Please use this thread to follow this afternoon’s and evening’s NFL Divisional Round games and, as always, to discuss your Miami Dolphins. Please follow all site rules in the live threads and other posts on The Phinsider. Please note that SBNation strictly prohibits sharing illegal game streams. Sharing, discussing, or requesting illegal game streams may […] Please use this thread to follow this afternoon’s and evening’s NFL Divisional Round games and, as always, to discuss your Miami Dolphins. Please follow all site rules in the live threads and other posts on The Phinsider. Please note that SBNation strictly prohibits sharing illegal game streams. Sharing, discussing, or requesting illegal game streams may result in a temporary suspension from the site or a ban from the entire SBN platform. We have everything you need to know to watch today’s game right here: Houston Texans (13-5) AFC South @ NE Patriots (15-3) AFC East Kickoff: 3:00 p.m. EST, Sunday, January 18th Location: Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts TV Broadcast: ABC Streaming: ESPN, ESPN+, NFL+ FANDUEL Sportsbook betting Odds: Spread: Patriots -3.5; Point total: 40.5; Moneyline: Patriots 168| Texans +142 LA Rams (13-5) NFC West @ Chicago Bears (12-6) NFC North Kickoff: 6:30 p.m. EST, Sunday, January 18th Location: Soldier Field, Chicago, Illinois TV Broadcast: NBC Streaming: NBC Sports, NFL+ FANDUEL Sportsbook betting Odds: Spread: Rams -3.5; Point total: 48.5; Moneyline: Rams 198| Bears +166 See More:
NFL Divisional Round: Houston Texans @ NE Patriots/LA Rams @ Chicago Bears – Game Information & Discussion
NFL Divisional Round: Rams vs. Bears
The final game of the Divisional Round of the 2026 NFL playoffs will feature an NFC matchup between the No. 5 Los Angeles Rams and the No. 2 Chicago Bears. The Bears lead the all-time regular season series between these teams, 54-38-3. Despite the Rams winning three of their four most-recent meetings, the last time […] The final game of the Divisional Round of the 2026 NFL playoffs will feature an NFC matchup between the No. 5 Los Angeles Rams and the No. 2 Chicago Bears. The Bears lead the all-time regular season series between these teams, 54-38-3. Despite the Rams winning three of their four most-recent meetings, the last time they faced off, in 2024, the Bears won at home in Chicago, 24-18. The winner of this game will go on to play the Seahawks in Seattle in the NFC Championship game. Here’s everything you need to know about the game: Los Angeles Rams vs. Chicago Bears Game time: 6:30 PM ESTChannel: NBCOnline Streaming: FuboTV | PeacockLocation: Soldier Field | Chicago, ILAnnouncers: Mike Tirico, Cris Collinsworth, Melissa Stark / Kaylee Hartung (field reporters) Los Angeles Rams: -3.5 (-198) Chicago Bears: +3.5 (+166) Over/under: 48.5 points SB Nation Blogs Rams: www.TurfShowTimes.com Bears: www.WindyCityGridiron.com Open thread: Discuss Sunday’s game in the comments below. See More: Philadelphia Eagles discussion
Las Vegas Raiders officials will be in Miami to watch Mendoza
The Las Vegas Raiders are looking for the newest head coach with over 13 interviews at the moment. It is due diligence that they did not display last season in the search for their next leader of the football team, and it exhibits how much they want to get it right this time around. One […] The Las Vegas Raiders are looking for the newest head coach with over 13 interviews at the moment. It is due diligence that they did not display last season in the search for their next leader of the football team, and it exhibits how much they want to get it right this time around. One reason they want to land the right head man is that they hold the number one pick in the draft. As of right now, everyone expects that pick to be Indiana’s quarterback, Fernando Mendoza. The Heisman Trophy winner has led the Hoosiers to the national championship game, serving as the signal caller for a school best known for its basketball prowess. With the game on Monday Night, the Raiders’ front office will be in Miami to watch the action. They will be conducting interviews there in the meantime, but they hope to see Mendoza excel in person. This should be a signal to Raiders fans that Mendoza is the heavy favorite to be the Silver and Black’s pick at one. Raider Nation has been clamoring for a quarterback, and 2026 might be the year where the team finds its franchise passer. In other Raiders links: Fernando Mendoza draws Andrew Luck comparisons: Chris Fowler of ESPN compares Mendoza to Andrew Luck on the Dan Le Batard podcast. Brand New TDL Draft Show: The Tape Don’t Lie crew has a brand-new draft show featuring linebacker CJ Allen and wide receiver Ted Hurst. Mendoza gives his thoughts on his draft buzz with the Raiders: Mendoza, at his national championship game press conference, spoke about the buzz surrounding him as the Raiders’ new franchise quarterback. See More: Las Vegas Raiders News
