If you just grabbed a beer, sat on the couch, and started frantically scrolling through Amazon Prime Video looking for tonight's Thursday night football score, I have some bad news.
There isn't one.
Honestly, it's that weird mid-January lull where the NFL schedule shifts gears and leaves our Thursday nights feeling surprisingly empty. We’ve spent months conditioned to expect a kickoff right as the work week starts winding down. But today, Thursday, January 15, 2026, the lights at the stadiums are dark. The reason is pretty simple: we are officially in the heart of the NFL Divisional Round, and the league doesn't play Thursday games during the postseason.
The Reality Behind Tonight's Thursday Night Football Score
The NFL regular season wrapped up a couple of weeks ago. During the regular season, Thursday Night Football is a staple, but once the playoffs hit, the schedule moves to a "weekend-only" format (with the occasional Monday night game during Wild Card weekend).
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Last Monday, we saw the Houston Texans absolutely dismantle the Pittsburgh Steelers 30–6 to close out the Wild Card round. That was the last "mid-week" professional football we’re going to see until next autumn.
If you’re looking for a score to track right now, you’ll have to pivot to college ball. While the NFL is resting, the Miami Hurricanes just pulled off a thriller. They knocked off Ole Miss 31–27 in the Fiesta Bowl tonight. Carson Beck, the Hurricanes' redshirt senior, basically put the team on his back with a 3-yard rushing touchdown late in the fourth quarter to seal it. It’s not the NFL, but if you need a fix, that’s the scoreboard that actually has numbers on it tonight.
What Happened to the NFL Schedule?
The league is protective of its playoff teams. Playing on a Thursday during the Divisional Round would mean a "short week" for teams that just played a grueling Wild Card game on Sunday or Monday. Imagine the Texans, who played Monday night, trying to suit up again three days later against a rested New England Patriots team. It would be a disaster for player safety and, frankly, a pretty bad product on the field.
Instead of a game tonight, we are looking at a massive double-header weekend.
The Upcoming Divisional Slate
Since there is no tonight's Thursday night football score, all eyes are on Saturday, January 17.
- Buffalo Bills vs. Denver Broncos: This kicks off at 4:30 p.m. ET on CBS. The Broncos are coming off a bye and are currently 1-point favorites. Josh Allen is coming off a massive road win in Jacksonville, and honestly, the momentum in Buffalo is scary right now.
- San Francisco 49ers vs. Seattle Seahawks: The nightcap on Saturday (8:00 p.m. ET on FOX). These two split their regular-season series. The 49ers are dealing with a short turnaround after beating Philly, while Seattle is fresh.
Sunday follows with the Texans heading to Foxborough to face Drake Maye and the Patriots, followed by the Rams taking on the Bears in Chicago.
Why We Still Search for a Thursday Score
It’s habit. For 18 weeks, Thursday night is football night. When that suddenly stops in January, it feels like a glitch in the Matrix.
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Even though there’s no NFL game, the sports world doesn't stop. Most fans are currently debating the "all-pro" snubs or looking at the spread for the Bills-Broncos game. Speaking of the Bills, they are trying to do something they haven't done since the early 90s—win back-to-back playoff games on the road. After their 27–24 win over the Jaguars, people are starting to believe.
Actionable Next Steps for Football Fans
Since you can't watch a game tonight, here is how to prep for the massive weekend ahead:
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- Update Your Apps: If you usually watch on Amazon Prime, remember that the Divisional games are on CBS, FOX, and NBC/Peacock. Make sure your logins are active before Saturday kickoff.
- Check the Injury Reports: Keep a close eye on the 49ers. They lost George Kittle during the Wild Card round, and his status for Saturday night is the biggest X-factor in the NFC right now.
- Set Your Fantasy/Betting Lines: The Broncos opened as 1.5-point favorites over the Bills, but the line has already shifted to Denver -1 at most books. If you think the Bills' momentum is real, now is the time to look at those odds.
- Watch the College Championship: Since Miami won tonight, they are headed to the National Championship against Indiana this coming Monday. It's the perfect bridge between the NFL Divisional rounds.
The search for tonight's thursday night football score might have led to an empty scoreboard, but the biggest games of the year are less than 48 hours away.