You’re sitting there, maybe with a drink in hand or a jersey already on, asking the same thing millions of others are right now: what time is the football game start tonight? It’s Sunday, January 18, 2026. We are deep in the trenches of the NFL Divisional Round, and honestly, the stakes couldn't be higher.
If you're looking for the short answer, here it is. The main event, the "night" game everyone is buzzing about, kicks off at 6:30 p.m. ET. That’s when the Los Angeles Rams take on the Chicago Bears at a likely frigid Soldier Field.
But if you’re just tuning in now, you might have already missed the afternoon slugfest between the Houston Texans and the New England Patriots, which got underway at 3:00 p.m. ET.
The Prime Time Showdown: Rams vs. Bears
This isn't just another game. We’ve got a massive narrative arc happening here. You’ve got Matthew Stafford—who basically feels like the grizzled veteran king of the postseason at this point—leading a Rams team that just narrowly escaped the Wild Card round with a 34-31 win over Carolina.
On the other side? Caleb Williams. The kid is making his Divisional Round debut at home. The Bears are coming off a massive emotional high after taking down the Packers 31-27 last week. Chicago hasn't seen a playoff run like this in fifteen years. The city is literally shaking.
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- Kickoff Time: 6:30 p.m. ET / 5:30 p.m. CT
- Location: Soldier Field, Chicago
- TV Channel: NBC
- Streaming: Peacock
Basically, if you aren't in front of a TV by 6:00 p.m. ET, you're going to miss Football Night in America, which is usually where you get the last-minute injury updates that actually matter for your bets or your sanity.
Why Everyone Is Searching for the Start Time
Look, the NFL loves to mess with us. Yesterday (Saturday), the games were at 4:30 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. ET. Today, they shifted the whole window earlier. It’s confusing.
The Texans and Patriots kicked off at 3:00 p.m. ET on ESPN/ABC. If you’re checking your watch and it’s past 4:00 p.m., that ship has sailed, but you can still catch the second half. That game determines who heads to Denver next week to face the Broncos, who earned their spot yesterday in a wild overtime win against Buffalo.
The Rams/Bears game is the "night" cap, even though 6:30 p.m. feels a bit early for a typical Sunday Night Football start. The winner of this one flies to Seattle to face the Seahawks, who looked absolutely terrifying yesterday while dismantling the 49ers 41-6.
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Beyond the NFL: Is There Other Football?
Kinda. If you’re a "football is football" person, you might be looking for college hoops or other action, but in terms of the gridiron, the NFL is the only show in town tonight.
There were some rumblings about late-season UFL news or international updates, but let’s be real: on January 18, 2026, the world revolves around the NFC North versus the NFC West.
What Most People Get Wrong About Tonight’s Broadcast
You’d be surprised how many people think they can just pull up a standard app and watch.
NBC has the rights tonight, which means Peacock is your primary streaming home. If you’re trying to find it on Paramount+ or Amazon Prime, you’re going to be staring at a blank screen.
Also, keep an eye on the weather. Soldier Field in mid-January is no joke. Forecasters are calling for some serious wind, which might turn this 6:30 p.m. start into a ground-and-pound game. If you’re expecting Caleb Williams to air it out for 400 yards, the Chicago wind might have other plans.
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Practical Steps for Your Night
Don't be the person asking "what's the score?" two minutes after kickoff.
- Check your Peacock login now. There is nothing worse than an expired password at 6:29 p.m.
- Order the wings early. Delivery times in Chicago and LA are going to be a nightmare right around 6:00 p.m.
- Check the local listings if you’re using an antenna. NBC is free over-the-air, which is the "pro tip" for avoiding the 30-second streaming lag that spoils touchdowns via text message.
The road to Super Bowl LX in Santa Clara is getting narrow. By the time the clock hits zero tonight in Chicago, we’ll know our final four. Enjoy the game.
Final Kickoff Reminder: - Texans at Patriots: 3:00 p.m. ET (ESPN/ABC)
- Rams at Bears: 6:30 p.m. ET (NBC/Peacock)