Saturday’s NFL playoff divisional round includes an all-NFC West battle in Seattle.

The San Francisco 49ers beat the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field in Week 1 of the regular season. Seattle returned the favor on the 49ers’ home turf in Week 18. The stakes are higher in the season’s rubber match, with a chance to play in the NFC championship game on the line.

Kyle Shanahan’s club has found ways to win despite being ravaged by injuries on both sides of the football. The injury bug hit the 49ers again last week when star tight end George Kittle ruptured his Achilles.

The well-rested Seahawks are led by one of the NFL’s stingiest defenses. Seattle gave up a league-low 17.2 points per game during the regular season. The Seahawks offense is led by NFL Offensive Player of the Year candidate Jaxon Smith-Njigba. The standout wide receiver produced a league-high 1,793 yards in the regular season.

San Francisco 49ers vs. Seattle Seahawks odds

The Seahawks are a 7.5-point favorite, according to the BetMGM NFL odds.

Spread: Seahawks (-7.5)
Moneyline: Seahawks (-375); 49ers (+300)
Over/under: 45.5

Our guide to NFL betting odds, picks and spreads has you covered.

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49ers vs. Seahawks divisional matchups to watch

These two NFC West rivals know each other well. They split the regular season series. The No. 1 seed Seahawks are well-rested after a bye during the wild-card round. But the battle-tested 49ers are a confident team coming off a big win over the Super Bowl 59 champion Philadelphia Eagles.

Here are the key matchups to watch:

49ers pass defense vs. Jaxon Smith-Njigba

Smith-Njigba tallied 15 catches for 208 yards in two games against the 49ers this season. Deommodore Lenoir is San Francisco’s best cornerback.

Lenoir didn’t allow a catch when he was in coverage against Smith-Njigba during the regular season, but Smith-Njigba’s had a decided advantage against San Francisco’s other cornerbacks.

Smith-Njigba lines up out wide and in the slot. Lenoir mostly plays on the outside. The 49ers likely won’t travel Lenoir with Smith-Njigba, but the cornerback could cover him in key situational moments.

Can the 49ers offense score enough against Seattle’s defense?

The Seahawks had the NFL’s top scoring defense in the regular season. They held the 49ers to just three points in a Week 18 victory. Brock Purdy was held to 127 passing yards, the 49ers had nine first downs and converted only two of nine third-down attempts.

Can the 49ers move the football without Kittle? Expect a heavy dosage of Christian McCaffrey, and maybe a couple trick plays to manufacture some explosive gains.

The Seahawks defense will likely key in on McCaffrey. Shanahan’s playcalling and the 49ers’ ability to sustain drives and reach the end zone is key.

Will Seahawks defense contain Christian McCaffrey

McCaffrey registered 2,126 yards from scrimmage this year, the second most in the NFL.

The running back had 142 yards from scrimmage in San Francisco’s Week 1 win against Seattle. He was held to 57 yards from scrimmage in the 49ers’ Week 18 loss.

The Seahawks will likely win the game if they can contain McCaffrey. Purdy conducts the 49ers offense, but McCaffrey is the engine.

Early prediction for 49ers vs. Seahawks divisional-round game

Seahawks 25, 49ers 20

The injury-riddled 49ers deserve a lot of credit for advancing to the divisional round. Kittle’s Achilles injury last week was a sobering reminder of what a healthy 49ers team would’ve looked like. At some point injuries are going to catch up to Kyle Shanahan’s team. A well-rested Seahawks team gets the victory.

Cristiano Ronaldo could not hide his frustration after being subbed off late in Al Nassr’s 3-1 defeat to title rival Al Hilal on Monday.

Ronaldo scored the opener in the showdown between the Saudi Pro League’s top two teams, but Al Hilal struck back with three goals after halftime to earn a vital win.

Al Hilal went seven points clear of second-place Al Nassr atop the table, a stunning development after Al Hilal was four points clear just two weeks ago.

But Ronaldo’s side has faltered after winning its first 10 league matches, following that up with three defeats and a draw in its last four.

Cristiano Ronaldo frustrated with substitution

With Al Nassr trailing by a goal in the 83rd minute, head coach Jorge Jesus opted to remove Ronaldo and replace him with midfielder Wesley.

The move didn’t go down well with the Portugal legend, who ruefully shook his head near the middle of the field before slowly walking over to the sideline.

Ronaldo waved his arms and appeared to say ‘impossible’ as he made his way to the edge of the field. He and Jesus exchanged a brief word as the pair shook hands.

Ronaldo has yet to win a major trophy since he joined Al Nassr in 2023.

