If you're frantically checking your watch because the grill is heating up and the beer is chilling, I’ve got you. Today is Saturday, January 17, 2026, and we are officially into the meat of the postseason. People always ask what time is the next nfl game right around now because the schedule shifts from the triple-headers of Wild Card weekend to this more refined, high-stakes Divisional Round double-header.
The next game is basically happening right now, or very soon, depending on when you’re reading this. Specifically, the AFC clash between the Buffalo Bills and the Denver Broncos kicks off at 4:30 p.m. ET today. It's at Empower Field at Mile High, and honestly, the altitude is going to be a massive factor for a Buffalo team that barely scraped by the Jaguars last week.
Once that dust settles, we move to the nightcap. The San Francisco 49ers travel to face the Seattle Seahawks at 8:00 p.m. ET. If you’re a fan of old-school NFC West rivalries, this is the one you’ve been waiting for.
What Time Is The Next NFL Game This Weekend?
The NFL doesn't just stop today. We have a full Sunday slate tomorrow, January 18, to determine who actually makes it to the Conference Championships. Most people get confused because the Sunday times are slightly different than the Saturday times.
- Sunday, Jan 18 - 3:00 p.m. ET: Houston Texans at New England Patriots (ABC/ESPN).
- Sunday, Jan 18 - 6:30 p.m. ET: Los Angeles Rams at Chicago Bears (NBC/Peacock).
It’s a weirdly spread-out weekend. Usually, we're used to those 1:00 p.m. ET kickoffs, but the NFL pushes everything back for the Divisional Round to maximize those primetime eyeballs. If you're on the West Coast, you’re looking at a 1:30 p.m. PT start for the Bills-Broncos game today.
Why the 4:30 p.m. Start Time Matters
The league is obsessed with the "window." By starting at 4:30 p.m. ET, they ensure that the first game ends just as the pre-game hype for the 8:00 p.m. game is reaching a fever pitch. It's basically a six-hour block of football with no room to breathe.
Josh Allen and the Bills are heading into a hostile environment. Denver earned that No. 1 seed for a reason. They've had a week of rest, and while Buffalo has the momentum of a Wild Card win, playing in the thin air of Denver after a short week is a brutal draw.
Streaming and TV: How to Not Miss Kickoff
Honestly, it's getting harder to track where these games live. For today’s opener, you’re looking at CBS. If you’ve cut the cord, Paramount+ is your primary destination for the Bills-Broncos.
The night game is a different story. FOX has the broadcast rights for the 49ers-Seahawks matchup. You can also find it on FOX Deportes if you want the Spanish broadcast, which, let's be real, is often way more energetic.
Tomorrow is even more fragmented. The Texans and Patriots are on ABC and ESPN, while the Rams and Bears game is the exclusive property of NBC and Peacock. If you’re a Peacock subscriber, you're set, but if you're relying on a digital antenna, make sure it's positioned right before that 6:30 p.m. ET kickoff on Sunday.
The Underdog Narrative
What's wild about this specific year is that we have two No. 6 seeds still alive. The Bills and the 49ers both had to win on the road last week to even get here. Statistics from Football Outsiders and Pro Football Focus generally suggest that No. 1 seeds (like Denver and Seattle) win about 70% of these Divisional Round games.
But stats don't account for a hot quarterback. C.J. Stroud and the Texans are looking like the real deal, and they don't play until tomorrow. If you're wondering what time is the next nfl game for the AFC's darling team, you'll have to wait until that 3:00 p.m. slot on Sunday.
Looking Ahead: The Road to Super Bowl LX
Once we get through this weekend, the field shrinks even more. The winners of today’s and tomorrow’s games will head straight into the Conference Championships on Sunday, January 25, 2026. The AFC Championship is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. ET next Sunday, and the NFC Championship will follow at 6:30 p.m. ET. It’s the same rhythmic pattern the NFL has used for years, building the tension until we hit Super Bowl LX on February 8 in Santa Clara.
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If you're planning a party, keep in mind that the Super Bowl has a 6:30 p.m. ET kickoff. That's a long way off, though. For now, the focus is purely on whether the Bills can survive the Mile High air or if the Seahawks' "12th Man" will be too much for the 49ers tonight.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Check your local listings: Double-check if your cable provider or streaming service has CBS (for today's first game) and FOX (for tonight's second game) active.
- Sync your calendar: Set an alert for 4:15 p.m. ET today so you catch the coin toss for Bills vs. Broncos.
- Pre-load apps: If you're using Paramount+ or Peacock, log in now to avoid those annoying "forgotten password" moments right at kickoff.