{"id":377020,"date":"2025-12-30T09:40:08","date_gmt":"2025-12-30T09:40:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/377020\/"},"modified":"2025-12-30T09:40:08","modified_gmt":"2025-12-30T09:40:08","slug":"nfl-playoff-picture-ravens-steelers-seahawks-49ers-high-stakes-showdowns-set-for-week-18","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/377020\/","title":{"rendered":"NFL playoff picture: Ravens-Steelers, Seahawks-49ers high-stakes showdowns set for Week 18"},"content":{"rendered":"

The final two playoff spots could come down to a pair of Week 18 elimination games between division rivals. In the AFC North, the Baltimore Ravens beat the Green Bay Packers<\/a> on Saturday night and got the help they needed from the Pittsburgh Steelers, who fell to the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, to keep Baltimore\u2019s playoff hopes alive. Now, the Ravens (8-8) and Steelers (9-7) will square off in Pittsburgh on \u201cSunday Night Football\u201d to determine who will advance to the playoffs as the AFC North champions and who will start their offseason early.<\/p>\n

In the NFC South, a somewhat similar showdown has materialized<\/a>, as the Carolina Panthers couldn\u2019t take advantage of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers\u2019 loss to the Miami Dolphins on Sunday. Carolina fell to the Seattle Seahawks to set up a potential winner-take-all clash in Week 18. The Panthers (8-8) will travel to Tampa Bay to take on the 7-9 Bucs in a Saturday game that may send one team to the postseason as the No. 4 seed and another team home for the winter. The only way this doesn\u2019t become a loser-goes-home game is if the Atlanta Falcons beat the New Orleans Saints on Sunday; in that case, the Panthers would claim the division title regardless of the outcome vs. Tampa Bay.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, in the quest for the No. 1 seeds, the Denver Broncos are one win away from locking up the first-round bye and home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs, while the NFC\u2019s top seed will come down to a Saturday night showdown between division rivals: the San Francisco 49ers vs. the Seattle Seahawks.<\/p>\n

Listed odds to make the playoffs, win the division and secure the No. 1 seed are all via The Athletic\u2019s NFL Projection Model, created by Austin Mock. Seven teams from each conference make the playoffs, with the top seed in each conference securing a first-round bye. Go check out our NFL Playoff Simulator<\/a> to play out your favorite team\u2019s path to the playoffs. <\/p>\n

Denver Broncos<\/p>\n

The Broncos won the AFC West<\/a> for the first time since 2015, which is also when they won their last playoff game, and they\u2019re still in control of the No. 1 seed. They\u2019ll secure the top spot with a victory against the Los Angeles Chargers in the finale, or with losses from both the New England Patriots and Jacksonville Jaguars. The Broncos shouldn\u2019t mess around with the Chargers, as they\u2019ve already lost once to their division foe and don\u2019t want to invite the possibility of a third showdown on the same field a week later. Plus, after getting handled by the Jaguars in Week 16, the Broncos would like to avoid ending the season with two home losses to playoff opponents in three weeks.<\/p>\n

Final game<\/a>: vs. Chargers<\/p>\n

New England Patriots<\/p>\n

The Patriots won the AFC East for the first time since 2019, which was Tom Brady\u2019s final season in Foxboro. Now with the Drake Maye era off and running, the Patriots still have a shot at the No. 1 seed if they beat the Dolphins and the Broncos lose to the Chargers \u2014 a tall order with the Chargers opting to rest their starters. The Patriots\u2019 playoff opener will mark their first postseason game at Gillette Stadium in six years, when Mike Vrabel\u2019s Tennessee Titans ended Brady\u2019s New England tenure. The Patriots will lock up a top-two seed with a win against the Dolphins. However, if they lose and the Jaguars beat the Titans, the Patriots will fall to No. 3.<\/p>\n

Final game:<\/a> vs. Dolphins<\/p>\n

Jacksonville Jaguars<\/p>\n

The Jaguars outlasted the Indianapolis Colts<\/a>, 23-17, to win their seventh consecutive game and remain ahead of the Houston Texans in the AFC South. They\u2019ll win their first division title since 2022 if they beat the Titans, or if the Texans fall to the Colts, and they could leap into the No. 1 seed with a win and losses from the Broncos and Patriots, which is a long-shot scenario. They can also jump the Patriots for the No. 2 seed with a win and a Pats loss. The Jaguars\u2019 .455 strength of victory is the highest in the AFC field, so they\u2019re relatively battle-tested for a young group.<\/p>\n

