If you're staring at your TV guide right now wondering who plays today for nfl football, I have some bad news that’s probably going to ruin your Thursday night plans. There isn't a game. Not on Amazon Prime, not on local cable, and definitely not on that sketchy streaming site your cousin told you about.
It’s January 15, 2026. We’re deep into the postseason, and this is that weird, quiet "dead zone" between the chaos of Wild Card weekend and the high-stakes Divisional Round. Most people assume there’s a Thursday night game because we’ve been conditioned for months to expect football the second the sun goes down on a Thursday. But once the playoffs start, the NFL nukes the Thursday schedule.
Why there are no NFL games today
Honestly, the league prioritizes rest and "fairness" (if you can call it that) once the brackets are set. Since the teams playing this weekend mostly just finished grueling Wild Card games on Sunday or Monday, asking them to turn around and play on a Thursday would be a recipe for bad football and even worse injuries.
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We just saw the Houston Texans absolutely steamroll the Steelers 30-6 on Monday night. If they had to play today, they’d basically be walking onto the field in bandages. Instead, the league gives them—and us—a few days to breathe. It sucks for your Thursday entertainment, but it makes the Saturday and Sunday games way better.
The Divisional Round: Who plays this weekend?
Since you can't watch anyone today, you’re probably looking ahead to Saturday. This is arguably the best weekend of the entire year for football. The No. 1 seeds—the Denver Broncos and the Seattle Seahawks—are finally coming off their bye weeks, and they’re rested, dangerous, and playing at home.
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Here is the actual schedule for the Divisional Round so you can plan your life accordingly:
Saturday, January 17, 2026
- Buffalo Bills at Denver Broncos (4:30 p.m. ET, CBS/Paramount+):
Josh Allen is basically playing through a hardware store’s worth of tape and braces right now. He gutted out a win in Jacksonville last week, but now he has to go into the altitude of Mile High. The Broncos finished 14-3, and Bo Nix has been playing like a veteran. This one is going to be loud. - San Francisco 49ers at Seattle Seahawks (8:00 p.m. ET, FOX):
This is the "grudge match" of the decade. They split their regular-season games. The 49ers just ended Philadelphia’s season in a nail-biter, and now they have to fly to Lumen Field. If you’ve ever heard how loud Seattle gets in the playoffs, you know Brock Purdy is going to be working overtime on those silent counts.
Sunday, January 18, 2026
- Houston Texans at New England Patriots (3:00 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN):
C.J. Stroud is a magician. There’s no other way to put it. But the Patriots’ defense is a meat grinder this year. They held the Chargers to just 3 points last week. Something has to give here—either the young superstar QB finds a hole, or the Pats suffocate another offense. - Los Angeles Rams at Chicago Bears (6:30 p.m. ET, NBC/Peacock):
Expect snow. Or at least some brutal Chicago wind. The Bears survived a massive comeback attempt by the Packers last week, and now Matthew Stafford is coming to town. This is the "old guard vs. new era" game everyone is talking about.
What to do since there's no football today
Since who plays today for nfl football is "nobody," you've got a few options to scratch that itch.
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First, check out the injury reports for the Bills. Josh Allen’s "visible pain" during the Jacksonville game wasn't just for show; the guy is banged up. If he isn't 100%, that Denver defense (which led the league with 68 sacks this year) is going to have a field day.
Second, if you're a betting person, the early lines have the Bills as 1.5-point favorites over the Broncos despite Denver being the No. 1 seed. That’s wild. Vegas is basically saying they don't trust the Broncos’ rest or they think Allen is immortal.
Third, the Seahawks are hosting a live press conference today at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center. You can usually catch these on their official site or social channels if you want to hear Mike Macdonald talk about how they plan to contain the Niners' run game.
Actionable Next Steps
- Update your streaming apps: Ensure your Paramount+ (for CBS games) and Peacock (for the Bears game) subscriptions are active. There's nothing worse than missing a kickoff because of an expired credit card.
- Monitor the weather in Chicago: If the forecast for Sunday night hits "blizzard" status, the Rams/Bears game becomes a ground-and-pound affair, which heavily favors the Bears' defense.
- Check the injury report Friday afternoon: This is when the "Questionable" tags turn into "Out." Specifically, watch the status of the Bills' offensive line; they'll need every bit of protection against that Denver pass rush.
- Clear your Saturday: The Bills-Broncos game starts the triple-header of sports (if you count basketball) or just back-to-back football. Don't schedule a "nice dinner" at 5:00 p.m. unless the restaurant has TVs.