NFL Playoff Picture 2025: Updated AFC, NFC Wild-Card Bracket Ahead of Week 18

Only a single wild-card spot has yet to be clinched ahead of Week 18 in the NFL.

The last AFC wild-card spot will be handed out on Sunday afternoon to either the Denver Broncos, Miami Dolphins or Cincinnati Bengals.

Cincinnati forced the three-way battle to go into the final week of the regular season thanks to its head-to-head win over Denver in Week 17.

Denver still controls its path to the postseason, and it is expected that the Broncos will end the longshot dreams of the Dolphins and Bengals.

The Broncos face the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 18. Kansas City already secured the No. 1 seed and could use Week 18 as an opportunity to rest Patrick Mahomes and other key players.

The only thing to sort out in the NFC wild-card race is the seeding between the Washington Commanders and Green Bay Packers.

Washington enters Week 18 with the edge for the No. 6 seed thanks to a superior conference record.

AFC Standings

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CINCINNATI, OH - DECEMBER 28: Cincinnati Bengals Wide Receiver Tee Higgins (5) celebrates after scoring a touchdown during the NFL football game between the Denver Broncos and the Cincinnati Bengals on December 28, 2024, at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Division Leaders

1. Kansas City (15-1)

2. Buffalo (13-2)

3. Baltimore (11-5)

4. Houston (9-7)

Wild-Card Race

5. Pittsburgh (10-6)

6. Los Angeles Chargers (10-6)

7. Denver (9-7)

8. Miami (8-8)

9. Cincinnati (8-8)

Cincinnati at least made the AFC wild-card race appear interesting going into Week 18.

The Bengals beat the Broncos at home in Week 17 to bring Denver within one game of them and the Dolphins.

However, the Bengals can't get in solely with a win over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Saturday.

Denver controls the wild-card race, and all it needs is a win over the Chiefs and their potentially-rested squad on Sunday afternoon.

Miami is first in line to benefit from any Denver shortcomings. The Dolphins must beat the New York Jets and have Denver lose to clinch a playoff spot.

Cincinnati must beat the Steelers and have both Denver and Miami lose to qualify for the postseason.

If all three of the Broncos, Dolphins and Bengals lose, Denver secures the No. 7 seed.

Pittsburgh and the Los Angeles Chargers are still in a battle for the No. 5 seed. The Steelers can secure the No. 5 seed with a win over Cincinnati.

The Steelers own a head-to-head tiebreaker over the Chargers from Week 3, which will play in their favor if they finish on the same record as the AFC West side.

The Chargers need the Bengals to beat the Steelers on Saturday and then must take down the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday to jump a spot in the standings.

The No. 5 seed is valuable to both teams because it comes with a wild-card round matchup with the Houston Texans instead of the Baltimore Ravens.

Baltimore is expected to clinch the AFC North title in Saturday's first game against the Cleveland Browns.

NFC Standings

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LANDOVER, MARYLAND - DECEMBER 29: Jayden Daniels #5 of the Washington Commanders reacts against the Atlanta Falcons at Northwest Stadium on December 29, 2024 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Timothy Nwachukwu/Getty Images)

Division Leaders

1. Detroit (14-2)

2. Philadelphia (13-3)

3. Los Angeles Rams (10-6)

4. Tampa Bay (9-7)

Wild-Card Race

5. Minnesota (14-2)

6. Washington (11-5)

7. Green Bay (11-5)

All three of the NFC wild-card positions could change hands in Week 18.

If the Minnesota Vikings beat the Detroit Lions, they would jump into the No. 1 seed and Detroit would fall to the No. 5 seed.

A Detroit win keeps the Lions at the top and locks the Vikings into the No. 5 seed, which will likely come with a wild-card round trip to Tampa.

Washington just needs to beat the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday to remain in the No. 6 seed and likely set up a clash with the Los Angeles Rams.

The Commanders are in front of the Packers on the conference record tiebreaker. Washington is 8-3 in the NFC, while Green Bay is 6-5.

Green Bay must beat the Chicago Bears and have the Cowboys upset the Commanders to sneak up to the No. 6 seed.

The No. 7 seed will take an opening-round trip to Philadelphia to face the NFC East champion Eagles.

The Rams must beat the Seattle Seahawks to lock into the No. 3 seed. A Rams loss combined with a Tampa Bay Buccaneers win over the New Orleans Saints would flip the two division leaders.

Tampa Bay needs to beat New Orleans to clinch the NFC South title.

The Atlanta Falcons can only win the NFC South with a win over the Carolina Panthers and a Tampa Bay loss. Atlanta can't qualify for the postseason as a wild-card team.