NFL Playoff Picture 2024: AFC, NFC Wild-Card Scenarios and Week 18 Predictions

The Pittsburgh Steelers hold the key to potential chaos in the AFC wild-card race in Week 18.

A Steelers win over the Baltimore Ravens on Saturday afternoon puts pressure on the Buffalo Bills and Jacksonville Jaguars to win to keep their spots in the postseason field.

Pittsburgh stands a good chance to win at M&T Bank Stadium since Tyler Huntley is starting in place of Lamar Jackson and a handful of other key Ravens will not play.

Saturday's second game will be for a playoff position, as the Indianapolis Colts host the Houston Texans.

The Colts-Texans winner will capture one of the three remaining spots in the AFC postseason field.

Buffalo and Jacksonville can join the Colts-Texans winner with victories of their own, but if they lose on Sunday, Pittsburgh will be lurking if it beats Baltimore.

The NFC wild-card race only features chaos if the Green Bay Packers lose to the Chicago Bears.

Green Bay controls its own fate for the No. 7 seed and only a loss at Lambeau Field would open up the possibilities for the Seattle Seahawks, New Orleans Saints and Minnesota Vikings.

AFC Playoff Picture

Bob Levey/Getty Images

HOUSTON, TEXAS - SEPTEMBER 17: C.J. Stroud #7 of the Houston Texans runs withe ball during the second half against the Indianapolis Colts at NRG Stadium on September 17, 2023 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images)

Division Leaders

1. Baltimore (13-3)

2. Miami (11-5)

3. Kansas City (10-6)

4. Jacksonville (9-7)

Wild-Card Race

5. Cleveland (11-5)

6. Buffalo (10-6)

7. Indianapolis (9-7)

8. Houston (9-7)

9. Pittsburgh (9-7)

Pittsburgh is the chaos agent in the AFC wild-card race.

The Steelers need to beat the Ravens to make the Bills and Jaguars feel a bit uncomfortable going into Sunday.

Mike Tomlin's team can't clinch a playoff berth by beating the Ravens, but it can be in a position to jump into the No. 7 seed with a victory.

Pittsburgh gets into the postseason with a win and either a Buffalo loss, Jacksonville loss or Indianapolis-Houston tie.

The Steelers can also clinch by way of a tie combined with a Jaguars loss and no tie in the Colts-Texans game.

Pittsburgh should capture a win since the Ravens are focused on the divisional round. Baltimore secured the AFC's No. 1 seed last week.

The Colts-Texans contest is harder to figure out since the AFC South matchup will be a level contest.

Indianapolis won the first meeting back in Week 2, but it conceded 384 passing yards to C.J. Stroud.

Stroud could take advantage of a Colts passing defense that allowed over 300 yards on three occasions. Five of Indianapolis' seven highest pass-yard concessions took place inside Lucas Oil Stadium.

A strong passing day from Stroud coupled with an impressive defensive showing from Will Anderson and Co. will put the Texans into the postseason.

The Colts need to find a way to slow down Stroud, and if that happens, they will end up in the postseason field.

The Colts-Texans winner could end up with the AFC South title with a Jacksonville loss.

The Jaguars face the Tennessee Titans on Sunday. The Titans enter Sunday with the third-worst record in the AFC.

The AFC East will also be up for grabs on Sunday in the Buffalo-Miami contest. Buffalo can jump from No. 6 to No. 2 with a win, and that is probably its safest path to the postseason.

Miami is already locked into the postseason field, and if it loses, it will be on the road for wild-card weekend.

Buffalo can still clinch a playoff spot with a loss if either Pittsburgh or Jacksonville loses, or the Colts-Texans game ends in a tie.

Prediction

1. Baltimore

2. Buffalo

3. Kansas City

4. Jacksonville

5. Cleveland

6. Miami

7. Houston

NFC Playoff Picture

Stephen Maturen/Getty Images

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - DECEMBER 31: Jayden Reed #11 of the Green Bay Packers runs with the ball in the first quarter of the game against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium on December 31, 2023 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)

Division Leaders

1. San Francisco (12-4)

2. Dallas (11-5)

3. Detroit (11-5)

4. Tampa Bay (8-8)

Wild-Card Race

5. Philadelphia (11-5)

6. Los Angeles Rams (9-7)

7. Green Bay (8-8)

8. Seattle (8-8)

9. New Orleans (8-8)

10. Minnesota (7-9)

The NFC wild-card race only gets chaotic if Green Bay fails to beat the Bears.

Chicago is eliminated from postseason play, but it has motivation to perform well at Lambeau Field.

Justin Fields could be playing for his job next season in Chicago, or elsewhere, depending on what the Bears choose to do with the No. 1 overall pick.

Chicago may not be able to slow down a Green Bay team that is 6-2 in its last eight games and that beat the Bears by 18 points in Week 1.

The Packers have the benefit of playing at home, where they beat the Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Rams during their playoff push.

Seattle, New Orleans and Minnesota all need the teams in front of them to lose to clinch playoff spots.

The Seahawks must beat the Arizona Cardinals and have the Packers fall to the Bears.

New Orleans needs to defeat the Atlanta Falcons and get wins from Arizona and Chicago.

Minnesota, despite being one game down in the win column, can get in with a win over the Detroit Lions and losses by Green Bay, Seattle and New Orleans.

All of those situations could include the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but it is assumed that Baker Mayfield and Co. beat the Carolina Panthers to close out the NFC South title.

If Tampa Bay somehow loses, the Atlanta-New Orleans winner takes the NFC South and any wild-card contenders will jump the Bucs with a win.

Prediction

1. San Francisco

2. Dallas

3. Detroit

4. Tampa Bay

5. Philadelphia

6. Los Angeles Rams

7. Green Bay