NFL Playoffs 2025: Known AFC, NFC Schedule and Updated Bracket Scenarios
The Detroit Lions improved to 14-2 on Monday night, capping the NFL's Week 17 action with a victory over the San Francisco 49ers. However, the stakes will still be quite high for the Lions in Week 18, when they host the NFC North rival Minnesota Vikings (also 14-2).
Not only will the NFC North crown be on the line when the division rivals face off in Detroit on Sunday night, but so will the conference's No. 1 seed. The winner will get a first-round bye in the playoffs. The loser must go on the road for a Wild-Card Round matchup as the No. 5 seed/top wild card.
For much of the season, the Lions have been in control atop the NFC standings, largely because of their Week 7 victory over the Vikings. But Minnesota has kept the race tight, having won nine consecutive games heading into Week 18.
As the conclusion of the NFL regular season nears, here's a look at the upcoming schedule for Week 18 and the postseason, followed by a breakdown of the playoff picture.
Upcoming Schedule
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Week 18 Schedule
Saturday, Jan. 4
Cleveland Browns at Baltimore Ravens, 4:30 p.m. ET, ESPN/ABC
Cincinnati Bengals at Pittsburgh Steelers, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN/ABC
Sunday, Jan. 5
Carolina Panthers at Atlanta Falcons, 1 p.m. ET, CBS
Washington Commanders at Dallas Cowboys, 1 p.m. ET, Fox
Chicago Bears at Green Bay Packers, 1 p.m. ET, Fox
Houston Texans at Tennessee Titans, 1 p.m. ET, CBS
Jacksonville Jaguars at Indianapolis Colts, 1 p.m. ET, Fox
Buffalo Bills at New England Patriots, 1 p.m. ET, CBS
New York Giants at Philadelphia Eagles, 1 p.m. ET, CBS
New Orleans Saints at Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 1 p.m. ET, Fox
Kansas City Chiefs at Denver Broncos, 4:25 p.m. ET, CBS
Los Angeles Chargers at Las Vegas Raiders, 4:25 p.m. ET, CBS
Seattle Seahawks at Los Angeles Rams, 4:25 p.m. ET, Fox
Miami Dolphins at New York Jets, 4:25 p.m. ET, Fox
San Francisco 49ers at Arizona Cardinals, 4:25 p.m. ET, Fox
Minnesota Vikings at Detroit Lions, 8:20 p.m. ET, NBC
Playoff Schedule
Wild-Card Round: Jan. 11-13
Divisional Round: Jan. 18-19
Conference Championships: Jan. 26
Super Bowl LIX: Feb. 9
AFC Playoff Picture, Scenarios
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Bye: No. 1 Kansas City Chiefs (15-1, clinched No. 1 seed)
No. 2 Buffalo Bills (13-3, clinched AFC East) vs. No. 7 Denver Broncos (9-7)
No. 3 Baltimore Ravens (11-5, clinched playoff berth) vs. No. 6 Los Angeles Chargers (10-6, clinched playoff berth)
No. 4 Houston Texans (9-7, clinched AFC South) vs. No. 5 Pittsburgh Steelers (clinched playoff berth)
In the hunt: Cincinnati Bengals (8-8), Miami Dolphins (8-8)
The final spot in the AFC playoffs will go to either the Broncos, Dolphins or Bengals. One of those teams will be the No. 7 seed and go on the road to face the Bills in the Wild-Card Round.
Denver is the only team among that trio to control its own destiny in Week 18. If the Broncos beat the Chiefs at home on Sunday, they'll secure their spot in the postseason.
If Denver loses, then Miami can clinch the final playoff berth with a road win vs. the Jets on Sunday. The only way that the Bengals can get into the postseason is if they beat the Steelers on the road on Saturday and then both the Broncos and Dolphins lose.
If all three of those teams lose this week, the final playoff spot will go to Denver.
The only division title still up for grabs in the conference is the AFC North. The Ravens will take the crown if they beat the Browns on Saturday or if the Steelers lose to the Bengals or if either of those games ends in a tie.
Pittsburgh's sole path to the AFC North title is by beating Cincinnati and having Baltimore lose to Cleveland.
NFC Playoff Picture, Scenarios
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Bye: No. 1 Detroit Lions (14-2, clinched playoff berth)
No. 2 Philadelphia Eagles (13-3, clinched NFC East) vs. No. 7 Green Bay Packers (11-5, clinched playoff berth)
No. 3 Los Angeles Rams (10-6, clinched NFC West) vs. No. 6 Washington Commanders (11-5, clinched playoff berth)
No. 4 Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-7) vs. No. 5 Minnesota Vikings (14-2, clinched playoff berth)
In the hunt: Atlanta Falcons (8-8)
The biggest game of the week is the Sunday night showdown between the Vikings and Lions in Detroit. The winner will be crowned the NFC North champion and also secure the No. 1 seed in the conference. The loser will be the No. 5 seed in the playoffs.
Detroit would win the division title and get the No. 1 seed if the game ends in a tie.
When those two teams met in Week 7, the Lions went on the road and recorded a 31-29 victory over the Vikings. Jake Bates kicked a game-winning 44-yard field goal with 16 seconds remaining to lift Detroit to victory.
The final playoff berth in the conference will go to the NFC South champion, which will be either the Buccaneers or the Falcons. The team that doesn't win the division title will be eliminated from playoff contention.
Tampa Bay controls the NFC South race, as it can win the division title with a home victory over New Orleans on Sunday. The Bucs would also win it with a Falcons home loss to the Panthers or a tie in either of those two games.
The only way Atlanta can make the playoffs is with a win over Carolina and a Tampa Bay loss to New Orleans, which would make the Falcons the NFC South champions.
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