Brian Flores to Get Second Interview with Steelers
We may be getting closer to seeing defensive coordinator Brian Flores leave the Minnesota Vikings for a head coaching opportunity for one of the NFL’s flagship franchises. According to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, Flores is one of a number of candidates who will be getting a second interview with the Pittsburgh Steelers about their […] We may be getting closer to seeing defensive coordinator Brian Flores leave the Minnesota Vikings for a head coaching opportunity for one of the NFL’s flagship franchises. According to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, Flores is one of a number of candidates who will be getting a second interview with the Pittsburgh Steelers about their head coaching vacancy, and that said interview will take place on Tuesday. Along with Flores, the Steelers will also be giving second interviews to Jacksonville Jaguars offensive coordinator Grant Udinski, Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter, Los Angeles Rams passing game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase, Cleveland Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken, and former Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel. Udinski, prior to last year, was the Vikings’ assistant quarterbacks coach before joining the Jaguars staff after they hired Liam Coen. If the Steelers hired Udinski, he would be the youngest head coach hiring in NFL history at just 30 years of age. The Steelers can interview any of those candidates immediately, with the exception of Scheelhaase, pending the results of the Rams’ NFC Divisional round playoff game against the Chicago Bears, which has not yet kicked off as of the time I’m typing this up. If the Steelers want to wait to interview Scheelhaase before they make a final decision (and, potentially leave Flores’ fate up in the air a bit longer), they would have to wait until the Rams’ season officially ends, or they can interview him during the week between the NFC Championship Game and Super Bowl LX if the Rams advance that far. To this point, Flores has interview with the Steelers and the Ravens for their head coaching jobs and with the Washington Commanders about their defensive coordinator vacancy. I have not heard or seen anything about the Ravens conducting second interviews for their head coaching job at the present time, but if news of such an interview or any other interviews for Brian Flores come about, we will bring them to you as soon as we hear about them.
NFL playoff live discussion: Texans at Patriots, Rams at Bears
The Divisional Round of the 2025-26 NFL playoffs come to an end on Sunday evening with a pair of huge games. To kick things off, the Houston Texans are in Foxborough to try and take down the New England Patriots. Both teams represent a potential changing of the guard in the AFC, as the conference’s […] The Divisional Round of the 2025-26 NFL playoffs come to an end on Sunday evening with a pair of huge games. To kick things off, the Houston Texans are in Foxborough to try and take down the New England Patriots. Both teams represent a potential changing of the guard in the AFC, as the conference’s regular contender—the Chiefs, Ravens, Bills, Bengals—are all out of race. The Patriots are surging in Mike Vrabel’s first year running the team, while the Texans have been slowly climbing up the ranks for the past few seasons. But while the Patriots ran a dynasty in the not-so-distant past, the Texans have never even made an AFC Championship Game. History could be made when both teams kick off on 3 p.m. ET on Sunday. After that, I have a feeling more Detroit Lions fans will be tuned into the back half of the double-header. The Chicago Bears will host the Los Angeles Rams for a game that will decide the other half of an NFC Championship Game against the Seattle Seahawks. Whether your hate the Chicago Bears or Matthew Stafford, there are rooting interests galore for Lions fans. So there will be hate watching Sunday night at 6:30 p.m. ET? In this post, our Pride of Detroit community will chat during both games in the comment section at