What’s at stake in Week 18 of the NFL Playoff race: Division titles, No. 1 seeds and more

One week remains in the 2025 NFL regular season, and while much of the playoff picture has already come into focus, the final weekend still carries massive weight. Division titles, playoff seeding, and even the league’s No. 1 overall draft pick are all set to be decided in Week 18.

Parity has defined this season. No conference has a runaway favorite. No division has been spared from chaos. And as the league heads into its final slate, four teams are staring at either a postseason run, or an abrupt ending.

NFL announces full schedule for crucial Week 18

Here’s a look at what’s still on the line in Week 18, and how it could all shake out.

Everything still at stake in the NFL in Week 18

No. 1 Seed in the AFC

It’s been several years (seven, to be exact) since the AFC’s top seed came down to the final week of the season. And the team who won it in four of those years - the Kansas City Chiefs - isn’t even in the picture anymore this season. 2025 has been an interesting year, and now that we’re in the final week, there are still three teams in contention to win the AFC’s coveted top seed and a first-round bye week in the postseason:

• Denver Broncos (13-3)
• New England Patriots (13-3)
• Jacksonville Jaguars (12-4)

Here’s what each team needs in order to lock it down in the final week.

Broncos

• Win over the Chargers

Patriots

• Win over the Dolphins and Broncos loss

Jaguars

• Win over Titans and Broncos and Pats losses

No. 1 Seed in the NFC (and NFC West title)

The top seed in the NFC is also yet to be determined, but it’s coming down to just two teams in the final week:

• San Francisco 49ers (13-3)
• Seattle Seahawks (12-4)

Before Week 17, the Los Angeles Rams were still in this conversation, but they lost their shot at the top seed when the Niners beat the Chicago Bears on Sunday night. Now, the winner of the NFC West division will be the team who wins the No. 1 overall seed. The Seahawks and Niners will meet Saturday night in the final showdown.

AFC North title

The AFC North battle is between two teams who face each other in the final week:

• Baltimore Ravens (8-8)
• Pittsburgh Steelers (9-7)

Few rivalries have as much history as the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers, and Week 18 sets up another chapter with the AFC North title, and the final AFC playoff spot, at stake.

The Steelers lost to the Browns in Week 17, missing out on an opportunity to clinch the division. Meanwhile, the Ravens dominated the Packers, setting up a battle for the division title in the NFL finale. They’ll face off on Sunday night in prime time and the winner takes all.

AFC South

The AFC South is still up for grabs and it’s between two teams:

• Houston Texans (12-4)
• Jacksonville Jaguars (11-5)

The Texans face the Indianapolis Colts and the Jaguars face the Tennessee Titans in the final week. Both have the opportunity to clinch the division this weekend, but it’s a much easier path for Jacksonville. Here’s what both teams need.

Jaguars

• Win over Titans

Texans

• Win over Colts and Jaguars loss

NFC South title:

The NFC South has been unpredictable all season, and the title, as well as the last spot in the NFC playoffs, fittingly come down to one final game between two teams:

• Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-9)
• Carolina Panthers (8-8)

The Panthers enter Week 18 at 8-8 after a loss to Seattle, while Tampa Bay sits at 7-9 following a narrow defeat against the Dolphins. As they face each other in the season finale, it’s a winner takes all scenario. A win for the Panthers would give them their first division title since 2015. A Buccaneers win would create an 8-9 tie, with Tampa Bay advancing on tiebreakers.

No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft

At the other end of the standings, the race for the top draft selection is still alive.

The 2-14 Las Vegas Raiders currently hold the inside track after a difficult season, but one unexpected win could open the door for another team to jump ahead. With the Giants, Jets, Titans, and Cardinals all sitting within one game of the league’s worst record, Week 18 could shape the future of the NFL for years to come. Draft positioning may not dominate headlines now, but April’s ripple effects are already in motion.

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