Wild Card Weekend is finally here, and the NFL playoffs are off to a roaring start as fans across the country settle in for a jam-packed slate of games. Saturday, January 10, 2026, marks the official kickoff of the postseason, with two highly anticipated NFC Wild Card matchups lighting up the schedule. The Los Angeles Rams are set to face the Carolina Panthers at 4:30 p.m. ET on Fox, followed by a classic rivalry as the Green Bay Packers take on the Chicago Bears at 8 p.m. ET, streaming live on Prime Video. It’s a football feast, and the stakes couldn’t be higher as teams battle for a shot at Super Bowl 60.
After a season filled with twists, upsets, and dramatic finishes, the playoff picture is finally clear—well, at least for now. The 2025 NFL regular season wrapped up just days ago with the Steelers and Ravens providing a fittingly intense curtain call on Sunday Night Football. Now, the focus shifts to the postseason, where every snap could make or break a team’s Super Bowl dreams. But before we dive into the action, let’s break down everything fans need to know about this pivotal weekend and what’s at stake for each contender.
Saturday’s doubleheader is just the beginning of a playoff marathon that stretches through Monday night. The Rams and Panthers will get things rolling in the afternoon, and if you can’t catch the game on Fox, streaming options abound—Fubo, Sling, ESPN+, Peacock, Hulu + Live TV, and Paramount+ are all on board to bring the action to your screen. Later in the evening, the Packers-Bears rivalry takes center stage on Prime Video, promising plenty of fireworks under the lights. For those without Prime, Fubo offers a free streaming option to ensure nobody misses out on the drama.
Looking ahead, Sunday, January 11, is stacked with three more Wild Card showdowns: the Buffalo Bills travel to face the Jacksonville Jaguars at 1 p.m. ET on CBS, the San Francisco 49ers clash with the Philadelphia Eagles at 4:30 p.m. ET on Fox, and the Los Angeles Chargers visit the New England Patriots at 8:15 p.m. ET on NBC. The Wild Card festivities wrap up Monday night, January 12, as the Houston Texans square off against the Pittsburgh Steelers at 8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN and ABC. It’s a football lover’s paradise, with every game carrying massive implications for the road ahead.
But what about the top seeds? The Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks, as the AFC and NFC’s No. 1 seeds respectively, are enjoying a well-earned first-round bye. Both squads will return to action during the divisional round on January 17 or 18, 2026, facing the lowest remaining seeds from their conferences. For the Broncos, potential opponents include the Steelers, Texans, Bills, or Chargers, while the Seahawks could face the Panthers, Rams, 49ers, or Packers. The anticipation is already building as fans wonder: can these powerhouse teams ride their momentum all the way to Levi’s Stadium?
Speaking of Levi’s Stadium, all eyes are on Santa Clara, California, as it prepares to host Super Bowl 60 on Sunday, February 8, 2026. The big game kicks off at 6:30 p.m. ET and will air live on NBC, with streaming available on Peacock and NFL+. This marks the second Super Bowl at Levi’s, and the excitement is palpable—especially with global superstar Bad Bunny set to headline the Apple Music Halftime Show. The NFL has always known how to put on a spectacle, and this year’s championship promises to be no exception.
As for the odds, the Seattle Seahawks are currently leading the pack as favorites to hoist the Lombardi Trophy, with betting lines at +375. The Los Angeles Rams aren’t far behind at +425, while the Eagles and Broncos are also drawing plenty of attention from oddsmakers. Of course, the postseason is famous for its unpredictability—who can forget last year’s Super Bowl, when the Philadelphia Eagles stunned the Kansas City Chiefs 40-22 in New Orleans? Anything can happen once the playoffs begin, and fans wouldn’t have it any other way.
While the focus is on the field, the future is also taking shape off it. The 2026 NFL Draft is already generating buzz, with the Las Vegas Raiders holding the coveted first overall pick. The first 18 selections are locked in, including the New York Jets at No. 2 and the Arizona Cardinals at No. 3, with the rest to be determined as the playoffs unfold. Raiders fans are already speculating about a potential franchise quarterback, especially since it would be the team’s first first-round QB pick since 2007. The draft order could see more shakeups depending on how deep teams go in the postseason, so there’s plenty to watch beyond just the games themselves.
For those keeping tabs on recent history, last year’s Super Bowl LIX saw the Eagles claim glory over the Chiefs, while Kendrick Lamar electrified the halftime crowd. This year, with Bad Bunny taking the stage and a new champion set to be crowned, the NFL is poised to deliver another unforgettable spectacle. And let’s not forget the passion and pageantry that define playoff football—every city, every fanbase is dreaming big as their teams chase immortality.
Back to tonight: the Rams and Panthers open the postseason with a matchup that’s got fans buzzing. Can Matthew Stafford and the Rams’ high-powered offense break through Carolina’s stout defense? Or will the Panthers, fueled by a rowdy home crowd and a chip on their shoulder, pull off a surprise? Later, the Packers and Bears renew one of the league’s oldest rivalries under the playoff spotlight. With so much history and pride on the line, expect nothing less than a hard-hitting, emotional contest that could go right down to the wire.
As the Wild Card games get underway, the NFL’s best and brightest are ready to leave it all on the field. From thrilling finishes to breakout performances, this weekend promises to deliver the kind of moments that make football fans fall in love with the game all over again. One thing’s for sure: with so much on the line and so many storylines in play, nobody will want to miss a snap.
With the playoff chase officially underway and Super Bowl 60 looming on the horizon, the NFL’s postseason drama is just getting started. Stay tuned—tonight’s games are only the opening act in what promises to be a wild and unforgettable ride to Santa Clara.
