What time are NFL playoff games today? TV schedule, channels for Sunday's divisional round

Billy Heyen

What time are NFL playoff games today? TV schedule, channels for Sunday's divisional round image

The NFL enters Sunday, Jan. 17, halfway through its divisional round action. The other two conference finalists will be determined in a Sunday doubleheader.

The early game pits the AFC's top seeded Kansas City Chiefs, fresh off a first-round bye, against a Cleveland Browns team coming off its first playoff win since 1994. Then the nightcap features Tom Brady and Drew Brees, the NFL's two oldest quarterbacks, when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers play in New Orleans against the Saints.

Cleveland enters Sunday's first game as heavy underdogs to an offense led by Patrick Mahomes, Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce, but the Browns also just put up 28 points in the first quarter against the Steelers in the wild-card round. Who's to say Cleveland can't capture that scoring magic again? And the late game will test the adage, "It's hard to beat a good team three times." New Orleans was twice winners in the regular season against Tampa Bay, including a 38-3 blowout in November.

Sunday's NFL action puts us that much closer to determining who will play in the Super Bowl, so don't miss out on how to watch and more about these two high-powered matchups.

MORE: Watch today's NFL playoff games live with fuboTV

What time are the NFL playoff games today?

Game 1

  • Date: Sunday, Jan. 17
  • Matchup: Kansas City Chiefs vs. Cleveland Browns
  • Location: Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri
  • Start time: 3:05 p.m. ET

Game 2

  • Date: Sunday, Jan. 17
  • Matchup: New Orleans Saints vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
  • Location: Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana
  • Start time: 6:40 p.m. ET

The early game will likely feature a contrast in offensive styles. Kansas City will look to throw the ball early and often with Mahomes and Andy Reid's high-powered passing attack. While Cleveland has former No. 1 pick Baker Mayfield at quarterback, rushing will be its best bet to upset Kansas City. Luckily for the Browns, Nick Chubb is one of the league's top running backs and Kareem Hunt will have a revenge game of sorts against the team that drafted him.

The Saints and Buccaneers contest will be all about Brees vs. Brady. Brees will have just turned 42 on Friday before the game, and Brady is 43. They're still both playing at high levels, although running backs Alvin Kamara and Latavius Murray (Saints) and Ronald Jones and Leonard Fournette (Buccaneers) could also have a heavy influence on the outcome. No matter how it happens, though, the storylines before, during and after the game will surely all follow the pair of future Hall of Famers.

What channel are Sunday NFL games on?

Chiefs vs. Browns

There's only one CBS broadcast this weekend, and you know what that means: "The Romo Game." Former Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo will provide color commentary for this one alongside play-by-play man Jim Nantz.

Romo called last week's broadcast from home due to COVID-19, but he's expected to be in the stadium with Nantz for this one. 

Saints vs. Buccaneers

Fox kicked off the divisional round with the early Saturday broadcast, and now it'll close it out with this huge matchup on Sunday night.

Calling the action for Fox will be the network's top crew, led by play-by-play announcer Joe Buck and color commentator Troy Aikman. 

NFL live streams for playoffs

For those with cable, several networks will broadcast the games via their respective streaming services: CBS All Access and Fox Sports Go for the two Sunday games, respectively. 

For those without cable, there are several options for streaming the NFL playoffs:

Streaming option Cable subscription needed? Free? Cost Free trial?
NFL App Yes Yes - -
CBS All Access Yes No $5.99 Yes
Yahoo! Sports App No Yes - -
fuboTV No No $60/month Yes
AT&T TV Now No No $55/month Yes
Hulu Plus Live TV No No $55/month Yes
Sling TV No No $30/month Yes
YouTube TV No No $65/month Yes

NFL playoff schedule 2021

Wild-card round

Saturday, Jan. 9

Results
Bills 27, Colts 24
Rams 30, Seahawks 20
Buccaneers 31, Washington 23

Sunday, Jan. 10

Results
Ravens 20, Titans 13
Saints 21, Bears 9
Browns 48, Steelers 37

Divisional round

Saturday, Jan. 16

Matchup Start time TV channel Live stream
Rams at Packers 4:35 p.m. ET Fox fuboTV
Ravens at Bills 8:15 p.m. ET NBC fuboTV

Sunday, Jan. 17

Matchup Start time TV channel Live stream
Browns at Chiefs 3:05 p.m. ET CBS fuboTV
Buccaneers at Saints 6:40 p.m. ET Fox fuboTV

Conference championships

Sunday, Jan. 24

Matchup Away team Start time TV channel Live stream
NFC vs. NFC NFC TBD 3:05 p.m. ET Fox fuboTV
AFC vs. AFC AFC TBD 6:40 p.m. ET CBS fuboTV

Super Bowl 55

Sunday, Feb. 7

Matchup Start time TV channel Live stream
AFC champion vs. NFC champion 6:30 p.m. ET CBS fuboTV

When is Super Bowl 55 in 2021?

  • Date: Sunday, Feb. 7
  • Time: 6:30 p.m. ET
  • Location: Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Fla.

Super Bowl 55 stays in Florida in 2021, returning to Raymond James Stadium, home of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. "Ray Jay" has hosted two previous Super Bowls, in 2000 and 2008. 

Super Bowl 54 was played in Hard Rock Stadium, the home stadium of the Miami Dolphins.

Billy Heyen