NFL Playoff Picture 2026, Bracket Scenarios, Standings and Predictions Before Week 18

This is it, football fan! The final week of the 2025-26 NFL regular season has arrived. Two games will take place on Saturday, another 14 will be played on Sunday, and that two-day stretch will put the finishing touches on this year's playoff field.

Entering Week 18, only two playoff spots remain available. All wild-card slots are spoken for, but champions of the NFC South and AFC North have yet to be crowned.

However, this doesn't mean that fans will be treated to two win-and-in contests this week. One team vying for a division title can win and still lose the banner.

Let's take a look at the standings, the Week 18 seeding scenarios and a few predictions.

AFC Playoff Picture

AP Photo/Charlie Riedel

Broncos QB Bo Nix

Division Leaders

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

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

3. x-Jacksonville Jaguars (12-4; AFC South)

4. Pittsburgh Steelers (9-7)

The Denver Broncos control their own destiny when it comes to the AFC's No. 1 seed. They've already locked up the AFC West, and they'll claim the top seed with a win over the Los Angeles Chargers.

A loss by the New England Patriots, coupled with a Jacksonville Jaguars loss or tie, would also give the top seed to Denver.

The Patriots have won the AFC East and can still get the No. 1 seed with a win and a Broncos loss. The Jaguars have not yet clinched the AFC South but can do so with a win over the Tennessee Titans. A win and losses by the Broncos and Patriots would also give Jacksonville the No. 1 seed.

The Pittsburgh Steelers need to beat the Baltimore Ravens in the regular-season finale on Sunday night to win the AFC North.

Wild Card Race

5. x-Houston Texans (11-5)

6. x-Los Angeles Chargers (11-5)

7. x-Buffalo Bills (11-5)

All three wild-card teams have been clinched, though some seeding and one division race are still in play.

A Jaguars loss would open the door for the Houston Texans to win the AFC South. Losses by the Texans and Chargers would allow the Buffalo Bills to move all the way to the No. 5 seed with a win.

Los Angeles, by the way, has already announced that it will rest starters in Week 18.

In the Hunt

Baltimore Ravens (8-8)

The Ravens need to beat the Steelers on Sunday night to win the AFC North and claim the conference's final roster spot. A loss or a tie will leave Baltimore out and hand the division to Pittsburgh.

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)

*x=clinched playoff berth, z=clinched division

NFC Playoff Picture

AP Photo/Brian Westerholt

Seahawks QB Sam Darnold

Division Leaders

1. x-1 Seattle Seahawks (13-3)

2. z-Chicago Bears (11-5)

3. z-Philadelphia Eagles (11-5)

4. Carolina Panthers (8-8)

Much of the NFC race will be settled on Saturday, which brings fans a fantastic two-game slate.

The Carolina Panthers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers will face off in the afternoon for a chance to win the NFC South. Interestingly, the Panthers can lose that game and still claim the division.

Saturday's nightcap will feature a winner-take-all battle between the Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers. The winner of that game will take the NFC West, claim the NFC's No. 1 seed, and earn the conference's only first-round bye.

The Chicago Bears and Philadelphia Eagles have already won their divisions, though they could potentially flip seeds on the final Sunday.

Wild Card Race

5. x-San Francisco 49ers (12-4)

6. x-Los Angeles Rams (11-5)

7. x-Green Bay Packers (9-6-1)

The 49ers are the only wild-card team that still has a chance to win its division. All three teams in the wild-card range have clinched, however.

The Green Bay Packers are locked into the No. 7 seed, while the Los Angeles Rams could move up to No. 5 with a win and a Seahawks loss.

In the Hunt

11. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-9)

The Buccaneers are up against a wall entering Week 18. They hold the two-team tiebreaker over the Panthers, so they still have a shot at winning the division. However, they'd lose a three-team tiebreaker to Carolina if the Bucs, Panthers and Atlanta Falcons all finish 8-9.

That's precisely what will happen if the Buccaneers win on Saturday and the Falcons beat the New Orleans Saints on Sunday. Tampa needs both a win and a Falcons loss to take the division.

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)

*x=clinched playoff berth, z=clinched division

Bracket Predictions

AP Photo/Scot Tucker

49ers QB Brock Purdy

AFC

1. Denver Broncos

7. Los Angeles Chargers at 2. New England Patriots

6. Buffalo Bills at 3. Jacksonville Jaguars

5. Houston Texans at 4. Baltimore Ravens

NFC

1. San Francisco 49ers

7. Green Bay Packers at 2. Chicago Bears

6. Los Angeles Rams at 3. Philadelphia Eagles

5. Seattle Seahawks at 4. Carolina Panthers