If you woke up this morning and typed "who do the Bills play on Sunday" into your phone, I have some news that might be a bit of a gut punch. You probably saw the headlines floating around. Or maybe you caught the tail end of that absolute heartbreaker in the Rockies.
The short answer? The Buffalo Bills do not play on Sunday, January 18, 2026.
They're done. Their season ended less than 24 hours ago in one of those "only in Buffalo" ways that makes you want to throw your remote through a window. They played their Divisional Round game on Saturday, January 17, against the Denver Broncos. And man, it was a disaster for the blood pressure.
What happened on Saturday?
Buffalo went into Empower Field at Mile High as the 6-seed, coming off a gritty win against Jacksonville. For a while, it looked like Josh Allen was going to pull another rabbit out of his hat. He threw for 283 yards and three scores. James Cook was a monster on the ground, carving up the Broncos for 117 yards.
But five turnovers. You just can't win like that.
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The Bills lost 33-30 in overtime. It was a back-and-forth nightmare where Denver’s young QB, Bo Nix, played the game of his life before getting hurt. A late interception by Ja'Quan McMillian basically sealed the fate of the Bills' 2025-2026 campaign. So, instead of a Sunday game today, the Bills players are currently packing up their lockers at One Bills Drive.
Who is actually playing on Sunday, January 18?
Even though the Bills are out, the NFL playoff machine keeps churning. If you’re a football fan who just wants to watch some high-stakes games today, the Sunday slate is actually pretty wild.
Here is who is taking the field for the remaining Divisional Round spots:
- Houston Texans vs. New England Patriots: This is the big AFC matchup at 12:00 PM. The winner of this game gets the privilege (or the curse) of facing the Denver Broncos in the AFC Championship next weekend.
- Los Angeles Rams vs. Chicago Bears: Over in the NFC, we’ve got a 3:30 PM kickoff. The winner here will move on to face the Seattle Seahawks, who absolutely dismantled the 49ers yesterday.
It’s weird seeing the Patriots back in this position with Drake Maye, especially after Buffalo seemed to have the division's number for so long. But the NFL is cyclical, and right now, the Bills are the ones watching from the couch.
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Why did the Bills play on Saturday instead of Sunday?
A lot of fans get caught off guard by the NFL's "flexible" playoff scheduling. Basically, the league splits the four Divisional Round games across two days to maximize TV ratings.
The Bills got the Saturday afternoon slot on CBS because they were the "road warrior" storyline—traveling to face the #1 seed Broncos. Usually, the league likes to put the biggest market or the most "rested" teams on Sunday, which is why New England and Chicago are featured today.
Honestly, the short week didn't help Buffalo. Playing a physical game in Jacksonville on Sunday and then flying to the altitude of Denver just six days later is a brutal ask. Coach Sean McDermott didn't use it as an excuse, but you could see the fatigue in the fourth quarter.
Looking ahead to 2026
Since the season is officially over, we already know what the 2026 schedule looks like. If you're planning your life around the Bills next year, here’s the deal: they’ll be playing in the brand-new Highmark Stadium.
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The home slate is actually pretty tough. They’ve got the usual AFC East suspects (Dolphins, Jets, Patriots), but also the Kansas City Chiefs and the Baltimore Ravens coming to town. On the road, they’ll have to travel back to Denver for a regular-season rematch, plus trips to Green Bay and Los Angeles to face the Rams.
It’s a long wait until September.
Actionable next steps for Bills fans:
- Stop checking the TV guide: There is no Bills game today. If you see a "Bills" jersey on your screen, it's likely a highlight reel of that 33-30 loss.
- Watch the Texans-Patriots game: If you want to know who the "enemy" in the AFC will be next year, this is the game to scout.
- Check the injury reports: Keep an eye on the news regarding the Bills' receiving corps. Several players went down in the Denver game, and their off-season recovery will dictate how active the front office is in free agency.
- Look into 2026 tickets: With the new stadium opening, the priority list is already moving. If you want to be there for the inaugural game at the new Highmark, now is the time to check your status on the Bills' official site.
The season ended early, and it hurts. But hey, there's always the draft.