NFL Playoff Scenarios 2025: Week 18 AFC, NFC Postseason Bracket Picture

Only a handful of Week 18 games carry meaning on Saturday and Sunday.

Saturday's contests involving AFC North teams will help decide the AFC North title race and potentially the AFC wild-card picture .

The NFC's showcase game of the weekend comes on Sunday night, as the Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings will square off for the NFC North crown and the No. 1 overall seed in the NFC.

Sunday afternoon's most consequential contest is in Denver, where the Broncos need a victory over the Kansas City Chiefs to avoid any chaotic scenarios from playing out in the AFC wild-card race.

Kansas City is one of a few playoff teams that will not have its starters on the field in Week 18 because its position is already clinched.

The Buffalo Bills and Philadelphia Eagles are both locked into the No. 2 seed in their respective conferences and have no care about winning in Week 18.

AFC Standings

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CINCINNATI, OH - DECEMBER 28: Denver Broncos Quarterback Bo Nix (10) warms up before 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)

The Broncos carry all the power in the AFC wild-card race.

Bo Nix and Co. just need to beat a Kansas City team resting its starters to secure the 14th and final NFL postseason spot.

The Broncos' loss to the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 17 provided some drama to the wild-card race, but they still have a one-game buffer on Cincinnati and the Miami Dolphins.

Denver can also get into the postseason with losses by the Bengals and Dolphins.

Cincinnati could lose to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Saturday night. Pittsburgh will likely only be playing for seeding, but that matters because a win helps it avoid a first-round matchup with the Baltimore Ravens.

Baltimore is expected to cruise past the Cleveland Browns and secure the AFC North title in the first game of Week 18.

Kansas City, Buffalo and Houston are all locked into their respective seeds and the Los Angeles Chargers will have no room for movement from the No. 6 seed if Pittsburgh wins on Saturday.

NFC Standings

Michael Zagaris/San Francisco 49ers/Getty Images

SANTA CLARA, CA - DECEMBER 30: Yetur Gross-Matos #94 of the Detroit Lions defends during the game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium on December 30, 2024 in Santa Clara, California. The Lions defeated the 49ers 40-34. (Photo by Michael Zagaris/San Francisco 49ers/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)

The NFC North title race will come down to the final game of the NFL regular season.

The Detroit-Minnesota winner earns the divisional crown and home-field advantage throughout the NFC postseason.

The loser of Sunday night's matchup will be the No. 5 seed and will face either the Los Angeles Rams or the NFC South winner in the wild-card round.

Los Angeles opted to rest its starters in Week 18, so a loss combined with a Tampa Bay win would drop the Rams to the No. 4 seed on the conference record tiebreaker.

Tampa Bay needs to beat the New Orleans Saints to secure the NFC South crown.

The Atlanta Falcons must beat the Carolina Panthers and have Tampa Bay lose to secure the NFC South crown. If Atlanta wins the NFC South, the Rams would be the No. 3 seed.

The Washington Commanders must beat the Dallas Cowboys, or have the Green Bay Packers lose to the Chicago Bears to secure the No. 6 seed.

Green Bay can't jump Washington if the two teams finish with the same record because the Commanders own a better conference record.