Final game:<\/a> vs. Titans<\/p>\n

Pittsburgh Steelers<\/p>\n

The Steelers blew an opportunity <\/a>to win the AFC North by dropping an ugly 13-6 decision to the Browns. Now, they\u2019ll have to beat the Ravens for the second time in five weeks to claim their first division title since 2020. The Steelers have swept the Ravens in three of the past five seasons, though, so there is precedent. The Steelers are trying to get to the playoffs for the third consecutive season, while the two-time defending AFC North champion Ravens are trying to reach their fourth straight postseason. The winner on Sunday will be the No. 4 seed, while the loser\u2019s season will be over.<\/p>\n

Final game<\/a>: vs. Ravens<\/p>\n

Houston Texans<\/p>\n

The Texans have won 11 of 13 games, and their only two losses during that stretch are against the top-seeded Seahawks and Broncos. They\u2019ve beaten the Jaguars, Bills and Chargers during their eight-game winning streak, so they\u2019re brimming with confidence. The Texans are in the playoffs for the third year in a row, and can clinch their third consecutive AFC South title if they beat the Colts and the Jaguars lose to the Titans. If the Texans don\u2019t get any help, they can lock up the No. 5 seed with a victory, which will ensure a trip to meet the AFC North champion in the opening round.<\/p>\n

Final game<\/a>: vs. Colts<\/p>\n

Los Angeles Chargers<\/p>\n

The Chargers are locked into a wild-card position with the Broncos having clinched the AFC West, so they\u2019re resting Justin Herbert and perhaps some other starters in the finale against Denver. One problem as they await the playoffs is that the Chargers\u2019 woefully shorthanded offensive line was further exposed against the Texans\u2019 elite edge rushers<\/a> in Week 17. Herbert has been taken down 54 times this season.<\/p>\n

Final game:<\/a> at Broncos<\/p>\n

Buffalo Bills<\/p>\n

The Bills sputtered in a 13-12 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles<\/a>, ceding the AFC East title to the Patriots and dropping to the No. 7 seed as a result. While their streak of five consecutive division titles crashed to a halt, the Bills can still try to win a playoff game in their sixth straight postseason. That won\u2019t be so easy, though, because they\u2019re 0-8 in road playoff games over the past 30 years, including four losses with quarterback Josh Allen.<\/p>\n

Final game: <\/a>\u00a0vs. Jets<\/p>\n

In the hunt<\/p>\n

Eliminated<\/p>\n

Indianapolis Colts (8-8)
\nMiami Dolphins (7-9)
\nCincinnati Bengals (6-10)
\nKansas City Chiefs (6-10)
\nCleveland Browns (4-12)
\nTennessee Titans (3-13)
\nNew York Jets (3-13)
\nLas Vegas Raiders (2-14)<\/p>\n

Seattle Seahawks<\/p>\n

The Seahawks have ridden a six-game winning streak to the doorstep of their first NFC West title since 2020, and they\u2019ve matched their franchise record with 13 victories. The other two times they\u2019ve done that, they went to the Super Bowl in 2005 and 2013. The Seahawks\u2019 path to get back there would be more palatable if they could secure the No. 1 seed, but they\u2019ll have to slay a dragon to make it happen. They need to win the finale against the 49ers, who have won seven of the last eight meetings between the division rivals. Otherwise, the Seahawks will head out on the road as a wild-card team.<\/p>\n

Final game:<\/a> at 49ers<\/p>\n

Chicago Bears<\/p>\n

The Bears clinched the NFC North title Saturday night when the Packers lost to the Ravens, but they were eliminated from contention for the No. 1 seed with their own loss to the 49ers. As the No. 2 or No. 3 seed, the Bears will host either the Packers or one of the NFC West wild-cards in the playoff opener, potentially even setting up a rematch with the Niners. They\u2019ll be the No. 2 seed with a win against the Detroit Lions or an Eagles loss to the Washington Commanders. Otherwise, they\u2019ll drop to No. 3.<\/p>\n

Final game:<\/a> vs. Lions<\/p>\n

Philadelphia Eagles<\/p>\n

Philadelphia outmuscled the Bills 13-12 in the rain for their biggest win since Week 10. The Eagles, who already wrapped up the NFC East title for the second year in a row, are 3-3 against teams in the playoff field, and they\u2019re 5-0 in home playoff games with quarterback Jalen Hurts. The defending Super Bowl champions are flawed but unafraid, and they\u2019ll be a chore to knock out in the postseason. They\u2019ll be the No. 2 seed with a win against the Commanders and a Bears loss to the Lions. Otherwise, they\u2019ll remain at No. 3.<\/p>\n

