NFL playoff picture: Seahawks secure NFC No. 1 seed; 49ers fall to No. 5 and could end up No. 6 in conference
If they defeat the Lions on Sunday, they'll face the Packers in the wild-card round as the No. 2 seed.
If they lose to the Lions on Sunday AND the Eagles beat/tie the Commanders, then the Bears will fall to the No. 3 seed.
If they tie the Lions on Sunday AND the Eagles beat the Commanders, then the Bears will fall to the No. 3 seed.
The Niners would be the No. 5 seed if the Rams lose vs. the Cardinals.
The Niners would be the No. 6 seed if the Rams beat the Cardinals.
Beat the Chargers OR
Patriots lose to Dolphins AND Jaguars lose to Titans
Beat the Dolphins AND Broncos lose to Chargers
Beat the Titans AND Broncos lose to Chargers AND Patriots lose to Dolphins
Jaguars beat the Titans OR
Texans lose to the Colts
Beat the Colts AND Jaguars lose to Titans
Buffalo can be the No. 5 seed if they beat the Jets AND the Texans lose to the Colts AND the Chargers lose to the Broncos.
Buffalo can be the No. 6 seed if they beat the Jets AND the Texans lose to the Colts OR the Chargers lose to the Broncos.
Indianapolis Colts (8-8)
Miami Dolphins (7-9)
Kansas City Chiefs (6-10)
Cincinnati Bengals (6-10)
Cleveland Browns (4-12)
New York Jets (3-13)
Tennessee Titans (3-13)
Las Vegas Raiders (2-14)
Detroit Lions (8-8)
Minnesota Vikings (8-8)
Dallas Cowboys (7-8-1)
Atlanta Falcons (7-9)
New Orleans Saints (6-10)
Washington Commanders (4-12)
Arizona Cardinals (3-13)
Here's how things look heading into the the Sunday slate of Week 18:
(* Clinched playoff spot)
NFC
1. Seattle Seahawks (14-3)*: Remaining schedule — finished
Notable: Seattle has locked up the No. 1 seed in the NFC and the NFC West title with Saturday night's win over the 49ers. The NFC playoffs will run through Seattle.
2. Chicago Bears (11-5)*: Remaining schedule — vs. Detroit Lions (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET)
Notable: The Bears are locked into either the No. 2 or No. 3 slot in the NFC playoffs. Both of those positions mean the Bears will host in the wild-card round.
3. Philadelphia Eagles (11-5)*: Remaining schedule — vs. Washington Commanders (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET)
Notable: The Eagles have a shot at the No. 2 seed. They would need to win Sunday AND have the Lions beat/tie the Bears to move up. A Bears victory would lock the Eagles in the No. 3 spot.
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-9): Remaining schedule — finished
Notable odds: The Bucs will be NFC South champions if the Falcons lose or tie Sunday. If the Falcons beat the Saints, however, the Panthers will win the division despite losing to Tampa Bay on Saturday.
5. San Francisco 49ers (12-5)*: Remaining schedule — finished
Notable: With Saturday's loss to the Seahawks, the 49ers can now get only the No. 5 or No. 6 seed in the playoffs.
6. Los Angeles Rams (11-5)*: Remaining schedule — vs. Arizona Cardinals (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET)
Notable: The Rams are locked into a wild-card spot. In order to get the No. 5 seed, and a playoff date vs. the NFC South champion, they need to win their regular-season finale vs. the Cardinals.
7. Green Bay Packers* (9-6-1): Remaining schedule — at Minnesota Vikings (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Notable: They're locked in at No. 7. Their wild-card round opponent will be either the rival Bears or the Eagles.
Still in the NFC picture
Carolina Panthers (8-9): Remaining schedule — finished
Notable: The Panthers can win the NFC South and clinch the No. 4 seed if the Falcons win Sunday. Otherwise their loss to the Buccaneers on Saturday will knock them out of the playoffs.
AFC
1. Denver Broncos (13-3)*: Remaining schedule — vs. Los Angeles Chargers (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET)
AFC No. 1 seed-clinching scenario:
Notable: The Broncos ended the Chiefs' nine-year reign atop the AFC West by virtue of the Chargers' loss Saturday, and now have around a 61% chance to earn the No. 1 seed per ESPN.
2. New England Patriots (13-3)*: Remaining schedule — vs. Miami Dolphins (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET)
AFC No. 1 seed-clinching scenario:
Notable: The Patriots secured the AFC East crown with the Bills loss on Sunday. They still have a 33% shot at the AFC No. 1 seed, according to The Athletic.
3. Jacksonville Jaguars (12-4)*: Remaining schedule — vs. Tennessee Titans (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
AFC No. 1 seed-clinching scenario:
AFC South-clinching scenarios:
Notable: The Jaguars have a 86% chance to win the AFC South per The Athletic, and can make it easy on themselves by beating the Titans in Week 18.
4. Pittsburgh Steelers (9-7): Remaining schedule — vs. Baltimore Ravens (Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET)
Notable: The Steelers can claim the division crown with a win or tie vs. the Ravens. A loss sends them home for the season.
5. Houston Texans (11-5): Remaining schedule — vs. Indianapolis Colts (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
AFC South-clinching scenarios:
Notable: The Texans' chances of winning the AFC South are at 14%, per The Athletic. But they'll need help from the Jaguars in the season finale. They will remain the No. 5 seed with a victory and a win by the Jaguars. A divisional crown would get them a No. 3 seed and the reward of hosting in the wild-card round.
The Texans can fall to the No. 6 seed if they lose to the Colts AND the Bills OR Chargers lose.
The Texans can fall to the No. 7 seed if they lose to the Colts AND both the Bills and Chargers win.
6. Los Angeles Chargers (11-5)*: Remaining schedule — at Denver Broncos (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET)
Notable: The Chargers are in the postseason, but also locked into a wild-card spot. They can rise to the No. 5 seed if they defeat the Broncos AND the Texans fall to the Colts. That No. 5 seed would put them on the road in the wild-card round against either the Ravens or Steelers.
The Chargers would stay at the No. 6 spot if they win AND the Texans win. If they lose against the Broncos AND the Bills lose to the Jets, the Chargers would also remain at No. 6.
L.A. could tumble to the No. 7 seed if they lose on Sunday AND the Bills win.
7. Buffalo Bills (11-5)*: Remaining schedule — vs. New York Jets (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET)
Notable: The Bills are locked into a wild-card spot. Here's how they can elevate their seeding:
A loss Sunday locks the Bills into the No. 7 spot and a wild-card road trip to the No. 2 seed.
Even with a win against the Jets, the Bills will be stuck at No. 7 if the Texans AND Chargers win their regular-season finales.
Still in the AFC picture
Baltimore Ravens (8-8): Remaining schedule — at Pittsburgh Steelers (Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET)
Notable: Baltimore can steal the division title with a win at Pittsburgh. A loss or tie ends its season.
Already eliminated
AFC
NFC
