The regular season is in the rearview mirror, and if you're asking what teams play sunday football, you've officially entered the highest-stakes part of the calendar. We are currently staring down the Divisional Round of the 2025-26 NFL playoffs. The Wild Card chaos is over. Some "locks" crumbled, some underdogs barked, and now we’re left with the elite eight.
Honestly, the Sunday slate for January 18, 2026, is a monster. We have two massive matchups that are basically polar opposites in terms of style and geography. You've got the AFC’s tactical chess match in the afternoon and a heavy-hitting NFC rivalry under the lights at Soldier Field.
Here is exactly who is suiting up this Sunday and how the bracket shook out to get us here.
The Sunday Afternoon Clash: Houston Texans at New England Patriots
First up, at 3:00 p.m. ET, the Houston Texans head into the freezer of Foxborough to face the New England Patriots.
This isn't your older brother's Patriots team, but Gillette Stadium is still a house of horrors in January. New England secured the No. 2 seed after a dominant 14-3 regular season and just handled the Chargers 16-3 in the Wild Card round. Their defense is suffocating. They don't beat themselves, which is basically the Bill Belichick blueprint even in the post-Brady era.
The Texans, though? They are the "team nobody wants to play" right now. After finishing second in the AFC South, they went into Pittsburgh on Monday night and absolutely dismantled the Steelers 30-6. Head coach DeMeco Ryans has built a defensive unit that ranks second in the league in scoring defense, giving up just 17.4 points per game.
Why this game matters
- The Quarterback Narrative: Can Houston’s young core handle the mental grind of a New England playoff scheme?
- The "Unstoppable Force" Defense: Houston’s pass rush, led by Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter, against a Patriots offensive line that prides itself on being technically perfect.
- Historical Stakes: Houston has never advanced past the Divisional Round in its 24-year history. This is their chance to finally break the ceiling.
You can catch this one on ESPN/ABC or stream it via ESPN+. It’s the classic "upstart vs. the establishment" game that makes Sunday football so addictive.
The Sunday Night Primetime: Los Angeles Rams at Chicago Bears
When 6:30 p.m. ET rolls around, the focus shifts to the Windy City. The Los Angeles Rams are traveling to take on the Chicago Bears.
If you like old-school football in the cold, this is your game. The Bears are the No. 2 seed in the NFC and are coming off a tight 31-27 victory over the Green Bay Packers. Soldier Field is going to be rocking, and likely freezing.
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The Rams are coming in as the No. 5 seed, but don't let the seeding fool you. They survived a 34-31 shootout against the Carolina Panthers in the Wild Card round. Sean McVay still has that offense humming, but moving the ball in Chicago in mid-January is a completely different beast than playing in a climate-controlled dome in SoFi.
The Matchup Dynamics
Basically, it comes down to whether the Rams' explosive playmakers can keep their footing on the natural grass of Soldier Field. Chicago's defense has been opportunistic all year. They thrive on turnovers. If the Rams get sloppy with the football in the cold air, it's going to be a long flight back to California.
NBC and Peacock have the broadcast for this one. It's the final game of the weekend, and it determines who moves on to the NFC Championship game on January 25.
How the Bracket Looks Right Now
The winner of the Texans/Patriots game will face the winner of the Saturday game between the Buffalo Bills and the top-seeded Denver Broncos. Over in the NFC, the winner of Rams/Bears will move on to face either the San Francisco 49ers or the Seattle Seahawks.
It's a re-seeding tournament. That means the highest remaining seed always hosts the lowest remaining seed in the next round. No fixed brackets here.
Watching Sunday Football in 2026
The way we watch these games has gotten... complicated. You can't just rely on a pair of rabbit ears anymore, though for the Sunday games, you're mostly in the clear with traditional broadcast.
- 3:00 p.m. ET (AFC): Texans at Patriots. Broadcast on ABC/ESPN. Mobile/Streaming on ESPN+.
- 6:30 p.m. ET (NFC): Rams at Bears. Broadcast on NBC. Streaming on Peacock.
If you're out of the country or trying to watch on the go, the NFL+ app is usually the fallback, but for the playoffs, the major networks still hold the primary keys to the kingdom.
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Actionable Tips for Sunday's Slate
If you're planning your Sunday around these games, keep a few things in mind to make the most of the Divisional Round experience.
- Monitor the Chicago Weather: Check the forecast about two hours before the 6:30 p.m. kickoff. If the wind off Lake Michigan is over 15 mph, expect a heavy dose of the running game and a lower-scoring affair.
- The Monday Hangover Factor: Remember that Houston played on Monday night. They are on a short week traveling to New England, who played on Sunday. That extra day of rest for the Patriots is a massive advantage in the postseason.
- Live Betting Caution: The Divisional Round is famous for "halftime adjustments." If a team looks dominant in the first twenty minutes, don't be surprised if the script flips entirely in the third quarter once the coaches tweak the schemes.
The road to Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium is narrowing. By Sunday night, we'll know exactly which four teams are left standing for the Championship games next weekend. Grab your snacks, clear your schedule, and get ready for some of the best football of the year.