The energy today is just different. You can feel it in the air when the Divisional Round hits. It’s that sweet spot of the postseason where the pretenders have been weeded out and the heavyweights finally come off their bye weeks to defend their turf. Honestly, if you were looking for high-stakes drama and massive shifts in the Super Bowl picture, the scores of the nfl games today delivered in a way that regular season stats just can't predict.
January football in Denver and Seattle? It's basically a rite of passage for any team claiming they're elite. Today, January 17, 2026, we saw the AFC and NFC No. 1 seeds finally take the field. The Buffalo Bills made the trek to Mile High to face a rested Denver Broncos squad, while the San Francisco 49ers headed north to the noise of Lumen Field for a collision with the Seattle Seahawks. These aren't just games; they’re three-hour wars that dictate the narrative for the next six months.
Breaking Down the Scores of the NFL Games Today
The afternoon kicked off with a massive AFC showdown at Empower Field at Mile High. The Denver Broncos, led by Bo Nix, entered as the No. 1 seed after a dominant 14-3 regular season. They had the rest. They had the home-field advantage. But they were facing a Buffalo Bills team that was riding the high of a gritty 27-24 Wild Card win over Jacksonville.
Josh Allen and the Bills didn't look tired at all. In fact, they looked like they had a point to prove after last year's playoff exit. The game was a physical grind from the opening kickoff. Denver's defense, which allowed only 18.3 points per game during the regular season, found themselves chasing Khalil Shakir and Dalton Kincaid early and often. It wasn't just about the points, though. It was about the rhythm. Denver struggled to find theirs in the first half, while Buffalo seemed to thrive in the thin air.
Later in the evening, the focus shifted to the Pacific Northwest. Seattle's Lumen Field is never an easy place to play, but when the 49ers come to town for a "win or go home" game, the decibels reach a whole new level. Sam Darnold, despite an oblique injury that kept him limited in practice this week, suited up for the Seahawks. On the other side, Brock Purdy was looking to repeat his Wild Card magic where he took down the Eagles. The Seahawks’ defense has been the best in the league this year, allowing only 17.2 points per game, and they certainly made Purdy earn every single yard today.
The Impact of Today's Results
What most people get wrong about these Divisional games is thinking the No. 1 seed is a lock. History tells a different story. The bye week is great for the body, but sometimes it's a "rust vs. rest" situation.
- Momentum is real. Buffalo came in hot. They had already faced the "lose and you're out" pressure once this month. That shows in the fourth quarter when things get tight.
- Home field is a weapon, not a guarantee. Yes, the Seahawks crowd is a 12th man, but divisional rivals like the 49ers know those signals and that atmosphere better than anyone. They don't get rattled as easily as an out-of-conference opponent would.
- Health dictates the ceiling. Sam Darnold’s oblique was the story of the week in Seattle. If you can’t rotate your core, your deep ball suffers. That changed how the 49ers played their safeties today.
Why the Bills vs. Broncos Matchup Was So Vital
The Bills entered today with a massive chip on their shoulder. Bo Nix had been the talk of the AFC West, but Josh Allen remains the ultimate playoff wildcard. Allen’s ability to use his legs—rushing for 14 touchdowns in the regular season—forces a defense to play 11-on-11 football. Denver’s Nik Bonitto, who had 14 sacks this year, was tasked with containing the edge, but Allen is a different beast when the season is on the line.
The score today reflected a battle of philosophies. Denver wanted to keep it on the ground with J.K. Dobbins and control the clock. Buffalo wanted to let it fly. When you look at the final numbers, the turnover battle was likely the deciding factor. Denver has been careful with the ball all year, but the pressure of the No. 1 seed can do funny things to a young quarterback's decision-making process.
Seattle and San Francisco: The Grudge Match
You've probably heard it a million times, but it’s hard to beat a good team three times in a season. Seattle beat San Francisco in Week 18 to clinch the division. That game was a 13-3 defensive slugfest. Today followed a similar script early on.
Kenneth Walker III is the engine of that Seattle offense. When he’s moving the chains, Sam Darnold doesn't have to be a hero. However, the 49ers' defensive front is relentless. Even without Fred Warner, who was ruled out with an ankle injury, they managed to keep the Seahawks' run game in check for much of the first half. The scores of the nfl games today in the NFC side were dictated by who won the battle in the red zone. Field goals don't win Divisional games; touchdowns do.
Looking Ahead to the Championship Round
So, where do we go from here? The winners of today's matchups move on to the AFC and NFC Championship games on January 25. The road to Super Bowl LX in Santa Clara is getting shorter and much more narrow.
If Buffalo moves on, they'll face the winner of the Texans and Patriots. A Buffalo-New England AFC Championship would be a throwback to the division's darkest rivalries. If Denver holds serve, they stay home for another week, which is exactly what they planned for when they secured that top seed.
In the NFC, the winner of the 49ers-Seahawks game gets the winner of the Rams-Bears matchup. No matter how you slice it, the NFC Championship is going to be a physical, defensive-minded affair.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Bettors
If you're following the playoffs, these results should change how you look at the remaining bracket. Here are a few things to keep in mind:
1. Respect the Wild Card winners. Teams coming off a win often have better timing than teams coming off a bye. Don't automatically bet the spread on the home favorite.
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2. Watch the injury reports for the Championship Round. Oblique injuries (like Darnold’s) and ankle issues (like Warner’s) linger. A "questionable" tag in the Divisional Round often becomes a "limited" performance in the next stage.
3. The No. 1 seed is under the most pressure. The Broncos and Seahawks had everything to lose today. That psychological weight is real, and you can see it in how play-callers get conservative when they have a small lead.
The road to the Super Bowl is never a straight line. Today's scores proved that talent is only half the battle; the other half is just surviving the moment.
Watch the injury updates tomorrow morning. The status of players like Terrel Bernard and Ricky Pearsall will drastically shift the opening lines for next week's games. Log into your preferred sports app and check the "Championship Round" futures immediately, as these scores will cause those numbers to move within minutes of the final whistle.