The race for the NFC’s top playoff seed will boil down to the last game of the regular season as the Detroit Lions take on the Minnesota Vikings next Sunday night.
The victorious team not only claims the NFC North title but also secures a first-round playoff bye alongside home-field advantage leading up to the Super Bowl. Conversely, the losing team will fall to the No. 5 seed and be required to compete on the road in the wild-card round. If both teams enter the game with identical records and happen to tie, the Lions will own the tiebreaker.
The Vikings, sporting a record of 14-2, edged out the Green Bay Packers 27-25 on Sunday, paving the way for this crucial Week 18 clash. On the other side, the Lions come into the game at 13-2, as they prepare to face the San Francisco 49ers (6-9) on Monday night in a matchup reminiscent of their NFC title game. A victory would mean that the Lions can clinch first place in the division by either defeating or tying with the Vikings. In their previous encounter in Week 7, Detroit edged past Minnesota with a score of 31-29. However, if the Lions do not succeed against the 49ers, a win against the Vikings becomes imperative to secure their playoff position.
Meanwhile, the Philadelphia Eagles have already claimed the NFC East title and are locked in as the No. 2 seed following an impressive 41-7 victory against the Dallas Cowboys. Yet, head coach Nick Sirianni faces a complicated dilemma: should he rest Saquon Barkley, who is just 101 yards shy of breaking Eric Dickerson’s long-standing single-season rushing record, or should he allow his star player to chase after that 40-year-old achievement?
In the NFC West, the Los Angeles Rams (10-6) clinched their title, while the Seattle Seahawks (9-7) were eliminated from contention due to a 30-24 overtime defeat against the Commanders, who improved to 11-5 and secured a wild-card spot with that win. The Packers also hold one of the last two playoff positions in the NFC.
The outcome of the Falcons’ loss gave the Tampa Bay Buccaneers control over the NFC South, placing them ahead of Atlanta, which now sits at 8-8. To secure the division officially, the Buccaneers must either win or tie in their upcoming matchup against Carolina next Sunday.
Switching to the AFC, three teams have already solidified their playoff positions. The Kansas City Chiefs, two-time reigning Super Bowl champions, have captured the AFC West earlier in the season and boast the No. 1 seed with a 15-1 record. The Buffalo Bills, champions of the AFC East, hold the No. 2 seed with a record of 13-3, while the Houston Texans, the AFC South champs, are positioned at No. 4 with a 9-7 record.
The Baltimore Ravens (11-5) could clinch the AFC North title and secure the No. 3 seed if they manage to win or tie against Cleveland this Saturday, or if Pittsburgh loses or ties in their matchup against Cincinnati that same evening. If the Ravens fail to seize the division title, the Steelers have already guaranteed a wild-card spot. In addition, the Los Angeles Chargers (10-6) have also booked their place in the playoffs as a wild-card team, ensuring a minimum of the sixth seed.
The final wild-card position in the AFC remains contested among the Denver Broncos (9-7), Miami Dolphins (8-8), and Cincinnati Bengals (8-8). To clinch a playoff berth, Denver must secure a win or tie against the Chiefs. The Dolphins have a chance to advance if they win against the Jets while hoping for a Broncos loss. Lastly, the Bengals require a victory alongside defeats from both the Broncos and Dolphins to earn their spot.
