It’s time for the gridiron version of the Elite Eight.
The divisional round of NFL playoffs is approaching with the Los Angeles Rams, Chicago Bears, Buffalo Bills, San Francisco 49ers and New England Patriots having won their wild-card weekend matchups to advance.
They’ll soon be joined by the winner of the Monday night matchup between the No. 5 Houston Texans and the No. 4 Pittsburgh Steelers on ESPN and ABC at 8:15 p.m. ET in the wild-card finale.
And, of course, the Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks have been awaiting their divisional-round opponent after receiving a first-round bye for finishing atop the AFC and NFC standings, respectively.
The waiting is nearly over, with the matchups and schedule for what is arguably the best weekend of the NFL season just about set.
Here’s everything to know so far…
When is the divisional round of the NFL playoffs?
The divisional round of the NFL playoffs will be played on Saturday, January 17 and Sunday, January 18.
Does the NFL reseed in the playoffs?
Yes, the NFL reseeds in the playoffs. That means the Broncos and Seahawks will face the lowest-seeded teams left in their respective conferences following the opening round.
Which teams advanced to the divisional round?
The following teams have secured their spot in the divisional round of the NFL playoffs:
AFC
No. 1 Denver Broncos – Bye
No. 2 New England Patriots – defeated No. 7 Los Angeles Chargers 16-3
No. 6 Buffalo Bills – defeated No. 3 Jacksonville Jaguars 27-24
NFC
No. 1 Seattle Seahawks – Bye
No. 2 Chicago Bears – defeated No. 7 Green Bay Packers 31-27
No. 5 Los Angeles Rams – defeated No. 4 Carolina Panthers 34-31
No. 6 San Francisco 49ers – defeated No. 3 Philadelphia Eagles 23-19
What are the divisional round matchups?
Here are the matchups for the divisional round:
AFC
No. 6 Bills at No. 1 Broncos
No. 4 Steelers/No. 5 Texans at No. 2 Patriots
NFC
No. 6 49ers at No. 1 Seahawks
No. 5 Rams at No. 2 Bears
What is the divisional round schedule?
Here is the schedule for the divisional round the NFL playoffs. Game times will be Saturday at 4:30 p.m. ET and 8 p.m. ET and Sunday at 3 p.m. ET and 6:30 p.m. ET. The matchups for each time slot have not yet been announced. The games will air on NBC/Peacock, CBS, FOX and ESPN/ABC.
Saturday, January 17
- No. 6 Bills at No. 1 Broncos
- No. 6 49ers at No. 1 Seahawks
Sunday, January 18
- No. 5 Rams at No. 2 Bears
- No. 4 Steelers/No. 5 Texans at No. 2 Patriots
When is the conference championship game?
The AFC and NFC Conference Championship games will be played Sunday, January 25.
The AFC Championship Game will air on CBS, and the NFC Championship Game will be on FOX.
When is the Super Bowl 2026?
The AFC and NFC champions will square off in Super Bowl LX on Sunday, Feb. 8.
Where is the Super Bowl 2026?
Super Bowl LX will be played at Levi’s Stadium, home of the San Francisco 49ers, in Santa Clara, California.
What channel is the Super Bowl on?
Super Bowl LX will be broadcasted on NBC and streamed on Peacock.
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