If you woke up today scouring the internet to figure out who won yesterday in the NFL, I have some news that might be a little frustrating: nobody did.
Seriously.
Yesterday was Friday, January 16, 2026. If you've been following the league for a while, you know the NFL loves its primetime slots, but Friday nights are usually reserved for high school stands and the occasional late-season college blowout. Yesterday was no exception. It was a "dark day" for on-field action as the league essentially took a collective breath before the chaos of the Divisional Round kicks off this afternoon.
The Friday Void: Why There Were No Winners Yesterday
The NFL is a creature of habit. While we’ve seen the league experiment with "Black Friday" games recently, those are regular-season novelties. Once the calendar flips to the postseason, the schedule tightens up.
Yesterday was a travel and preparation day. No pads, no whistles, just meetings and walk-throughs. The teams remaining in the hunt—the Denver Broncos, Buffalo Bills, Seattle Seahawks, and San Francisco 49ers—spent yesterday in that weird, high-tension limbo.
The Broncos were finalizing their plans for Josh Allen. The Seahawks were likely doing one last check on how to stop Christian McCaffrey. It's the quiet before the storm.
What Actually Happened Yesterday (Off the Field)
Even though there were no scores to report, the NFL news cycle never actually sleeps. It just changes shape. Yesterday was actually a massive day for coaching rumors and injury reports that will decide the winners of today and tomorrow.
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- The Chargers' Fresh Start: Jim Harbaugh made waves by firing offensive coordinator Greg Roman. After a lackluster playoff exit where the offense only managed a single touchdown, Harbaugh is looking for a "new direction" for 2026.
- Texans Injury Woes: In a huge blow for their upcoming game against the Patriots, Houston officially ruled out star receiver Nico Collins due to a concussion. That shifts the entire betting line.
- The "Blue Friday" Spirit: In Seattle, Seahawks legends Walter Jones and Lofa Tatupu raised the "12 Flag" at the top of the Space Needle. It’s a Friday tradition that makes the city feel like a pressure cooker before a home playoff game.
Looking Back: Who Won the Most Recent Games?
Since you're looking for winners, let's look at the Wild Card results that led us to this weekend. The "yesterday" of the NFL season was really the Wild Card round that wrapped up on Monday.
The Wild Card Scoreboard:
- Houston Texans 30, Pittsburgh Steelers 6 (Monday night beatdown)
- Buffalo Bills 27, Jacksonville Jaguars 24 (A Josh Allen masterclass)
- New England Patriots 16, Los Angeles Chargers 3 (Defense wins championships, apparently)
- San Francisco 49ers 23, Philadelphia Eagles 19 (The Niners survived the Linc)
- Chicago Bears 31, Green Bay Packers 27 (Caleb Williams' first playoff win)
- Los Angeles Rams 34, Carolina Panthers 31 (Matthew Stafford with the late-game heroics)
Honestly, that Monday night game feels like a lifetime ago because of the hype building for the Divisional matchups.
Who Wins Today? (The Real Winners are Coming)
The search for who won yesterday in the NFL is really a search for momentum. Since Friday gave us nothing, all eyes are on the Saturday double-header.
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At 4:30 PM ET, we get the Bills at the Broncos. This is a heavyweight fight. Denver has the #1 seed and the rest, but Buffalo has the "hot hand" after edging out Jacksonville. Most experts are split. Denver’s thin air is a real factor in January, and the Broncos' defense has been opportunistic all year.
Then at 8:15 PM ET, it's the 49ers at the Seahawks. This is the rubber match. They’ve played twice already this year, and while Seattle took the last one in Week 18, the Niners have a healthy McCaffrey back.
Actionable Next Steps for NFL Fans
If you're looking to catch up since there were no games yesterday, here is how you should prep for today:
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- Check the Final Injury Reports: Keep an eye on the Bills' wide receiver room. They are "banged up," according to reports from yesterday, which might force them to run James Cook more than usual.
- Set Your DFS Lineups Early: With Nico Collins out for Sunday, look for value in other Texans receivers like Tank Dell or Dalton Schultz.
- Monitor the Weather in Denver: It’s January. Wind and cold at Mile High can turn a high-flying offense into a grinding ground game in minutes.
The "winners" from yesterday were really the fans who got a night off to rest their vocal cords. Today, the real season begins.