Final game:<\/a> vs. Commanders<\/p>\n

Carolina Panthers<\/p>\n

The Panthers are 5-5 in their last 10 games, alternating wins and losses throughout that stretch, but it\u2019s been enough to maintain their edge in the NFC South. That\u2019s because the Buccaneers have lost four in a row and seven of eight, and they haven\u2019t beaten a team with a winning record since Week 6. However, for the Panthers to win their first division crown in a decade, they\u2019ll need one of two things: They either need to beat the Bucs in Tampa, sweeping them for the first time since 2017, or they need the Falcons to beat the Saints. In the latter scenario, they’d win the division regardless of the outcome vs. the Bucs.<\/p>\n

Final game:<\/a> at Buccaneers<\/p>\n

San Francisco 49ers<\/p>\n

The 49ers\u2019 shootout victory against the Bears set up a winner-take-all game with the Seahawks for the NFC West title and No. 1 seed. With the Niners\u2019 six-game winning streak and their recent history against the Seahawks, they should feel confident about their chances to finish the job. If they do that, they\u2019d enter the postseason with home-field advantage \u2014 the Super Bowl is at Levi\u2019s Stadium, too \u2014 and a 5-3 record against teams in the playoff field.<\/p>\n

Final game<\/a>:\u00a0vs. Seahawks<\/p>\n

Los Angeles Rams<\/p>\n

The Rams, who lost to the Falcons on Monday, will not repeat as NFC West champions, so they\u2019ll open the playoffs on the road as the No. 5 or No. 6 seed. They were the first team to clinch a playoff spot this season, but the margin for error is so slim in the NFC that an overtime loss to the Seahawks on a 2-point conversion dramatically redirected their postseason path. Really, with four losses by a combined 14 points, the Rams know they had their chances to run away with the NFC. The Rams are 4-4 against teams in the playoff field, but three of their losses came on the road, which makes one of the season\u2019s best-looking teams decidedly more vulnerable.<\/p>\n

Final game:<\/a> vs. Arizona Cardinals<\/p>\n

Green Bay Packers<\/p>\n

The Packers are locked into the No. 7 seed after a third consecutive loss, and the wheels appear to be falling off<\/a>. They wasted backup quarterback Malik Willis\u2019 outstanding performance Saturday in a 41-24 loss to the Ravens, with Baltimore’s 307 rushing yards being the second most by any team this season. The Packers have allowed an average of 145.8 rushing yards over their last nine games. For perspective, that\u2019d be the third-worst mark in the league if stretched out over the whole season, and a bad run defense might be the most difficult weakness to overcome in the playoffs.<\/p>\n

Final game<\/a>: at Minnesota Vikings<\/p>\n

In the hunt<\/p>\n

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-9)<\/p>\n

Eliminated<\/p>\n

Minnesota Vikings (8-8)
\nDetroit Lions (8-8)
\nDallas Cowboys (7-8-1)
\nAtlanta Falcons (7-9)
\nNew Orleans Saints (6-10)
\nWashington Commanders (4-12)
\nArizona Cardinals (3-13)
\nNew York Giants (3-13)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The final two playoff spots could come down to a pair of Week 18 elimination games between division…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":377021,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[436],"tags":[1745,1766,1742,1748,49,48,1744,1735,1740,1724,1721,1743,3163,1730,1737,1732,1725,1727,1736,2210,1749,1720,1726,1718,1734,1728,1723,514,1747,949,948,1739,82,1733,1741,1758],"class_list":{"0":"post-377020","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-nfl","8":"tag-arizona-cardinals","9":"tag-atlanta-falcons","10":"tag-baltimore-ravens","11":"tag-buffalo-bills","12":"tag-ca","13":"tag-canada","14":"tag-carolina-panthers","15":"tag-chicago-bears","16":"tag-cincinnati-bengals","17":"tag-cleveland-browns","18":"tag-dallas-cowboys","19":"tag-denver-broncos","20":"tag-detroit-lions","21":"tag-green-bay-packers","22":"tag-houston-texans","23":"tag-indianapolis-colts","24":"tag-jacksonville-jaguars","25":"tag-kansas-city-chiefs","26":"tag-las-vegas-raiders","27":"tag-los-angeles-chargers","28":"tag-los-angeles-rams","29":"tag-miami-dolphins","30":"tag-minnesota-vikings","31":"tag-new-england-patriots","32":"tag-new-orleans-saints","33":"tag-new-york-giants","34":"tag-new-york-jets","35":"tag-nfl","36":"tag-philadelphia-eagles","37":"tag-pittsburgh-steelers","38":"tag-san-francisco-49ers","39":"tag-seattle-seahawks","40":"tag-sports","41":"tag-tampa-bay-buccaneers","42":"tag-tennessee-titans","43":"tag-washington-commanders"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/377020","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=377020"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/377020\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/377021"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=377020"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=377020"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=377020"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}