the bottom of the page. Make sure you have a free account to join the conversation! Join the conversation! Sign up for a user account and get: Fewer ads Create community posts Comment on articles, community posts Rec comments, community posts New, improved notifications system! And here’s how you can watch the games: Texans at Patriots Kickoff time: 3 p.m. ETTV: ABC/ESPNAnnouncers: Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Lisa Salters, Laura Rutledge, Russell YurkStreaming: NFL+Vegas odd: Patriots by 3.5, per FanDuel 49ers at Seahawks Kickoff time: 6:30 p.m. ETTV: NBCAnnouncers: Mike Tirico, Cris Collinsworth, Melissa Stark, Kaylee HartungStreaming: NFL+Vegas odd: Rams by 3.5 See More:
NFL Divisional Round: Texans vs. Patriots
The first game on Sunday in the Divisional Round of the 2026 NFL playoffs will feature an AFC matchup between the No. 5 Houston Texans and the No. 2 New England Patriots. The Patriots lead the all-time regular season series between these teams, 9-4, but the Texans have won three of their four most-recent meetings. […] The first game on Sunday in the Divisional Round of the 2026 NFL playoffs will feature an AFC matchup between the No. 5 Houston Texans and the No. 2 New England Patriots. The Patriots lead the all-time regular season series between these teams, 9-4, but the Texans have won three of their four most-recent meetings. They last faced off back in 2024, when the Texans won in New England, 41-21. The winner of this game will face the Denver Broncos in the AFC Championship game — the Broncos will be without Bo Nix who fractured his ankle on the second-to-last play in overtime against the Bills. Here’s everything you need to know about the game: Houston Texans vs. New England Patriots Game time: 3:00 PM ESTChannel: ESPN | ABCOnline Streaming: FuboTV | ESPNLocation: Gillette Stadium | Foxborough, MAAnnouncers: Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Lisa Salters / Laura Rutledge (field reporter) Houston Texans: +3.5 (+142) New England Patriots: -3.5 (-168) Over/under: 40.5 points SB Nation Blogs Texans: www.BattleRedBlog.com Patriots: www.PatsPulpit.com Open thread: Discuss Sunday’s game in the comments below. See More: Philadelphia Eagles discussion
NFL Divisional Round Recap: Seattle Seahawks 41, San Francisco 49ers 6
Rashid Shaheed’s opening kickoff return for a touchdown set the tone as Kenneth Walker III rushed for three scores and the Seattle Seahawks overwhelmed the San Francisco 49ers 41-6 to reach the NFC Championship Game.
NFL Sunday Divisional Playoffs Discussion
Today, the National Football League will set the other half of both Conference Championship Games, as the two remaining Divisional Round games are set to kick off with another doubleheader. Like yesterday, the early game will give us an AFC matchup, this one between the Houston Texans and the New England Patriots. The Patriots won […] Today, the National Football League will set the other half of both Conference Championship Games, as the two remaining Divisional Round games are set to kick off with another doubleheader. Like yesterday, the early game will give us an AFC matchup, this one between the Houston Texans and the New England Patriots. The Patriots won a defensive struggle last weekend over the Los Angeles Chargers, while the Texans demolished the Pittsburgh Steelers and, with any luck, ended the career of Aaron Rodgers so we don’t have to hear any “Rodgers to the Vikings” speculation this offseason. This one is set to kick off at 2:00 PM Central time and will be aired on ABC and ESPN. The winner will get a trip to Denver next Sunday to face off with the Broncos, who are now suddenly without starting quarterback Bo Nix, who broke his ankle in their win over Buffalo yesterday and will miss the remainder of Denver’s playoff run. The nightcap will take us to Soldier Field for a matchup between the Los Angeles Rams and the Chicago Bears. Both of these teams had come-from-behind victories in their first playoff matchups, as the Rams managed to take down a feistier-than-expected Carolina Panthers team, while the Bears came back from being down multiple scores at halftime to defeat the Green Bay Packers. NBC and Peacock will be your network for this one, with kickoff currently slated for 5:30 PM Central time. The winner of this one will head out to Seattle next weekend to take on the Seahawks, who blew the 49ers out of the playoffs last night. If you’re going to be watching the games today, feel free to hang out here and talk about them with your fellow Minnesota Vikings fans. Enjoy the action, everyone! See More:
