NFL Divisional Playoffs 2017: Saturday TV Channels, Start Times For Seahawks vs. Falcons & Patriots vs. Texans

What many consider to be the best weekend of the NFL season begins Saturday afternoon with the start of the 2017 Divisional Playoffs. Eight teams are on the schedule with hopes of getting one step closer towards Super Bowl LI.

The weekend’s first game is usually considered to be the worst of the four, but the opening contest could very well turn out to be the second round’s most entertaining game. Saturday’s primetime game, however, is likely to be a one-sided affair.

The Seattle Seahawks and Atlanta Falcons kick off Saturday’s action with a rematch from Week 6. The Seahawks defeated the Falcons by two points in one of the regular season’s best games, and they’ll face off again, though the contest will be at the Georgia Dome this time around. The game is scheduled to start at 4:35 p.m. EST on FOX.

Atlanta hasn’t won a playoff game since they defeated Seattle in 2013. While the Falcons had a bye on Wild-Card Weekend, the Seahawks cruised past the Detroit Lions for their 10th straight home playoff victory. Dating back to last postseason, Seattle is 3-5-1 in their last nine road games.

Less than four hours after Atlanta hosts Seattle, the New England Patriots host the Houston Texans. CBS has the action at 8:15 EST, though the game might not be competitive for very long.

The Texans won five fewer regular-season games than the Patriots in the regular season, making the playoffs by winning arguably the NFL’s worst division. Houston was beaten by 27 points when they visited Gillette Stadium in Week 3, and Tom Brady wasn’t even available to play because of his suspension. The Texans are 16-point underdogs.

If even one of the divisional playoff games is competitive, it will be an improvement from last week. Before Seattle defeated Detroit by 20 points in primetime, Houston bested Oakland 27-14.

The Kansas City Chiefs, Pittsburgh Steelers, Green Bay Packers and Dallas Cowboys play Sunday afternoon.