What time are NFL playoff games today? TV schedule, channels for Saturday’s wild-card doubleheader

When the first round of NFL playoff action begins on Saturday, the day’s AFC matchups could be among the biggest of wild-card weekend.

In one game, there are two franchises, Las Vegas and Cincinnati, desperately seeking their first playoff victory in more than a decade. Both teams finished the year 10-7, although they got there very differently and with different stories in play throughout the season.

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The other matchup features the Bills and Patriots meeting for the third time this season. The AFC East rivals played two very different games both times, with the Patriots running the ball at will in Game 1 and the Bills coming back and winning Game 2 handily.

Considering the stakes for the four teams that will take the field on Saturday and the history and rivalries at stake, the first day of wild card action could be one of the best.

Sporting News has you covered with all the information you need to watch NFL playoff action all day Saturday.

What time are the NFL playoff games today?

Raiders vs. Bengals

• Date: January 15, 2022
• Location: Paul Brown Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio
• Start time: 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time

The first day of NFL action kicks off with a historic matchup. Las Vegas is back in the playoffs for the first time since 2016 and for only the second time since 2002 when it won the Super Bowl. Meanwhile, Cincinnati is back in the postseason for the first time since 2015 and hasn’t won a playoff game since 1991, when they were beaten by the Raiders in the divisional round.

Under interim coach Rich Bisaccia, the Raiders went 7-5 and won their last four games to make the playoffs. They were a pretty middle-of-the-road team this year, ranking 18th in scoring offense, 11th in total offense, 26th in scoring defense and 14th in total defense.

Meanwhile, Cincinnati improved dramatically, going 10-7 this year after a 4-11-1 campaign last season. Much of that has to do with the connection between Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase, as the team ranked 7th in scoring offense and 13th in total offense.

Patriots Against Bills

• Date: January 15, 2022
• Location: Highmark Stadium, Orchard Park, New York
• Start time: p.m

The primetime matchup on Day 1 of Wild Card weekend should be a good one. The Bills and Patriots have met twice this season, playing very different games each time. The first game, New England won 14-10 at Buffalo after rushing for 222 yards and throwing the ball only three times.

After the game, Buffalo’s defensive stars in Jordan Poyer and Micah Hyde were asked if they were embarrassed by the team’s run defense that night, while Sean McDermott downplayed the credit Bill Belichick deserved in that win.

The second round went the Bills’ way as they beat New England 33-21 at Gillette Stadium in a game in which they had 428 total yards of offense as Josh Allen threw for 314 yards and three touchdowns while Mac Jones was intercepted twice. .

What channel are the NFL games on?

Raiders vs. Bengals

The first game of Saturday’s wild-card doubleheader will air on NBC.

Mike Tirico will handle play-by-play duties, while Drew Brees will join him in the booth as an analyst, with Kathryn Tappen reporting from the bench.

Patriots Against Bills

Patriots-Bills game 3 will air nationally on CBS

Ian Eagle will act as the voice of each play as Charles Davis joins him as analyst, while Evan Washburn will report from the sidelines.

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NFL live broadcasts for the playoffs

Each of the games will have live broadcasts produced by their network’s streaming service that fans will be able to access, such as Paramount Plus, Fox Sports Go and Peacock.

There are also several standalone streaming options that will grant viewers access to all three games. Here’s a look at various options for streaming the NFL playoffs:

2022 NFL playoff schedule

Wild Card Round

Saturday, January 15

Sunday, January 16

Monday, January 17

divisional round

Saturday, January 22

Sunday, January 23

conference championships

Sunday, January 30

Super Bowl 56

Sunday, February 13