The NFL playoffs are heating up, and the Divisional Round kicks off with a pair of heavyweight matchups that promise high drama and serious implications for the road to the Super Bowl.
Let’s start in the AFC, where the top-seeded Denver Broncos welcome the Buffalo Bills to Empower Field at Mile High. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. ET on CBS, and this one has all the makings of a classic postseason showdown.
The Broncos earned the No. 1 seed and a week of rest thanks to a dominant regular season, anchored by one of the league’s most suffocating defenses. Denver’s front seven has been a nightmare for opposing quarterbacks all year, and now they’ll try to make life miserable for Josh Allen, who’s fresh off a gritty win over the Jaguars just six days ago.
Buffalo, the sixth seed, is no stranger to playoff pressure. This group has been knocking on the door for years, and they’re hoping this is finally the run that breaks it down.
Allen will need to be at his best - not just with his arm, but with his legs - against a Denver defense that thrives on collapsing the pocket and forcing mistakes. The Broncos are slight home favorites (-1.5 per BetMGM), but this one feels like it could go down to the wire.
Then, in the nightcap, we head out west for a rivalry that’s as fierce as it gets: the Seattle Seahawks host the San Francisco 49ers in an NFC West grudge match. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. ET on FOX, and it’s the third meeting this season between these two familiar foes.
Seattle comes in as the NFC’s No. 1 seed and brings with them the NFL’s top-ranked scoring defense. They’ve been stingy all year, and now they’ll try to slow down a 49ers team that’s playing with house money after knocking off the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles last weekend.
San Francisco, also a sixth seed, has shown they’re more than capable of spoiling the party. They split the regular season series with Seattle, including a tightly contested battle just two weeks ago in Week 18.
But this time, it’s on the road, under the lights, with a trip to the NFC Championship on the line. The Seahawks are favored by a touchdown, but as we’ve seen already in these playoffs, seeding doesn’t guarantee anything.
Here’s how to catch all the action on Saturday:
Saturday, Jan. 17 - NFL Divisional Round Schedule
- Buffalo Bills (6) at Denver Broncos (1) 📍 Empower Field at Mile High, Denver 🕞 3:30 p.m. ET 📺 CBS (Jim Nantz, Tony Romo, Tracy Wolfson)
- San Francisco 49ers (6) at Seattle Seahawks (1) 📍 Lumen Field, Seattle 🕖 7:00 p.m. ET 📺 FOX (Kevin Burkhardt, Tom Brady, Erin Andrews, Tom Rinaldi)
Looking ahead, the Divisional Round continues Sunday with two more games - one in each conference - as the final four teams in each bracket battle it out for a spot in the Championship Round.
As it stands, the playoff bracket is wide open. Both conferences still feature the No. 1, 2, 5, and 6 seeds - a sign of just how unpredictable this postseason has already been.
Four road teams pulled off wins during Wild Card Weekend. Will that trend continue?
One thing’s for sure: the road to the Super Bowl is getting shorter, and the intensity is only going up from here.