Al Nassr will host Al Shabab on Saturday as it continues to search for its first league win of 2026.

It may be hard to believe but we are less than 75 days from MLB opening day. It seems like just yesterday the Los Angeles Dodgers became the first back-to-back champions in more than two decades.

Yet somehow, the 2026 season has snuck up on us like a croc stalking its prey on the shoreline.

Despite how close the season is, there are still several big-name free agents that could change the tide of the upcoming campaign.

Players like Kyle Tucker, Bo Bichette, Framber Valdez, and Cody Bellinger are all high-end talents that could round out a roster and propel them into World Series contention. Until they find their landing spots, though, we only have so much information to work with when predicting the next World Series champs.

As always, Vegas oddsmakers tend to know best, so anyone hoping to peer into a crystal ball before the start of the season might be inclined to look at betting odds.

Here is every MLB team ranked based on its 2026 World Series odds. All odds via BetMGM.

Power ranking MLB teams by 2026 World Series odds

The favorites

1) Los Angeles Dodgers: +300

2) New York Yankees: +800

3) Philadelphia Phillies: +1100

T-4) Seattle Mariners: +1300

T-4) Toronto Blue Jays: +1300

6) Houston Astros: +1400

7) New York Mets: +1600

T-8) Atlanta Braves: +1800

T-8) Boston Red Sox: +1800

T-8) Chicago Cubs: +1800

Let’s get something straight. The pick should be the Dodgers. It’s always the Dodgers. Until the moment they are mathematically eliminated from World Series contention, they should be the betting favorites to win another World Series. From now until the end of time, this will be an undeniable truth. Outside of them, though, the Boston Red Sox could be an interesting pick.

Not only do they play in the American League, making their path to the World Series slightly easier, but they boast one of the most well-rounded lineups in MLB. Couple that with a bullpen that ranked second in the league in ERA during the regular season and the addition of Sonny Gray to the rotation, and there’s reason to be excited even with the loss of Alex Bregman. The only issue is that the Red Sox play in the AL East alongside the Yankees and Blue Jays. That could be a tough division to come out of cleanly.

The dark horses

11) Baltimore Orioles: +2200

T-12) Milwaukee Brewers: +2500

T-12) San Diego Padres: +2500

T-14) Cleveland Guardians: +3000

T-14) Detroit Tigers: +3000

T-16) Cincinnati Reds: +4000

T-16) Kansas City Royals: +4000

T-16) San Francisco Giants: +4000

I feel like we are underestimating the Detroit Tigers after their disappointing second half of 2025. This is still a team that boasts outstanding depth, solid defense, great platoon options, and has bolstered its bullpen with the addition of Kenley Jansen.

While their offense lacks that elite superstar you’d expect for a team contending for a World Series, their starting pitching is still able to contend with anyone in the league, making them a serious threat if they get hot at the right moment.

The underdogs

T-19) Tampa Bay Rays: +5000

T-19) Texas Rangers: +5000

21) Arizona Diamondbacks: +6600

T-22) Minnesota Twins: +10000

T-22) Athletics: +10000

I said it all throughout last year, but the Athletics are a few good pitchers away from being terrifying. They were above league average in basically every offensive statistic, including runs, OPS, and home runs, even ranking top-7 in many of those statistics. However, their pitching doomed them in 2025. Not a single starting pitcher posted an ERA under 4.0 last year. That should change though.

Luis Severino and Jeffery Springs are too good to let their down 2025 seasons define them. While the loss of Mason Miller is certainly a huge blow to the Athletics’ bullpen, the team has enough depth in its pen to overcome that loss. If the A’s can find consistency with two of their starters going into 2026, then they could turn some heads in a division that could be more wide open than expected.

The longshots

T-24) Miami Marlins: +15000

T-24) Pittsburgh Pirates: +15000

T-24) St. Louis Cardinals: +15000

27) Los Angeles Angels: +25000

T-28) Chicago White Sox: +50000

T-28) Colorado Rockies: +50000

T-28) Washington Nationals: +50000

Are any of these teams good options? No, but if you’re a diehard fan rooting for teams at the bottom of the barrel to climb into elite territory, then the Washington Nationals are a sneaky pick.

Sure, their pitching is still questionable at best, and their bullpen has not done nearly enough to contend with the best teams in the league, but they could have some sneaky good bats heading into 2026. Obviously, CJ Abrams and James Wood have proven themselves before, but if former top prospects Robert Hassell III and Dylan Crews can also find a groove, then the Nationals could boast a very solid middle of their lineup. While that alone won’t be enough to contend, the Nationals have more potential slotted into their depth chart than anyone else in this tier.