Best quotes from Jon-Eric Sullivan’s first interview as Dolphins GM
The Miami Dolphins have a new general manager—Jon-Eric Sullivan. Sullivan spent the last 21 seasons with the Green Bay Packers, working his way up from football operations assistant, to vice president of player personnel. As he takes control of the Dolphins, his work is definitely cut out for him. The Dolphins are in a tricky […] The Miami Dolphins have a new general manager—Jon-Eric Sullivan. Sullivan spent the last 21 seasons with the Green Bay Packers, working his way up from football operations assistant, to vice president of player personnel. As he takes control of the Dolphins, his work is definitely cut out for him. The Dolphins are in a tricky spot, with limited draft capital, and most of their money sewn up in contracts of players that likely won’t be here for the long haul. On Sunday, Sullivan sat down with Travis Wingfield for his very first interview as general manager, to discuss the challenges that lay ahead, as well as his vision for the team. When asked about his football philosophy, Sullivan said “We’re going to draft and develop, and retain our own. It’s important to us that we raise our own, because that’s culture.” Actions speak louder than words, but this is certainly a different mindset to previous general manager Chris Grier, who often elected to let players walk in free agency, and took big swings with trading draft capital. Sullivan also spoke about the kind of team he wants to build, saying “It starts with the QB, and then we’ll build this team from the inside out. We got to be dominant on the OL, dominant on the DL.” Sullivan also spoke about the fact that the Dolphins technically play in a cold-weather division, and the necessity to build a team to win in those environments. In terms of the players already on the active roster, Sullivan highlighted a few names that he sees as building blocks for the team. Namely, running back De’Von Achane, wide receiver Jaylen Waddle, linebacker Jordyn Brooks, center Aaron Brewer, and tackle Patrick Paul. Finally, when asked about his draft strategy, Sullivan spoke about his idea of a “best player available” approach, commonly know as “BPA”. “You really have no idea what your needs are going to be. As we build a board, subconsciously, with a team-value approach, you’ll stack it for need, if that makes sense. In free agency, we’ll be much more intentional about where we need to fill gaps.” The full interview is linked below, and can also be found on the official Miami Dolphins YouTube channel. What did you think of Sullivan’s first interview? Did he impress you? Let us know down below! See More:
Miami Dolphins head coach tracker: Joe Brady set for interview, Falcons hire Stefanski
The Miami Dolphins continue their search for a new head coach on Sunday with a scheduled virtual interview with Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady. The interview comes a day after Buffalo was eliminated from the playoffs with a loss to the Denver Broncos in the Divisional Round. It also comes just a day before […] The Miami Dolphins continue their search for a new head coach on Sunday with a scheduled virtual interview with Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady. The interview comes a day after Buffalo was eliminated from the playoffs with a loss to the Denver Broncos in the Divisional Round. It also comes just a day before NFL rules allow in-person interviews to start for coaches under contract with other teams. On Saturday, rumors started to swirl that the Dolphins have Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator as the frontrunner for their vacancy. The former Boston College head coach is said to have “blown everyone away” with his virtual interview, and he already has a relationship with new Dolphins general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan, who was hired from the Packers this offseason. Hafley is expected to be a finalist for most of the vacancies around the league, according to NFL insider Jordan Schultz. Saturday also featured the second head coaching hire of the offseason, with the Atlanta Falcons and former Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski agreeing to a deal. Stefanski was among the first interviews Miami held this year and a second interview was being scheduled prior to his meeting with the Falcons. As we have since Mike McDaniel – who is continuing to receive interviews for head coaching and offensive