NFL Playoff Bracket Picture 2024-25: AFC, NFC Standings After Week 18

The Detroit Lions put together one of the most commanding performances of the NFL regular season to secure the No. 1 overall seed in the NFC and the NFC North title on Sunday night.

Detroit's 31-9 victory kept the Vikings in the No. 5 seed, which puts them in a wild-card round matchup with the Los Angeles Rams.

The Rams dropped a spot in the standings after they lost in Week 18 and the newly-crowned NFC South champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers won.

Over in the AFC, the Denver Broncos became the seventh and final team to enter the field with their win over the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 18's Sunday late-afternoon window.

Denver needed to win to fend off challenges from the Miami Dolphins and Cincinnati Bengals for the final wild-card spot.

AFC Standings

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PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - JANUARY 4: Najee Harris #22 of the Pittsburgh Steelers runs the ball in the second quarter of the game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Acrisure Stadium on January 4, 2025 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Bengals beat the Steelers 19-17. (Photo by Lauren Leigh Bacho/Getty Images)

Division Winners

1. Kansas City (15-1)

2. Buffalo (13-4)

3. Baltimore (12-5)

4. Houston (10-7)

Wild-Card Race

5. Los Angeles Chargers (11-6)

6. Pittsburgh (10-7)

7. Denver (10-7)

The Broncos earned their playoff spot in emphatic fashion with a blow out win over the Chiefs.

Denver earned the No. 7 seed with the victory, a spot in the bracket that comes with a trip to Buffalo.

Kansas City opted to rest its starters, and because of that call, Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and others will have plenty of time off between their last regular-season game on Christmas Day and the divisional round on the weekend of January 18-19.

The third AFC West team in the postseason, the Los Angeles Chargers, locked into the No. 5 seed in the AFC with a win over the Las Vegas Raiders.

The Chargers have an easier first-round matchup on paper against Houston compared to the Steelers, who now have to play the Ravens for the third time this season.

Pittsburgh opened the door for Los Angeles to jump it with a Saturday loss to the Bengals.

Baltimore clinched the AFC North title on Saturday afternoon. The Ravens and Steelers split their regular season series.

NFC Standings

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ARLINGTON, TX - JANUARY 05: Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) runs a quarterback keeper chase by Dallas Cowboys defensive end Chauncey Golston (99) during the game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Washington Commanders on January 5, 2025 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Matthew Pearce/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Division Leaders

1. Detroit (15-2)

2. Philadelphia (14-3)

3. Tampa Bay (10-7)

4. Los Angeles Rams (10-7)

Wild-Card Teams

5. Minnesota (14-3)

6. Washington (12-5)

7. Green Bay (11-6)

The Lions clinched home-field advantage through the NFC playoffs on Sunday night.

Dan Campbell's team won the NFC North and will have off during the wild-card round.

Minnesota has to find a way to recover from the loss to prepare for the Los Angeles Rams.

The Rams put rest for their starters ahead of potential playoff matchups in Week 18, as they fell to the No. 4 seed with a loss to the Seattle Seahawks.

Tampa Bay now has the perceived easier first-round game against Washington, and there's a chance Los Angeles would have to face Detroit in the divisional round.

The Philadelphia Eagles and Green Bay Packers face off in the other NFC wild-card game. Green Bay lost to the Eagles in Week 1 and suffered five of its six losses to Philadelphia, Detroit and Minnesota.