When does the MLB season begin?

The MLB season begins with a singular game, Yankees vs. Giants, on Wednesday, March 25. The next day, there will be a 14-game slate featuring every other MLB team, the earliest traditional Opening Day in MLB history.

Spring training begins on Friday, February 20.

Raiola, a two-year starter for the Cornhuskers, was one of the top available quarterbacks in the transfer portal. Oregon will likely need a starter for next season with Dante Moore expected to be leaving for the NFL.

It’s unclear if Raiola’s commitment guarantees Moore is entering the NFL draft. Moore, a projected first-round pick, has only been a full-time starter for one season of college and said after Oregon’s Peach Bowl loss to Indiana that he’s still undecided on his future.

Raiola’s uncle, Donovan Raiola, was fired by Nebraska coach Matt Rhule on Dec. 6 after five seasons as offensive line coach. Raiola’s younger brother, quarterback Dayton Raiola, de-committed from Nebraska on Nov. 19.

Raiola ultimately chose Nebraska out of high school despite committing to multiple other schools. He was once pledged to both Ohio State and Georgia before flipping to the Cornhuskers late in his recruitment.

The Buford, Georgia, native passed for 2,819 yards with 13 touchdowns to 11 interceptions as a true freshman, completing 67.1% of his passes. Raiola boasts a 69.1% completion rate through two seasons as a starter.

Dylan Raiola stats

Raiola has started since his true freshman season at Nebraska. In that time, he has thrown for 4,819 yards on 456-of-660 passing (69.1%), with 31 touchdowns and 17 interceptions.

2024: 275-of-410 passing (67.1%), 2,819 yards, 13 touchdowns, 11 interceptions
2025: 181-of-250 passing (72.4%), 2,000 yards, 18 touchdowns, six interceptions

Tom Brady provided viewers with a well-received lesson about football and physics during Fox’s broadcast of the Philadelphia Eagles vs. San Francisco 49ers wild-card game.

Brady’s teaching moment came midway through the third quarter of the Jan. 11 playoff contest, during which a steady wind was blowing. There were gusts up to 36 mph during the contest, and it was causing issues for quarterbacks Brock Purdy and Jalen Hurts.

Brady explained exactly why the wind was making passing difficult, relying on his 23 years of NFL experience to detail the difficulties of throwing in windy conditions.

‘What you see, and I talk about the point of the ball a lot, you see it from; I’ll show it to you from this angle,’ Brady said, while showing play-by-play man Kevin Burkhardt and the Fox cameras him gripping a football. ‘This is kind of like a neutral plane. This is when the point’s slightly down. When you’re throwing it into the wind, it has to be neutral. If the point of the ball is up, any wind friction’s gonna push that ball up over the top.’

‘So, as a quarterback, you don’t really like that ‘U’ throw underneath, because naturally, that’s going to point the tip of the ball up,’ Brady continued. ‘You like more of a ‘C’ or an inverse, a reverse ‘C’. That’s how you kind of control the point of the ball, and then you can kind of just snap it off as you throw it.’

‘But in these windy conditions, you can’t be underneath the ball,’ Brady added. ‘There’s too much wind surface of the ball to knock it off its path.’

Brady’s breakdown drew universal acclaim from NFL fans and analysts alike. It was demonstrative of the knowledge he brings to the booth as a seven-time Super Bowl champion and, inarguably, the greatest quarterback in league history.

Fox will continue to reap the benefits of the 48-year-old’s expertise. He signed a 10-year deal with the network and has shown continued improvement while acclimating nicely to the booth during his second season as an NFL broadcaster.

The adage entering the 2025 NFL playoffs was that the race to win Super Bowl 60 was wide open. Wild-card weekend seemed to prove that hypothesis correct.

Four of the NFL’s first five playoff games were decided by one score. Two tied the NFL record for fourth-quarter lead changes (four) while the Chicago Bears earned their first postseason win since 2010 while overcoming an 18-point deficit in a rivalry game against the Green Bay Packers.

Add in a couple of six-seed victories and the elimination of the reigning Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles and the playoffs have thus far been unpredictable as the field has been whittled to nine remaining teams.

Who still remains in the 2025 NFL playoffs after the wild-card round? Here’s what to know about the NFL playoff bracket and the matchups still to come in the divisional round.

Who is still in the NFL playoffs?

