Overview
- San Francisco’s 42–38 win over Chicago kept the No. 1 seed in play, with a home victory against Seattle securing the NFC’s top spot and first-round bye.
- Pittsburgh vs. Baltimore is a true elimination game, with the winner advancing to the playoffs and the loser going home.
- Carolina and Tampa Bay meet for the NFC South title and the conference’s final berth, with the 8–8 Panthers vulnerable to being overtaken by the 7–9 Buccaneers.
- German coverage of the decisive games is set on RTL for free TV, with streams on RTL+ and DAZN.
- The NFL postseason features seven teams per conference with the top seed receiving a bye, and it begins the weekend of January 10–12, 2026.