At a Glance
- Divisional round kicks off Saturday, January 17
- Broncos host No. 6 Bills; Seahawks face No. 6 49ers
- Monday-night Texans-Steelers winner completes bracket
- Why it matters: Championship paths now clear for all 8 remaining teams
The NFL’s version of the Elite Eight is locked and loaded. After wild-card weekend victories by the Los Angeles Rams, Chicago Bears, Buffalo Bills, San Francisco 49ers and New England Patriots, plus first-round byes for the Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks, the divisional-round pairings are all but finalized. Only the Monday-night clash between the No. 5 Houston Texans and No. 4 Pittsburgh Steelers remains to decide the final slot.
Divisional-Round Schedule
The league will play four games across two days:
Saturday, January 17
- 4:30 p.m. ET – No. 6 Bills at No. 1 Broncos
- 8 p.m. ET – No. 6 49ers at No. 1 Seahawks
Sunday, January 18
- 3 p.m. ET – No. 5 Rams at No. 2 Bears
- 6:30 p.m. ET – Texans-Steelers winner at No. 2 Patriots
Broadcasts rotate among NBC, CBS, FOX and ESPN/ABC. Specific network assignments for each window have not been announced.
How We Got Here
Wild-card weekend trimmed the field from 12 to 8. Results:
AFC
- Patriots 16, Chargers 3
- Bills 27, Jaguars 24
NFC
- Bears 31, Packers 27
- Rams 34, Panthers 31
Because the NFL reseeds after every round, the Broncos and Seahawks automatically draw the lowest remaining seeds in their conferences. That locked Denver into a date with Buffalo and Seattle into a matchup with San Francisco regardless of Monday night’s outcome.
What’s Next
The winners on January 17-18 advance to the conference championship games on Sunday, January 25. The AFC title game airs on CBS; the NFC title game lands on FOX.
The surviving clubs will then meet in Super Bowl LX on Sunday, February 8 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. NBC and Peacock will carry the broadcast.
Key Takeaways
- The top seeds finally enter the fray after a week off
- A reseeded bracket ensures the highest survivors always face the lowest remaining seeds
- All four divisional games are rematches from the regular season
- The championship round is set for January 25, with the Super Bowl following two weeks later