Just nine teams remain in the NFL playoffs with five of the league’s six wild-card round games now in the books. Below is a look at the teams that remain in the running for Super Bowl 60:

AFC:

Denver Broncos (No. 1)
New England Patriots (No. 2)
Pittsburgh Steelers (No. 4)
Houston Texans (No. 5)
Buffalo Bills (No. 6)

NFC:

Seattle Seahawks (No. 1)
Chicago Bears (No. 2)
Los Angeles Rams (No. 5)
San Francisco 49ers (No. 6)

The final divisional-round spot will be decided by the result of the Steelers vs. Texans game on ‘Monday Night Football.

2025 NFL playoff bracket: Divisional-round matchups

Below is a look at the playoff brackets for the AFC and NFC as the divisional-round matchups come into focus:

AFC:

No. 1 Denver Broncos vs. No. 6 Buffalo Bills
No. 2 New England Patriots vs. winner of Steelers-Texans

Jan. 12: No. 4 Pittsburgh Steelers vs. No. 5 Houston Texans

NFC:

No. 1 Seattle Seahawks vs. No. 6 San Francisco 49ers
No. 2 Chicago Bears vs. No. 5 Los Angeles Rams

2025 NFL playoffs schedule

Below is a look at the schedule for the 2025 NFL playoffs, starting with the last remaining wild-card game:

Wild-card round

All times Eastern

Monday, Jan. 12

Houston Texans at Pittsburgh Steelers, 8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN/ABC

Divisional round

Saturday, Jan. 17

Buffalo Bills at Denver Broncos, 4:30 or 8 pm. ET, network TBD
San Francisco 49ers at Seattle Seahawks, 4:30 or 8 p.m. ET, network TBD

Sunday, Jan. 18

Los Angeles Rams at Chicago Bears, 3 or 6:30 p.m. ET, network TBD
Houston Texans/Pittsburgh Steelers at New England Patriots, 3 or 6:30 p.m. ET, network TBD

NFL conference championship round

Sunday, Jan. 25

AFC championship game: 3 p.m.
NFC championship game: 6:30 p.m.

Super Bowl 60

TV: NBC
Date: Feb. 8, 2026
Location: Levi’s Stadium (Santa Clara, California)
Time: 6:30 p.m.

WNBA star Skylar Diggins is known for her breathtaking sense of style. The fashionista arrived at the 2026 Golden Globes looking as fabulous as ever.

On Sunday, Diggins took a break from Unrivaled in Miami to walk the Golden Globes red carpet at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California. The veteran guard wore a Versace black sequin dress, which featured a daring one-shoulder design with a high split at the waist and a royal blue train. She paired the ensemble with black heels and a simple accent curl pulled from her sleek bun.

On January 5, Diggins was announced as the face of Saratoga Spring Water. The company is also the ‘official water’ of the Golden Globes, thus giving Diggins the chance to share her head-turning style during the awards event.

“Our new campaign with Skylar, and the chapters to come later in the year, reflect Saratoga’s expansion into a broader cultural space,” Kheri Tillman, CMO, Primo Brands said. “Skylar is extraordinary on and off the court, and an ascendant figure in culture. If you could capture a perfect storm in a bottle – of talent, energy, strength and style – she’s it.’

Diggins, who is a member of the Lunar Owls, has not played in an Unrivaled game this season because of a lower body injury.

Alex Bregman has signed a five-year, $175 million contract with the Chicago Cubs.
The deal is considered a win for Bregman, his agent Scott Boras, and the Cubs’ infield.
The Boston Red Sox are seen as a loser in the deal after Bregman opted out of his contract with them.

Alex Bregman wasn’t the top prize on the free agent market this winter. In fact, the top three targets in USA TODAY Sports’ pre-winter rankings remain available.

But Bregman’s signing with the Chicago Cubs will have significant ripple effects throughout the game.

With Bregman set to be introduced to Chicagoland at next weekend’s Cub Convention, USA TODAY Sports breaks down the winners and losers of Bregman agreeing to a five-year, $175 million contract to call Wrigley Field home:

Winners

Alex Bregman

Nicely played. When the anvil of draft pick compensation was attached to Bregman’s back last winter, he did not find a home until spring training camps had opened, when he agreed to a three-year, $120 million contract with the Boston Red Sox. The two opt-outs in the deal ensured he’d be able to try the market again without the dreaded compensation pick accompanying him.

And even though injuries limited him to 114 games in Boston, his .821 OPS and winner’s swagger that helped the Red Sox to their first playoff berth since 2021 nicely reestablished the market for a two-time World Series champ who turns 32 the first week of the season.

Now Bregman’s two-year free agency gambit looks like this: Six years, $215 million. He received the highest annual salary in Cubs history, and the largest on the market so far this witner.

