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Week 18 is finalizing the NFL playoff picture and we are updating it live!
Week 18 is set up to be monumental in the NFL starting with big games in the AFC on Saturday and ending with a winner-take-all game on Sunday night. In between, there is plenty of intrigue.
On Saturday, the Baltimore Ravens clinched the three seed and in the process, forced the Pittsburgh Steelers into a wild card spot.
The most intriguing part of the early afternoon window on Sunday is the NFC South, where a Buccaneers win solidified them as the winner of the division. The Washington Commanders won and the Green Bay Packers lost, locking Washington into the six seed and Green Bay in the seven.
In the late afternoon, the Denver Broncos clinched their playoff spot with a win but there is seeding at stake for the Los Angeles Chargers (and by extension the Steelers).
The Sunday night game is a huge showdown between the Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings. The winner is the one seed in the NFC while the loser is the five seed.
AFC standings during Week 18
1. z-Kansas City Chiefs (15-2) – clinched No. 1 seed
2. y-Buffalo Bills (13-4) – clinched No. 2 seed
3. y-Baltimore Ravens (12-5) – clinched No. 3 seed
4. y-Houston Texans (10-7) – clinched No. 4 seed
5. x-Los Angeles Chargers (10-6)*
6. x-Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7)
7. Denver Broncos (10-7) – clinched No. 7 seed
8. Cincinnati Bengals (9-8, 6-6 AFC) – eliminated
9. Miami Dolphins (8-8, 6-5 AFC) – eliminated
10. Indianapolis Colts (8-9) — eliminated
11. New York Jets (4-12, 4-7 AFC) — eliminated
12. Las Vegas Raiders (4-12, 3-8 AFC) — eliminated
13. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-13, win over NE) — eliminated
14. New England Patriots (4-13, loss to JAX) — eliminated
15. Cleveland Browns (3-14, .510 strength of victory) — eliminated
16. Tennessee Titans (3-14, .440 strength of victory) — eliminated
NFC standings during Week 18
1. x-Detroit Lions (14-2, win over MIN)
2. y-Philadelphia Eagles (14-3) – clinched No. 2 seed
3. y-Los Angeles Rams (10-6)
4. y-Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10-7)
5. x-Minnesota Vikings (14-2, loss to DET)
6. x-Washington Commanders (12-5) – clinched No. 6 seed
7. x-Green Bay Packers (11-6) – clinched No. 7 seed
8. Seattle Seahawks (9-7) — eliminated
9. Atlanta Falcons (8-9) – eliminated
10. Arizona Cardinals (7-9, 3-8 NFC) — eliminated
11. Dallas Cowboys (7-10, 5-6 NFC) — eliminated
12. San Francisco 49ers (6-10) — eliminated
13. Chicago Bears (5-12, win over CAR) — eliminated
15. Carolina Panthers (5-12, .325 SOV win over NO, loss to NO) — eliminated
13. New Orleans Saints (5-12, .306 SOV loss to CAR) — eliminated
16. New York Giants (3-14) — eliminated
Teams with an asterisk (*) have been eliminated from divisional contention
Teams with an (x) have clinched a playoff spot
Teams with a (y) have clinched their division
Teams with a (z) have clinched the one seed, home-field advantage, and a first-round bye
Key playoff picture takeaways in Week 17
Baltimore Ravens clinch the AFC North with convincing win over Browns
The Browns stink and most of their best players were out in Week 18, but the Ravens left no doubt. They scored with just over three minutes left to make it a 25-point game and clinch the three seed in the AFC.
Cincinnati Bengals win fifth straight game to stay alive in wild card
The Bengals are 9-8 and have won their fifth straight game to stay aline in the playoff race. They need a lot of help un Sunday, but they are alive.
Pittsburgh Steelers slide into playoffs with fourth straight loss
The Steelers lost four straight in December, and could slip to the sixth seed if the Chargers win on Sunday. Pittsburgh would then travel to the Baltimore Ravens, who won the AFC North on Saturday.
Packers lose, Washington wins to settle the NFC wild card picture
The results happened almost simultaneously, when the Packers allowed a last-second field goal and the Commanders scored a go-ahead two-point conversion to lock in the playoff seeding. The Packers will face the Eagles in a rematch of the Week 1 Brazil game while the Commanders and will play the three seed.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers slam the door on Atlanta Falcons
Tampa didn’t play Atlanta, but the two were locked in a final battle for the NFC South. The Bucs’ win over the Saints locked up the division for Tampa. They can still get the three seed is the Rams lose, while the Falcons have been eliminated before their game even ended.
Denver Broncos throttle Chiefs backups to claim final playoff playoff spot
Bo Nix and the Denver Broncos absolutely smoked the Chiefs on Sunday, but KC didn’t really care. The Buffalo Bills will host Denver in the wild card round and the Broncos’ rookie QB not only gets to the playoffs in his first season, but potentially validates Denver’s decision to move on from Russell Wilson.
Which NFL teams have already clinched playoff spots?
We’ve been tracking the teams that clinched playoff spots since November, and the list will be complete by the end of the weekend:
Kansas City Chiefs
Buffalo Bills
Detroit Lions
Philadelphia Eagles
Minnesota Vikings
Houston Texans
Pittsburgh Steelers
Baltimore Ravens
Green Bay Packers
Los Angeles Chargers
Washington Commanders
Los Angeles Rams
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Which NFL teams have been eliminated from the playoffs?
New York Giants
New England Patriots
Jacksonville Jaguars
Las Vegas Raiders
Tennessee Titans
Cleveland Browns
New York Jets
Chicago Bears
Carolina Panthers
Dallas Cowboys
Arizona Cardinals
San Francisco 49ers
New Orleans Saints
Indianapolis Colts
Seattle Seahawks
Atlanta Falcons
NFL Division Standings
AFC East standings
Buffalo Bills, 13-4 — division clinched
Miami Dolphins, 8-8
New York Jets, 4-12 — eliminated from playoff contention
New England Patriots, 4-13 — eliminated from playoff contention
AFC North standings
Baltimore Ravens, 12-5 – division clinched
Pittsburgh Steelers, 10-7
Cincinnati Bengals, 9-8
Cleveland Browns, 3-14 — eliminated from playoff contention
AFC South standings
Houston Texans, 10-7 – division clinched
Indianapolis Colts, 8-9
Jacksonville Jaguars, 4-13 — eliminated from playoff contention
Tennessee Titans, 3-14 — eliminated from playoff contention
AFC West standings
Kansas City Chiefs, 15-1 — division clinched
Los Angeles Chargers, 10-6
Denver Broncos, 9-7
Las Vegas Raiders, 4-12 — eliminated from playoff contention
NFC East standings
Philadelphia Eagles, 14-3 – division clinched
Washington Commanders, 12-5
Dallas Cowboys, 7-10 — eliminated from playoff contention
New York Giants, 3-14 — eliminated from playoff contention
NFC North standings
Detroit Lions, 14-2
Minnesota Vikings, 14-2
Green Bay Packers, 11-6
Chicago Bears, 5-12 — eliminated from playoff contention
NFC South standings
Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 9-7
Atlanta Falcons, 8-9 — eliminated from playoff contention
Carolina Panthers, 12-12 — eliminated from playoff contention
New Orleans Saints, 5-112 — eliminated from playoff contention
NFC West standings
Los Angeles Rams, 10-6 – division clinched
Seattle Seahawks, 9-7 — eliminated from playoff contention
Arizona Cardinals, 7-9 — eliminated from playoff contention
San Francisco 49ers, 6-10 — eliminated from playoff contention
