It’s time for the gridiron version of the Elite Eight.
The divisional round of NFL playoffs is taking shape with the Los Angeles Rams, Chicago Bears and Buffalo Bills having won their wild-card weekend matchups to advance.
They’ll soon be joined by the winners of Sunday’s matchups between the No. 6 San Francisco 49ers and No. 3 Philadelphia Eagles, and the Los Angeles Chargers and New England Patriots.
The Wild Card Round concludes Monday with an AFC matchup as the No. 5 Houston Texans face the No. 4 Pittsburgh Steelers on ESPN and ABC at 8:15 p.m. ET.
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 have 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. 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
What are the divisional round matchups?
That is still to be determined.
If the No. 3 Eagles defeat the No. 6 49ers, they advance to play the No. 2 Bears, which means the top-seeded Seahawks would host the No. 5 Rams. If the 49ers win, they will play the Seahawks and the Bears will host the Rams.
In the AFC, if the No. 2 Patriots defeat the No. 7 Chargers, it will set up a matchup between the top-seeded Broncos and No. 6 Bills. The Pats would then face the winner of Monday’s Texans-Steelers matchup, likely in the late Sunday game.
What is the divisional round schedule?
Here is the schedule for the divisional round the NFL playoffs, with games airing on NBC, CBS, FOX and ESPN/ABC.
Saturday, January 17
TBD vs. TBD, 4:30 p.m. ET
TBD vs. TBD, 8 p.m. ET
Sunday, January 18
TBD vs. TBD, 3 p.m. ET
TBD vs. TBD, 6:30 p.m. ET
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.