The NFL games today TV schedule for the Divisional Round on Sunday features some intriguing head-to-head matchups to finish up the second round. After earning their first playoff win since the 1994 playoffs, Cleveland heads to Kansas City to take on the Chiefs. Then the Divisional Round wraps up with the third installment of the Buccaneers vs. the Saints. So who’s in action for playoff football today? With the second half of the Divisional Round quickly approaching, here’s all the information you need to know before kickoff.
Are there NFL games today (Saturday, January 23)?
As we advance to the Conference Championships, there are only two games this week. Like Week 17, all games will be played on Sunday. There will not be a Saturday NFL football game today.
With the Divisional Round of the 2020-2021 NFL Playoffs now complete, we know who is playing football in the Conference Championship games. The storylines and subplots are tantalizing for the two contests. Let’s take a look at the matchups in the next round of the 2020-2021 NFL Playoffs and preview where and when you can catch these all-important games.
NFC Championship Game
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5) vs. Green Bay Packers (1)
- Sunday, January 24th, 3:05 PM ET on FOX
AFC Conference Championship Game
- Buffalo Bills (2) vs. Kansas City Chiefs (1)
- Sunday, January 24th, 6:40 PM ET on CBS
Who’s on the NFL games today TV Schedule for Divisional Sunday?
Cleveland Browns at Kansas City Chiefs
Channel: CBS
Start Time: 3:05 PM ET
According to the NFL games today, the action on Sunday kicks off at 3:05 PM ET in Kansas City. Finding themselves back in the postseason win column for the first time in 26 years, the Browns now seek their first Divisional Round win since the 1989 playoffs. It will be quite a test as they face the AFC No. 1 seed Kansas City Chiefs, who will be fresh off their first-round bye.
The real question on everyone’s mind is, what Chiefs team starts this game? Dating back to last season and throughout 2020, there have been many times when the Chiefs have come into the game seemingly asleep as their opponent goes to work. Eventually, the switch turns on, but how long can that switch be off before it is too late?
Related | NFL Playoff Results and Preview: Who is playing in the Conference Championship games?
The Browns are not the team to give momentum to as they already have a metric ton of it on their side. The offense is thriving, QB Baker Mayfield has found his groove, and RB Nick Chubb has scored a touchdown in 12 of the 13 games he’s played this season.
If a slow start from offense does rear its ugly head for Kansas City, the defense needs to change its ways to slow down this Cleveland offense. The Chiefs allow their opponent to score a touchdown in the red zone 77% of the time. The Browns offense is scoring touchdowns on 74% of their red zone trips. Expect an offensive spectacle in Mayfield and QB Patrick Mahomes’ third head-to-head battle (the first being in college). While the Browns could be a threat, Mahomes and company should have no issues in this football game today.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at New Orleans Saints
Channel: FOX
Start Time: 6:40 PM ET
ROUND THREE! FIGHT! The Buccaneers head to New Orleans for the second time this season, and the teams will kick off their third matchup of the season in the Divisional Round. According to the NFL games today TV Schedule, this matchup kicks off at 6:40 PM ET. The Saints dominated Tampa Bay this season. Week 1 saw the Saints win 34-23. However, the score looks more respectable due to a Tampa touchdown with 2:41 left in the fourth quarter.
Week 9 was even worse for the Buccaneers, as the Saints destroyed them 38-3 and picked off QB Tom Brady three times. The Saints’ defense matches up extremely well with Tampa’s offense. The matchup between Marshon Lattimore and Mike Evans is a war that has been waging since Lattimore was drafted in 2017. Over the past three matchups, Lattimore has held Evans without a reception. In the two matchups this season, safety Malcolm Jenkins has shown great success when facing off against tight end Rob Gronkowski.
What this Divisional Round game will come down to is where the Saints offense is at. The loss of WR Michael Thomas and Alvin Kamara at the end of the season caused some consistency issues for the offense. Luckily, they had a Wild Card matchup against the Bears to get things back together. If QB Drew Brees and the offense can reach that next level from earlier this season, the Saints should have no problem winning this football game today.
2020-2021 NFL Playoff Schedule
Wild Card Round
These NFL games are not being played today and are not on the TV schedule. Rather, they were played last week (January 9 and 10). Here are the results of those games.
Indianapolis Colts vs. Buffalo Bills
Final: Colts 24, Bills 27
Los Angeles Rams vs. Seattle Seahawks
Final: Rams 30, Seahawks 20
Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Washington Football Team
Final: Buccaneers 31, Washington 23
Baltimore Ravens vs. Tennessee Titans
Final: Ravens 20, Titans 13
Chicago Bears vs. New Orleans Saints
Final: Bears 9, Saints 21
Cleveland Browns vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
Final: Browns 48, Steelers 37