Week 18 is finalizing the NFL playoff picture and we are updating it live!
Week 18 is set up to be monumental in the NFL starting with big games in the AFC on Saturday and ending with a winner-take-all game on Sunday night. In between, there is plenty of intrigue.
On Saturday, the Baltimore Ravens clinched the three seed and in the process, forced the Pittsburgh Steelers into a wild card spot.
The most intriguing part of the early afternoon window on Sunday is the NFC South, where a Buccaneers win solidified them as the winner of the division. The Washington Commanders won and the Green Bay Packers lost, locking Washington into the six seed and Green Bay in the seven.
In the late afternoon, the Denver Broncos clinched their playoff spot with a win and the Chargers finished in fifth after their win, dropping the Steelers for the six seed.
We also saw the Rams lose, which moves the Buccaneers up to the three seed in the NFC while dropping LA to four. That’s a big difference in quality of opponent, it would seem.
The Sunday night game is a huge showdown between the Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings. The winner is the one seed in the NFC while the loser is the five seed.
Final AFC standings following Week 18
1. z-Kansas City Chiefs (15-2) – clinched No. 1 seed
2. y-Buffalo Bills (13-4) – clinched No. 2 seed
3. y-Baltimore Ravens (12-5) – clinched No. 3 seed
4. y-Houston Texans (10-7) – clinched No. 4 seed
5. x-Los Angeles Chargers (11-6) – clinched No. 5 seed
6. x-Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7, win over DEN) – clinched No. 6 seed
7. x-Denver Broncos (10-7, loss to PIT) – clinched No. 7 seed
8. Cincinnati Bengals (9-8) – eliminated
9. Indianapolis Colts (8-9, win over MIA) — eliminated
10. Miami Dolphins (8-9, loss to IND) – eliminated
11. New York Jets (5-12) — eliminated
13. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-13, 4-8 AFC — eliminated
14. New England Patriots (4-13, 3-9 AFC, .471 SOV) — eliminated
12. Las Vegas Raiders (4-13, 3-9 AFC, .353 SOV) — eliminated
15. Cleveland Browns (3-14, .510 strength of victory) — eliminated
16. Tennessee Titans (3-14, .440 strength of victory) — eliminated
Final NFC standings following Week 18
1. z-Detroit Lions (15-2) – clinched No. 1 seed
2. y-Philadelphia Eagles (14-3) – clinched No. 2 seed
3. y-Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10-7, 8-4 NFC) – clinched No. 3 seed
4. y-Los Angeles Rams (10-7, .445 SOV, 6-6 NFC) – clinched No. 4 seed
5. x-Minnesota Vikings (14-3) – clinched No. 5 seed
6. x-Washington Commanders (12-5) – clinched No. 6 seed
7. x-Green Bay Packers (11-6) – clinched No. 7 seed
8. Seattle Seahawks (10-7, .418 SOV) — eliminated
9. Atlanta Falcons (8-9, 7-5 NFC) – eliminated
10. Arizona Cardinals (8-9, 4-8 NFC) — eliminated
11. Dallas Cowboys (7-10) — eliminated
12. San Francisco 49ers (6-11) — eliminated
13. Chicago Bears (5-12, win over CAR) — eliminated
15. Carolina Panthers (5-12, .329 SOV, loss to CHI) — eliminated
13. New Orleans Saints (5-12, .306 SOV) — eliminated
16. New York Giants (3-14) — eliminated
Teams with an asterisk (*) have been eliminated from divisional contention
Teams with an (x) have clinched a playoff spot
Teams with a (y) have clinched their division
Teams with a (z) have clinched the one seed, home-field advantage, and a first-round bye
Key playoff picture takeaways in Week 17
Baltimore Ravens clinch the AFC North with convincing win over Browns
The Browns stink and most of their best players were out in Week 18, but the Ravens left no doubt. They scored with just over three minutes left to make it a 25-point game and clinch the three seed in the AFC.
Cincinnati Bengals win fifth straight game to stay alive in wild card
The Bengals are 9-8 and have won their fifth straight game to stay aline in the playoff race. They need a lot of help un Sunday, but they are alive.
Pittsburgh Steelers slide into playoffs with fourth straight loss
The Steelers lost four straight in December, and could slip to the sixth seed if the Chargers win on Sunday. Pittsburgh would then travel to the Baltimore Ravens, who won the AFC North on Saturday.
