• Pacific: 3:30 p.m.

What Happens if a Game Goes to Overtime?

This is the nightmare scenario for the second game's audience. If the Texans and Patriots go into a grueling overtime period—like the Broncos and Bills did yesterday in their 33-30 OT thriller—the Rams vs. Bears kickoff won't necessarily move, but the coverage might.

Usually, the NFL will hold the start of the second game by a few minutes if the first one is finishing up, or they will move the start of the second game to a "sister" channel like ESPN2 or West Coast local feeds until the first game concludes. Since these are the Divisional Playoffs, they try their absolute hardest not to have the games overlap for more than a few minutes.

The Road to Super Bowl LX

Knowing what time does the nfl game start becomes even more critical next week. The Conference Championships (January 25, 2026) follow a similar but slightly tighter schedule.

• AFC Championship: 3:00 p.m. ET on CBS
• NFC Championship: 6:30 p.m. ET on FOX

Then, of course, the big one. Super Bowl 60 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara. Mark your calendars for February 8, 2026. The kickoff for the Super Bowl is almost always set for 6:30 p.m. ET, though the pre-game festivities usually start around noon.

Actionable Steps for Today's Games

If you're worried about missing the start, do these three things right now:

1. Check your streaming login. If you're watching the Rams and Bears on Peacock, make sure you aren't logged out. There is nothing worse than missing a 75-yard touchdown because you had to reset your password.
2. Sync your clock to ET. Most NFL marketing uses Eastern Time. If you see "3:00" and you live in Chicago, remember that’s 2:00 for you.
3. Set an "Arrival" alarm. Set an alarm for 15 minutes before the listed start time. This gives you a buffer to find the remote, settle the kids, and get the volume exactly where you want it before the coin toss.

The Divisional Round is arguably the best weekend of football in the entire year. The stakes are massive, the teams are elite, and the weather in places like Foxborough and Chicago is usually "classic football" cold. Don't let a timezone mishap or a long pre-game show catch you off guard.