NFL Playoff Picture 2026, Updated AFC, NFC Wild Card Bracket Ahead of Week 18

With only one week to go in the 2025-26 NFL season, there is still plenty to be decided when it comes to the postseason picture. 

In both the AFC and NFC, six of seven playoff spots have been claimed. In each conference, the final playoff berth will be decided by a Week 18 head-to-head matchup, sure to make for must-see TV. Neither No. 1 seed has been clinched, and there are still four division titles on the line. 

Only one team, the Green Bay Packers, is locked into its seed (No. 7). For the other 15 teams that are still alive, Week 18 could be the difference between a deep playoff run or going home before wild-card weekend even begins. 

These are the current AFC and NFC playoff pictures ahead of Week 18.

AFC Playoff Picture

AP Photo

Division Leaders

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

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

3. Jacksonville Jaguars (12-4; clinched playoff berth)

4. Pittsburgh Steelers (9-7)

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)

On the Bubble

9. Baltimore Ravens (8-8)

Eliminated

8. Indianapolis Colts (8-8)

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)

Current Bracket

(7) Buffalo Bills at (2) New England Patriots

(6) Los Angeles Chargers at (3) Jacksonville Jaguars

(5) Houston Texans at (4) Pittsburgh Steelers

Wild-card round bye: (1) Denver Broncos

In Week 18, the 9-7 Steelers and the 8-8 Ravens will square up in a winner-take-all clash for the AFC North crown. 

Meanwhile, in the AFC South, the Jaguars can take the division with a win over the Titans. (And, if New England and Denver both lose, the Jags can claim the No. 1 seed to boot.) But if Jacksonville loses, the Texans can secure the title by defeating the Colts.

The No. 1 seed is still unclaimed. It's the Broncos' to lose, assuming they defeat the Chargers. If they can't get the job done, the Patriots can take the No. 1 seed with a win over the Dolphins.

NFC Playoff Picture

AP Photo

Division Leaders

1. Seattle Seahawks (13-3; clinched playoff berth)

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

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

4. Carolina Panthers (8-8)

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)

On the Bubble

11. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-9)

Eliminated

8. Minnesota Vikings (8-8)

9. Detroit Lions (8-8)

10. Dallas Cowboys (7-8-1)

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)

Current Bracket 

(7) Green Bay Packers at (2) Chicago Bears

(6) Los Angeles Rams at (3) Philadelphia Eagles

(5) San Francisco 49ers at (4) Carolina Panthers

Wild-card round bye: (1) Seattle Seahawks

The other Week 18 head-to-head matchup for a division title, between the Panthers and Buccaneers, is not an elimination game like Steelers-Ravens. If the Falcons win against the Saints, then the Panthers will win the division, whether or not they beat the Bucs. Carolina owns the tiebreaker over both Tampa Bay and Atlanta. 

The No. 1 seed, as well as the NFC West title, will go to whoever wins in the division showdown between the Seahawks and 49ers.

The Eagles and Bears will each try to capture the No. 2 seed. The Rams are locked into the fifth or sixth seed regardless of whether they win or lose in Week 18. The Packers are locked into the No. 7 seed.