Throw in his team-friendly five-year, $100 million extension signed in Houston back in 2019 and Bregman’s career haul looks like this: 11 years, $315 million. That’ll buy a few ponies, for sure.

Scott Boras

The man always gets his revenge tour.

It certainly takes a certain mindset to be a Boras client, one where abundant patience and confidence in your ability to perform are paramount. And after a handful of winters where some of the uber agent’s finest clients have been frozen out, all are finding their happily-ever-afters.

In addition to Bregman’s two-year haul, slugger Pete Alonso’s five-year, $155 million deal with Baltimore suddenly makes his free agent haul look pretty sweet: Six years, $185 million when you consider the $30 million he hauled in during his make-good season with the Mets.

Next up: Cody Bellinger, still locked in a staring contest with the New York Yankees but likely to top $200 million wherever he lands, concluding a saga of non-tenders, short-term deals, opt-outs and trades since he first hit the market four years ago.

Bo Bichette

No, he’s not a Boras client, but the erstwhile Toronto Blue Jays infielder is probably smiling like one. While the Cubs weren’t exactly a “mystery team” in the Bregman sweepstakes, his signing there comes as a moderate surprise – and certainly amps up the pressure on the Red Sox to fill the Bregman-sized hole in their lineup.

Now, it’s just Bichette, Bellinger and slugging outfielder Kyle Tucker left on the elite hitter market and Bichette should come at a significantly lower price point than Tucker.

SEC baseball honks

While Bregman will have the highest salary on the Cubs, he doesn’t quite have the largest contract – that would belong to Dansby Swanson, who will gross $177 million over seven years.

And that’s just the latest installment in a saga of two guys with a history of one-upping the other who will now share the left side of an infield.

When Bregman and Swanson were juniors at LSU and Vanderbilt, respectively, it was Bregman who was named first-team All-SEC at shortstop. But it was Swanson’s Vandy squad that advanced to the College World Series final.

And it was Swanson who was selected No. 1 overall by the Arizona Diamondbacks – allowing the Astros to draft Bregman No. 1. Bregman was so unbothered by that, he chose No. 2 as his number.

Now, they join forces, having put away childish things long ago. And for a conference that can no longer maintain the façade of football dominance, at least there’s one place where it still matters more.

Losers

Boston Red Sox

Tough one, man. We were fairly stunned a year ago when the Red Sox broke out of several years of long winter’s naps to sign Bregman and trade for Garrett Crochet, who finished second in Cy Young Award voting. Their three-year playoff drought ended with a spirited three-game wild card series defeat to the Yankees.

That seemed like a jumping-off point – only for Bregman to bolt, reportedly for just $10 million more than the Red Sox offered.

Now, the Red Sox lineup looks way too thin once you get past the first five or so spots – especially since budding star Roman Anthony won’t have a Bregman-like companion at the top of it. Fellow minor league product Marcelo Mayer is penciled in at third, but significant questions remain about his durability, and he’s far from a finished product.

This does not sound like a club ready to go toe-to-toe with the Blue Jays, Yankees and Orioles, even with a fortified pitching staff.

Alex Bregman’s statistics

For a man who peppered Houston’s Crawford Boxes and then Fenway Park’s Green Monster to post an .846 career OPS, Wrigley Field will be a decidedly tougher hang.

In fact, Fenway ranked as the second hitter-friendliest ballpark in 2025, according to Statcast’s park factors. Wrigley? Second-to-last. The parks move to the top and bottom of the list when it comes to hitting doubles.

Suddenly, Bregman’s pull-side dominance will have to contend with Wrigley’s capricious winds. It’s well worth it for the Cubs to make that investment – but the back of Bregman’s baseball card might not be so pretty going forward.

Matt Shaw

The Cubs were somewhat Red Sox-esque in their inability to land marquee free agents and instead tout the upside of their farm system products. But Bregman’s signing shows it’s not time to wait around for the kids to grow up.

What does that mean for Shaw? He took modest steps forward on both sides of the ball as his rookie season proceeded, producing 3.1 WAR in 126 games, though with a .226 average and 98 adjusted OPS.

That doesn’t mean there’s no future for Shaw in Wrigleyville. Second baseman Nico Hoerner is a free agent after this season, and Shaw could slide there in 2027, or sooner, should the Cubs decide to deal Hoerner for, say, pitching help.

Or, it could be Shaw dangled in trade talks. Either way, it’s clear the Cubs had no patience to count on Shaw’s development proceeding in a non-linear fashion.