If you just sat down on your couch, cracked a drink, and started scrolling through your TV guide looking for a game, I’ve got some bad news for you. Honestly, it’s a bit of a bummer. Today is Thursday, January 15, 2026, and despite what your internal "Thursday Night Football" clock might be telling you, the field is empty. There are no NFL games today.
It feels weird, right? We’ve spent the last four months conditioned to expect a kickoff every Thursday. But the regular season is ancient history now, and the rules change once you hit the postseason. Amazon Prime’s Thursday night slate wrapped up weeks ago. During the playoffs, the NFL shifts its entire strategy to maximize those massive weekend audiences.
Basically, the league wants you to wait. They’re building the tension for the Divisional Round, which is arguably the best weekend of football in the entire year.
The Reality of Who Plays NFL Football Today
While you're probably wondering who plays nfl football today, the answer is technically "nobody," but the preparation behind the scenes is frantic. We are currently in the eye of the storm. The Wild Card round just finished up on Monday night with the Houston Texans handling the Steelers 30-6, which finalized our bracket.
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Now, eight teams are left. Just eight. The "Super Wild Card Weekend" drama is over, and we are moving into the high-stakes Divisional Round. Even though there’s no live action on your screen tonight, the teams are deep into their "Thursday practice" cycles, which are usually the most intense sessions of the week for game planning.
Why the Thursday Gap Exists
The NFL doesn't do Thursday playoff games for a very specific reason: fairness. Think about it. The Houston Texans just played on Monday night. If the league forced a game today, Houston would have to travel and play a playoff-intensity game on just two days of rest. That’s not just bad football; it’s a recipe for injuries.
Instead, the league gives the remaining teams this mid-week window to heal up. This is especially vital for teams like the San Francisco 49ers, who just survived a physical 23-19 battle against the Eagles. They need every hour of recovery before they have to face a rested Seattle Seahawks team on Saturday.
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Looking Ahead: The Divisional Round Schedule
Since you can't watch a game tonight, you need to clear your calendar for the weekend. The action picks up on Saturday, January 17, and Sunday, January 18. We have two doubleheaders that are going to be absolute bangers.
Saturday, January 17, 2026
- Buffalo Bills vs. Denver Broncos (4:30 p.m. ET, CBS): This is the game everyone is talking about. The Bills are the No. 6 seed, but they’ve looked like a juggernaut lately after ousting Jacksonville. They have to travel into the thin air of Mile High to face the No. 1 seed Broncos. Denver has been resting, but can they stop Josh Allen when he’s in "playoff mode"? Jim Nantz and Tony Romo are on the call for this one.
- San Francisco 49ers vs. Seattle Seahawks (8:00 p.m. ET, FOX): This is a classic NFC West grudge match. Seattle earned the bye and the home-field advantage. The 49ers are coming off that emotional win over Philly where Jauan Jennings—a former high school QB—threw a 29-yard TD to Christian McCaffrey. Expect Lumen Field to be deafening.
Sunday, January 18, 2026
- Houston Texans vs. New England Patriots (3:00 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN): C.J. Stroud is officially a superstar. After dismantling Pittsburgh, he takes the Texans into Foxborough. The Patriots are the No. 2 seed and haven't played in nearly two weeks. Joe Buck and Troy Aikman will be handling the broadcast.
- Los Angeles Rams vs. Chicago Bears (6:30 p.m. ET, NBC): If you like "old school" football, this is it. The forecast for Soldier Field is calling for single-digit temperatures. The Rams are coming off a tight win in Carolina, and now they have to face a Bears team that hasn't hosted a divisional game in 15 years. It’s going to be brutal, icy, and beautiful.
What to Watch Instead Tonight
Since the NFL is dark, you’ve got a few options if you’re still craving sports. There is a decent slate of NBA action, including a matchup between the Knicks and Warriors that should be high-scoring. College basketball is also in full swing—Gonzaga and Washington State are playing a cross-state rivalry game tonight that usually gets pretty heated.
If you strictly want football, this is the time to catch up on the "All-22" film or the ManningCast highlights from the Wild Card round. The way Houston’s defense disguised their blitzes against the Steelers on Monday is actually worth a re-watch if you’re a nerd for the X’s and O’s.
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The Road to Super Bowl LX
Everything we are seeing this weekend leads to Santa Clara. Super Bowl LX is scheduled for February 8, 2026, at Levi’s Stadium. It’s wild to think that by Sunday night, we’ll be down to just four teams.
The pressure is massive right now. For teams like the New England Patriots, this is about proving the post-Belichick era is officially a success. For Buffalo, it’s about finally breaking through the "glass ceiling" of the AFC. Every hit is harder in the Divisional Round. Every mistake is magnified.
Final Game Plan for the Weekend
Don't be discouraged by the empty schedule today. Use tonight to handle your errands so you can park yourself on the couch starting Saturday afternoon.
- Check your local listings: Most of these games are on broadcast TV (CBS, FOX, NBC, ABC), but if you’re a cord-cutter, make sure your Paramount+, Peacock, and ESPN+ logins are actually working. Nothing ruins a kickoff like a "forgotten password" loop.
- Prep for the weather: If you're heading to the Rams-Bears game in Chicago, seriously, pack the thermal layers. Single digits at Soldier Field is no joke.
- Watch the injury reports: Keep an eye on the 49ers’ injury list tomorrow. Playing on short rest after a Wild Card game is a massive disadvantage, and seeing who actually practices on Friday will tell you a lot about their chances in Seattle.
The wait is almost over. Saturday's doubleheader is less than 48 hours away.