You've probably been refreshing your scores app or checking the guide on your TV every ten minutes. It’s a habit. We get through a wild Wild Card weekend, and suddenly, you're looking for that Thursday night fix. But honestly, if you’re looking for which nfl games are on today, January 15, 2026, the answer is pretty short.
None.
Yeah, it’s a bummer. After a weekend where we saw the Buffalo Bills claw past the Jaguars and the Chicago Bears hold off Green Bay in a thriller, the league takes a breath. There are no NFL games today. The Thursday Night Football window is officially closed for the season. Amazon Prime is quiet. The networks are showing sitcom reruns and local news.
We are currently in that weird "eye of the storm" period between the Wild Card round and the Divisional Round. It's a time for ice tubs, film sessions, and for us fans, a lot of speculation about whether the Denver Broncos can actually stop Josh Allen now that they've had a week to rest.
When Does the Action Actually Start?
If you were hoping for a mid-week game, you’ll have to settle for injury reports and roster moves. The NFL playoffs don’t do Thursdays. They save the big drama for the weekend. The next time you’ll see a kickoff is Saturday, January 17.
It’s actually a massive Saturday. We’ve got two games that could easily be conference championships in any other year. First off, at 4:30 p.m. ET, the Buffalo Bills travel to Denver to face the top-seeded Broncos. CBS has that one. Then, the nightcap is a bloodbath in the Pacific Northwest: the San Francisco 49ers at the Seattle Seahawks on FOX at 8:00 p.m. ET.
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Think about that Seattle game for a second. Sam Darnold has been having a career renaissance with the Seahawks, but he’s currently dealing with an oblique injury. He says he’s playing. He better be. If he's not 100%, trying to out-maneuver Brock Purdy and a 49ers defense that just bullied the Eagles is a tall order.
The Divisional Round Schedule (Saturday & Sunday)
- Saturday, Jan 17: Buffalo Bills vs. Denver Broncos | 4:30 p.m. ET | CBS
- Saturday, Jan 17: San Francisco 49ers vs. Seattle Seahawks | 8:00 p.m. ET | FOX
- Sunday, Jan 18: Houston Texans vs. New England Patriots | 3:00 p.m. ET | ABC/ESPN
- Sunday, Jan 18: Los Angeles Rams vs. Chicago Bears | 6:30 p.m. ET | NBC
Why the Schedule Matters for Your Bracket
Since there isn't a game on right now, it’s the perfect time to look at the health of these teams. Which nfl games are on today might be "none," but the "who is playing" part of the equation is changing by the hour.
Take the Buffalo Bills. They are incredibly banged up. CB Maxwell Hairston is out with an ankle issue, and Jordan Poyer’s hamstring is a real concern. When you’re going into Mile High to face a 14-3 Broncos team that is coming off a bye week, those missing pieces in the secondary are glaring. Denver is currently a 1.5-point favorite. That feels low, honestly. But the Bills have a way of making things ugly and winning anyway.
Then you look at the Sunday slate. The Houston Texans are headed to Foxborough. C.J. Stroud looked like a god against the Steelers last Monday, but New England’s defense is a different beast entirely. It’s going to be cold. It’s going to be loud. The Patriots are 3-point favorites, mostly because they’ve had that extra time to prep while the Texans were busy playing on Monday night.
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The Soldier Field Factor
The final game of the weekend is the one I’m most curious about. The Rams at the Bears. It is supposed to be frigid in Chicago—single digits.
The Rams just squeaked by the Panthers 34-31. They’ve got momentum, but dome teams (or warm-weather teams) usually struggle when the wind starts whipping off Lake Michigan. The Bears' offensive line, led by All-Pro Darnell Wright, is built for this kind of weather. They want to run the ball and kill the clock. If you’re betting on this one, watch the weather reports. A drop in temperature usually means a drop in total points.
How to Handle the "No Game" Thursday
Since you can't watch a game today, what should you do?
- Check the Waiver Wire (for Daily Fantasy): If you're playing playoff challenges, look at the health of Ricky Pearsall (49ers) and Curtis Samuel (Bills). Both are questionable. If they sit, someone like Jauan Jennings becomes a must-start.
- Scout the Weather: Keep an eye on the Chicago and Foxborough forecasts. High winds change everything for deep-threat quarterbacks like Stroud.
- Watch the Practice Reports: Since it's Thursday, the "DNP" (Did Not Practice) lists coming out this evening are the most important ones of the week.
So, while the question of which nfl games are on today yields a disappointing "nothing," the chess match is very much in progress. We're just 48 hours away from the Bills and Broncos kicking off what should be one of the best weekends of football in years.
Set your reminders for Saturday afternoon. The Divisional Round is where the pretenders finally get sent home, and the path to Super Bowl LX becomes a lot clearer. Get your snacks ready now, because once that Saturday 4:30 p.m. kickoff hits, we aren't stopping until a champion is crowned in February.
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Make sure your streaming apps (Paramount+, Peacock, and ESPN+) are updated and logged in now to avoid the last-minute password scramble on Saturday.