What is the NFL Saturday playoff schedule? Divisional game matchups, TV channels
This article has been updated to correct an inaccuracy.
The Kansas City Chiefs and the Detroit Lions sat out the opening weekend of the 2025 NFL playoffs after earning bye weeks. Now, both will be in action again as they look to advance to their conference championship games.
The divisional round of the NFL playoffs will begin Saturday with both the AFC and NFC's No. 1 seeds in action. Kansas City will host the opening game of the weekend in a rematch of their pre-Christmas meeting with the Houston Texans while the Lions will take on the upstart Washington Commanders in the league's nightcap.
By the end of the night, NFL fans will either know or have an idea where the AFC and NFC championship games will be hosted. If the No. 1 seeds win, Kansas City and Detroit will host the conference championships. If they lose, the winners of Sunday's Philadelphia Eagles vs. Los Angeles Rams and Buffalo Bills vs. Baltimore Ravens games will host the pre-Super Bowl festivities.
Here's a look at the NFL's Saturday playoff slate to kick off the divisional round:
NFL Saturday schedule: Divisional round playoff games today
NFL playoffs: TV channels for today's games
- Texans at Chiefs: ESPN | ABC
- Commanders at Lions: Fox
Odds for every NFL game today
Odds from BetMGM as of Friday evening.
- Texans (+375) at Chiefs (-500)
- KC (-8.5); O/U: 41.5
- Commanders (+400) at Lions (-550)
- DET (-9.5); O/U: 55.5
NFL picks, predictions for Saturday playoff games
How to live stream NFL playoff games today
Storylines for today's NFL playoff games
- The Chiefs are in action for the first time during the 2025 NFL playoffs and are looking to continue their impressive playoff winning streak. They have won seven consecutive playoff games while winning the last two Super Bowls and a win over the Texans would tie them put them two games behind the New England Patriots for the longest postseason winning streak in NFL history. The Patriots won 10 straight games from 2001-05, a span during which they won three Super Bowls.
- The Texans are looking to upset the Chiefs, who beat them 27-19 on Christmas Day, to break a streak of their own. Houston has never advanced past the divisional round of the playoffs in its franchise history. It has an 0-5 career record in five divisional round appearances.
- Joe Mixon is nursing an ankle injury ahead of this contest. He is questionable for the game, and if he can't play, the Texans will be without three of their key offensive playmakers. Receivers Stefon Diggs and Tank Dell are both out for the season because of significant knee injuries.
- The NFL scheduled the Lions to play their first playoff game on Saturday as well. They will be looking to advance to the NFC championship game for a second consecutive season and are getting backfield bruiser David Montgomery back from a knee injury for the contest.
- While the Lions are looking to advance to a second consecutive championship game, the Commanders are looking to get there for the first time since the 1992 NFC championship game, which was a part of the 1991 NFL playoffs. Upsetting the Lions to get there would be a massive feat for Dan Quinn in his first season as Washington's head coach.
- Only three rookie NFL quarterbacks have won multiple playoff games since 1950: Brock Purdy (San Francisco 49ers), Mark Sanchez (New York Jets) and Joe Flacco (Baltimore Ravens). Jayden Daniels can join that group with a win over Detroit.
- The loser of the Lions vs. Commanders game could have a major impact on the NFL's coaching carousel. If Detroit falls, both Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn would be able to finish up interviews and potentially land full-time jobs with other teams. If the Commanders lose, that would open the door for Kliff Kingsbury to interview for open positions. The first-year Washington coordinator said he would wait until after his team's playoff run to begin his head coaching interviews.
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