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which teams are left in the nfl playoffs

NFL Playoffs Update: Teams Left Heading into Divisional Round As of January 17, 2026, eight teams remain in the NFL playoffs after the wild-card round, split evenly between the AFC and NFC. These squads advanced through thrilling upsets and defensive battles, setting up intense divisional matchups over the weekend.

NFC Teams Remaining

The NFC features a mix of top seeds and wild-card survivors pushing toward the conference championship:

  • Seattle Seahawks (1) : Earned a first-round bye as the top seed and hosts the San Francisco 49ers on Saturday.
  • Chicago Bears (2) : Stunned the Green Bay Packers 31-27 in the wild-card round; now faces the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday.
  • Los Angeles Rams (5) : Edged the Carolina Panthers 34-31 in a thriller and travels to Chicago.
  • San Francisco 49ers (6) : Defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 23-19 and heads to Seattle for a rematch vibe.

AFC Teams Remaining

The AFC side showcases powerhouse offenses and gritty underdogs still chasing the Lombardi Trophy:

  • Denver Broncos (1) : Top seed with a bye, hosting the Buffalo Bills on Saturday in a high-altitude showdown.
  • New England Patriots (2) : Dominated the Los Angeles Chargers 16-3 in wild-card play; welcomes the Houston Texans on Sunday.
  • Buffalo Bills (6) : Upset the Jacksonville Jaguars 27-24 and now tests Denver's defense.
  • Houston Texans (5) : Crushed the Pittsburgh Steelers 30-6, bringing momentum to face New England.

Divisional Round Schedule

Action kicks off today with prime-time intrigue:

  • Saturday, Jan. 17 : Bills at Broncos (9:30 p.m. ET, CBS); 49ers at Seahawks (TBD, Fox).
  • Sunday, Jan. 18 : Texans at Patriots (3 p.m. ET, ESPN/ABC); Rams at Bears (6:30 p.m. ET, NBC).

These matchups carry playoff lore—think Bears-Packers rivalry echoes and Broncos' home dominance—while fans buzz about breakout stars like Caleb Williams. Winners advance to conference championships next weekend.

TL;DR : NFC: Seahawks, Bears, Rams, 49ers. AFC: Broncos, Patriots, Bills, Texans. Games start tonight!

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.