coordinator positions – was fired on January 8, we track all of the rumors and reports surrounding the Dolphins’ head coach search here. Here are the rumored or reported coaches linked to Miami this offseason: Joe Brady – Virtual Interview scheduled (1/18) According to an NFL Network report, the Bills’ offensive coordinator will take part in a virtual interview on Sunday, January 18, after the Bills’ Divisional Round playoff game against the Denver Broncos on Saturday. The Dolphins added Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady to their interview request list on January 14. Brady has also worked as an offensive coordinator for the Carolina Panthers (2020-2021). A South Florida native, Brady has also had a request from the Baltimore Ravens. Anthony Campanile – Virtual Interview (1/16) The Dolphins announced the completion of a virtual interview with Campanile on January 16. On January 14, Campanile, the Jacksonville Jaguars’ defensive coordinator, was added to the list of Dolphins interview requests. Campanile was the Dolphins’ linebackers coach from 2020 through 2023. Patrick Graham – In-Person interview scheduled (1/19) Graham will interview with the Dolphins on Monday, once NFL rules permit coaches to meet with another team. The Dolphins requested an interview with Graham on January 13, adding him to the growing list of possible hires. He has been the Las Vegas Raiders’ defensive coordinator for four years, staying on despite the team’s head coaching changes. He has also served as the Dolphins’ defensive coordinator (2019), as well as holding the position for the New York Giants. He has also had stints with the Green Bay Packers and the New England Patriots. John Harbaugh – Interest – Hired by Giants Harbaugh and the Giants agreed to a deal on January 15. The Dolphins have contacted Harbaugh about interest in scheduling an interview, but it does not seem to be the priority for the former Baltimore Ravens head coach. He has interviewed with the Atlanta Falcons already and is expected to interview with the Tennessee Titans and New York Giants. Jeff Hafley – Virtual Interview (1/14); In-person interview scheduled (1/19) – “Frontrunner” for position. Hafley is set for an interview on Monday, January 19, when allowed under NFL rules. According to NFL Network, Hafley is the early frontrunner to land the Dolphins’ job as the team begins their second round of interviews. Hafley “blew everyone away” in his virtual interview, according to Tom Pelissero. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Hafley is among the coaches expected to be scheduled for an in-person interview shortly after the NFL allows. The Dolphins completed an interview with Hafley on January 14. Hafley is one of the hot names on the coaching carousel this offseason as he looks to land his first NFL head coaching position. The former Boston College head coach has spent the last two years with the Packers as their defensive coordinator. He is on the interview request lists for the Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons, Las Vegas Raiders, and Tennessee Titans. It would not be a surprise if the Pittsburgh Steelers, who are just starting their head coach search after Mike Tomlin stepped down on Tuesday, added Hafley as a candidate as well. Klint Kubiak – Virtual Interview (1/10) Under NFL rules, a coach from a team on a bye during Wild Card weekend can be interviewed virtually, then will be allowed to hold a second, in-person interview during the bye week before the Super Bowl if the team makes it that far. The Seattle Seahawks’ offensive coordinator conducted a virtual interview with the Dolphins on January 10, meeting the NFL’s rule. Kubiak has also drawn interest from the Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens, Las Vegas Raiders, and New York Giants. Jesse Minter – Virtual Interview (1/15) The Dolphins announced the completion of an interview with Minter on Jan. 15. Looking for his first head coaching position, Minter is currently the Los Angeles Chargers’ defensive coordinator. He has worked at multiple teams at both the college and NFL levels during his career, including a four-year stint of various positions with the Baltimore Ravens. Besides the Dolphins, he has had interview requests from the Arizona Cardinals, Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns, Las Vegas Raiders, New York Giants, and Tennessee Titans. The Pittsburgh Steelers could look toward Minter as well. Robert Saleh – Virtual Interview (1/15) The former New York Jets head coach and