The New England Patriots' breakout 2025 season continued in the wild-card round of the 2026 NFL Playoffs.
Mike Vrabel's squad took down the Los Angeles Chargers 16-3, as the Patriots' defense put forth a dominant effort to claim the franchise's first playoff victory in years. However, that also means New England's Super Bowl contention will roll on.
The Patriots will be one of eight NFL teams playing in the 2026 divisional round. Just one more win could send New England to the AFC Championship Game in Vrabel's first year in town and Drake Maye's second year in the league.
When will the Patriots play in the divisional round? Here's what you need to know.
When is the Patriots' next game?
- Matchup: Patriots vs. Texans
- Date: Sunday, Jan. 18
- Time: 3 p.m.
- TV channel: ESPN/ABC
- Live stream: Fubo
After the Patriots took down the seventh-seeded Los Angeles Chargers in the wild-card round, their next challenge will be a home game against the Texans on Sunday, Jan. 18.
The matchup between New England and the Texans is set for kickoff at 3 p.m. ET and will be aired nationally on ESPN/ABC. Joe Buck will serve as the game's play-by-play announcer, while Troy Aikman will be the analyst, and Lisa Salters and Laura Rutledge will be the sideline reporters. Cord-cutters can find the action on Fubo.
NFL playoff schedule 2026
Wild-card round
Saturday, Jan. 10
| Matchup | Time (ET) | TV/Live stream |
|---|---|---|
| Rams 34, Panthers 31 | — | — |
| Bears 31, Packers 27 | — | — |
Sunday, Jan. 11
| Matchup | Time (ET) | TV/Live stream |
|---|---|---|
| Bills 27, Jaguars 24 | — | — |
| 49ers 23, Eagles 19 | — | — |
| Patriots 16, Chargers 3 | — | — |
Monday, Jan. 12
| Matchup | Time (ET) | TV/Live stream |
|---|---|---|
| Texans 30, Steelers 6 | — | — |
Divisional round
Saturday, Jan. 17
| Matchup | Time (ET) | TV Channel |
| Bills vs. Broncos | 4:30 p.m. | CBS |
| 49ers vs. Seahawks | 8 p.m. | FOX |
Sunday, Jan. 18
| Matchup | Time (ET) | TV Channel |
| Texans vs. Patriots | 3 p.m. | ESPN/ABC |
| Bears vs. Rams | 6:30 p.m. | NBC |
Conference championships
Sunday, Jan. 25
| Matchup | Time (ET) | TV/Live stream |
|---|---|---|
| AFC Championship | 3 p.m. | CBS, Paramount+, Fubo |
| NFC Championship | 6:30 p.m. | Fox, Fubo |
Super Bowl 60
Sunday, Feb. 8
| Matchup | Time (ET) | TV/Live stream |
|---|---|---|
| TBD | 6:30 p.m. | NBC, Peacock |