Packers lose, Washington wins to settle the NFC wild card picture
The results happened almost simultaneously, when the Packers allowed a last-second field goal and the Commanders scored a go-ahead two-point conversion to lock in the playoff seeding. The Packers will face the Eagles in a rematch of the Week 1 Brazil game while the Commanders and will play the three seed.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers slam the door on Atlanta Falcons to move up to three seed
Tampa didn’t play Atlanta, but the two were locked in a final battle for the NFC South. The Bucs’ win over the Saints locked up the division for Tampa. They got some help, too, as the Seahawks knocked off the Rams, allowing Tampa to move up to the three seed.
Denver Broncos throttle Chiefs backups to claim final playoff playoff spot
Bo Nix and the Denver Broncos absolutely smoked the Chiefs on Sunday, but KC didn’t really care. The Buffalo Bills will host Denver in the wild card round and the Broncos’ rookie QB not only gets to the playoffs in his first season, but potentially validates Denver’s decision to move on from Russell Wilson.
Los Angeles Rams drop to fourth following loss to Seahawks
The Seahawks had some financial incentives to play for, but the Rams needed a win to stay in third place in the NFC. Seattle won, and coupled with the Bucs win earlier, means the Rams will host the loser of the Lions/Vikings showdown.
Detroit Lions control Vikings to win the one seed
The Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings got off to a slow start, but the Lions turned it on to smother the Vikings and clinch the one seed in the NFC. The Lions win home-field advantage throughout the playoffs while the Vikings will be the five seed.
Which NFL teams have already clinched playoff spots?
We’ve been tracking the teams that clinched playoff spots since November, and the list will be complete by the end of the weekend:
- Kansas City Chiefs
- Buffalo Bills
- Detroit Lions
- Philadelphia Eagles
- Minnesota Vikings
- Houston Texans
- Pittsburgh Steelers
- Green Bay Packers
- Los Angeles Chargers
- Washington Commanders
- Los Angeles Rams
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Denver Broncos
Which NFL teams have been eliminated from the playoffs?
- New York Giants
- New England Patriots
- Jacksonville Jaguars
- Las Vegas Raiders
- Tennessee Titans
- Cleveland Browns
- New York Jets
- Chicago Bears
- Carolina Panthers
- Dallas Cowboys
- Arizona Cardinals
- San Francisco 49ers
- New Orleans Saints
- Indianapolis Colts
- Seattle Seahawks
- Atlanta Falcons
- Cincinnati Bengals
- Miami Dolphins
NFL Division Standings
AFC East standings
- Buffalo Bills, 13-4 — division clinched
- Miami Dolphins, 8-9 — eliminated from playoff contention
- New York Jets, 5-12 — eliminated from playoff contention
- New England Patriots, 4-13 — eliminated from playoff contention
AFC North standings
- Baltimore Ravens, 12-5 – division clinched
- Pittsburgh Steelers, 10-7
- Cincinnati Bengals, 9-8 — eliminated from playoff contention
- Cleveland Browns, 3-14 — eliminated from playoff contention
AFC South standings
- Houston Texans, 10-7 – division clinched
- Indianapolis Colts, 8-9 — eliminated from playoff contention
- Jacksonville Jaguars, 4-13 — eliminated from playoff contention
- Tennessee Titans, 3-14 — eliminated from playoff contention
AFC West standings
- Kansas City Chiefs, 15-2 — division clinched
- Los Angeles Chargers, 11-6
- Denver Broncos, 10-7
- Las Vegas Raiders, 4-13 — eliminated from playoff contention
NFC East standings
- Philadelphia Eagles, 14-3 – division clinched
- Washington Commanders, 12-5
- Dallas Cowboys, 7-10 — eliminated from playoff contention
- New York Giants, 3-14 — eliminated from playoff contention
NFC North standings
- Detroit Lions, 15-2 – division clinched
- Minnesota Vikings, 14-3
- Green Bay Packers, 11-6
- Chicago Bears, 5-12 — eliminated from playoff contention
NFC South standings
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 10-7 – division clinched
- Atlanta Falcons, 8-9 — eliminated from playoff contention
- Carolina Panthers, 5-12 — eliminated from playoff contention
- New Orleans Saints, 5-12 — eliminated from playoff contention
NFC West standings
- Los Angeles Rams, 10-7 – division clinched
- Seattle Seahawks, 10-7 — eliminated from playoff contention
- Arizona Cardinals, 8-9 — eliminated from playoff contention
- San Francisco 49ers, 6-11 — eliminated from playoff contention