NFL Playoff Picture 2025-26, Bracket Clinching and Elimination Scenarios for Week 18

Adam WellsDec 30, 2025

The NFL postseason field is nearly set, with two spots up for grabs and seeding to be determined heading into the final weekend of the regular season.

Week 18 features three head-to-head matchups that will determine division winners, including one that will decide the No. 1 seed and home-field advantage in the NFC.

The top seed in the AFC is also up for grabs between the Denver Broncos and New England Patriots, though they won't be playing each other. Both teams have already locked up division titles.

Here is where the postseason picture stands going into Week 18.

Team Standings

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AP Photo/Terrance Williams

AFC Standings

Division Leaders

1. Denver Broncos (13-3; clinched AFC West)

2. New England Patriots (13-3; clinched AFC East)

3. Jacksonville Jaguars (12-4; lead AFC South and clinched playoff berth)

4. Pittsburgh Steelers (9-7; lead AFC North)

The Broncos, Patriots and Jaguars are all still in the mix for the No. 1 seed. Denver has the simplest path with a win in Week 18. The Patriots would secure home-field advantage with a win and Denver loss, while the Jaguars would need to win and have both Denver and New England lose.

Pittsburgh missed an opportunity to clinch the AFC South in Week 18. It will now take on the Baltimore Ravens in a winner-take-all game for the division title and a playoff spot.

Wild-Card Race

5. Houston Texans (11-5; clinched playoff berth)

6. Los Angeles Chargers (11-5; clinched playoff berth)

7. Buffalo Bills (11-5; clinched playoff berth)

The Texans can get the No. 3 seed with a win and Jaguars loss. The Chargers and Bills are locked into wild card spots, but their seeding will depend on the results from Sunday's games.

Eliminated

8. Indianapolis Colts (8-8)

9. Baltimore Ravens (8-8; can clinch AFC North with win in Week 18)

10. Miami Dolphins (7-9)

11. Cincinnati Bengals (6-10)

12. Kansas City Chiefs (6-10)

13. Cleveland Browns (4-12)

14. Tennessee Titans (3-13)

15. New York Jets (3-13)

16. Las Vegas Raiders (2-14)

NFC Standings

Division Leaders

1. Seattle Seahawks (13-3; lead NFC West and clinched playoff berth)

2. Chicago Bears (11-5; clinched NFC North)

3. Philadelphia Eagles (11-5; clinched NFC East)

4. Carolina Panthers (8-8; lead NFC South)

The winner of Saturday's Seahawks-49ers game determines the No. 1 seed. The Bears and Eagles will be Nos. 2-3 in either order, with Chicago owning the head-to-head tiebreaker if the two teams finish with the same record.

Carolina and Tampa Bay on Saturday could decide the NFC South champion and No. 4 seed, though there is a chance the Atlanta Falcons factor into the equation the next day.

Wild-Card Race

5. San Francisco 49ers (12-4; clinched playoff berth)

6. Los Angeles Rams (11-5; clinched playoff berth)

7. Green Bay Packers (9-6-1; clinched playoff berth)

Even before the Rams' shocking loss to the Falcons on Monday Night Football, they were locked into either the five or six seed. Their path to the No. 5 seed requires a win over the Arizona Cardinals and a 49ers loss to Seattle.

In the scenario where San Francisco wins on Saturday, the Seahawks would be locked into the fifth spot and the Rams would be No. 6.

Eliminated

8. Minnesota Vikings (8-8)

9. Detroit Lions (8-8)

10. Dallas Cowboys (7-8-1)

11. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-9; can clinch NFC South with win and Falcons loss in Week 18)

12. Atlanta Falcons (7-9)

13. New Orleans Saints (6-10)

14. Washington Commanders (4-12)

15. Arizona Cardinals (3-13)

16. New York Giants (3-13)