2026 NFL Playoffs: Wildcard weekend is set. Which team will the Broncos face in the divisional round?

2026 NFL Playoffs: Wildcard weekend is set. Which team will the Broncos face in the divisional round?
Mile High Report Mile High Report

The 2025 NFL regular season is now complete, and we’re heading into wildcard weekend, where we will see which team advances to the divisional round to take on the Denver Broncos. Wildcard weekend features multiple big games, and the time and date of these games have been announced.

Since the Broncos clinched the number one seed in the AFC, they will play the lowest remaining seed in the divisional round. On Saturday, the 6th-seeded Buffalo Bills will take on the 3rd-seeded Jacksonville Jaguars, and the 7th-seeded Los Angeles Chargers will take on the 2nd-seeded New England Patriots. Finally, on Monday Night, the 4th seed Pittsburgh Steelers will take on the 5th seed Houston Texans.

The lowest remaining seed from these games will travel to Mile High to take on the Denver Broncos.

6 Buffalo Bills vs. 3 Jacksonville Jaguars

This will be a fun matchup.

Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills will head to Duval to take on a suddenly hot Jacksonville Jaguars team. This is an intriguing matchup that could go either way, but will likely see the Jaguars favored in this one. For as great as Josh Allen is, this might be the least talented team he has taken to the playoffs, while the Jaguars are a more talented and balanced team that is loaded with playmakers.

This game will be decided by how well the Bills’ defense can hold Trevor Lawrence and the explosive Jaguars offense. The Jags have been overlooked and playing the underdog card all season, and will have an opportunity to eliminate one of the top Super Bowl contenders in the AFC over the past few seasons.

If the Bills win, they would travel to Mile High only if the Chargers lose to the Patriots. However, if the Jaguars win, either the Chargers, Texans, or Ravens will face the Broncos.

7 Los Angeles Chargers vs. 2. New England Patriots

This might be the game of the wildcard weekend.

Justin Herbert and the 7th-seeded Los Angeles Rams are traveling to Foxboro to take on Drake Maye and the 2nd-seeded New England Patriots. A game that features two of the best young quarterbacks in the NFL and two teams who appear evenly matched despite the seeds.

The Patriots flourished this year due to quarterback Drake Maye having a breakout, MVP-caliber season, and were led by head coach Mike Vrabel, who carried this team to a 14-3 record. Meanwhile, the Chargers looked like one of the top teams in the NFL at times this season, but have dealt with multiple injuries up and down the roster once again this season.

This might be the best and most complete team the Patriots faced all season, while the Chargers will need to keep the pressure off quarterback Justin Herbert and try to slow down quarterback Drake Maye. It’s an intriguing game and one I am excited to watch.

If the Chargers were to pull off the upset, they would head to Mile High to face the Broncos...