NFL Playoff Picture Heading into Week 18: The Vikings Head to Detroit in Showdown for No. 1 Seed

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Dec 31, 2024
Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images.

Ladies and gentlemen, there is only one week remaining in the 2024 NFL regular season.

Many games will not change much in terms of the playoff picture this upcoming weekend, but there are a few that could vastly change how the playoffs seed out in January. Here is a look at how things stack up for the Minnesota Vikings and the rest of the NFL stacks up heading into Week 18.

AFC Playoff Picture

NFL Playoff Picture
Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

AFC East

  1. Buffalo Bills (13-3)
  2. Miami Dolphins (8-8)
  3. New York Jets (4-12)
  4. New England Patriots (3-13)

One mystery has remained in the AFC East in terms of playoff implications, and that mystery officially will extend into Week 18. The mystery surrounds around whether or not the Miami Dolphins will be able to sneak into the No. 7 seed, and it remains possible after a Week 17 win over the Cleveland Browns combined with a Denver Broncos loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.

AFC North

  1. Baltimore Ravens (11-5)
  2. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-6)
  3. Cincinnati Bengals (8-8)
  4. Cleveland Browns (3-13)

We won’t see a battle between the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers to decide the AFC North, but we will see both teams in action on Saturday as the Ravens host the Browns and the Steelers host the Bengals. Speaking of the Bengals, they are another team sitting at 8-8 needing a win to have a hope at sneaking into the playoff field.

AFC South

  1. Houston Texans (9-7)
  2. Indianapolis Colts (7-9)
  3. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-12)
  4. Tennessee Titans (3-13)

Houston, we may have a problem. The Texans clinched the AFC South a couple weeks ago, but they are now limping into the playoffs having lost three of their last five games and needing to play without WR Tank Dell. They have a chance to get back on track heading into the playoffs against the Tennessee Titans this week.

AFC West

  1. Kansas City Chiefs (15-1)
  2. Los Angeles Chargers (10-6)
  3. Denver Broncos (9-7)
  4. Las Vegas Raiders (4-12)

As aforementioned, the Denver Broncos have spelled up some trouble for themselves after losing to the Bengals last weekend. They now need a win over the Kansas City Chiefs to control their own path into the playoffs. Typically, this wouldn’t be an easy task, but the Chiefs have sealed up the No. 1 seed in the conference and likely will rest starters this weekend.

AFC Playoff Seeds

  1. Kansas City Chiefs (15-1)
  2. Buffalo Bills (13-3)
  3. Baltimore Ravens (11-5)
  4. Houston Texans (9-7)
  5. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-6)
  6. Los Angeles Chargers (10-6)
  7. Denver Broncos (9-7)

While six teams in the AFC have clinched playoff spots at this point, plenty of things can change between now and Sunday. The Steelers and Chargers sit in a tie for the top two Wild Card spots, but the Denver Broncos lurk just one game below and could make a jump if one of those two teams falter. Meanwhile, of course, the Bengals and Dolphins also sit at 8-8 and could sneak in if Denver sees a Week 18 hiccup.

NFC Playoff Picture

Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images.

NFC East

  1. Philadelphia Eagles (13-3)
  2. Washington Commanders (11-5)
  3. Dallas Cowboys (7-9)
  4. New York Giants (3-13)

It took an overtime thriller, but the Washington Commanders officially solidified that they will be dancing into the playoffs after a win over the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday. In terms of playoff implications, that is about the only thing that changed in the NFC East this week.

NFC North

  1. Detroit Lions (14-2)
  2. Minnesota Vikings (14-2)
  3. Green Bay Packers (11-5)
  4. Chicago Bears (4-12)

Folks, we’ve arrived. Week 18 officially will bring the battle that many have anticipated for months as the Minnesota Vikings head to Ford Field to take on the Detroit Lions in a matchup that will not only decide the NFC North title, but also the No. 1 seed in the NFC. The loser will sit at the No. 5 seed despite winning 14 games and likely face a gauntlet of road matchups to reach the Super Bowl.

NFC South

  1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-7)
  2. Atlanta Falcons (8-8)
  3. New Orleans Saints (5-11)
  4. Carolina Panthers (4-12)

The cesspool that is the NFC South could be determined by the teams that have been among the biggest cesspools in the NFL this season. The New Orleans Saints and Carolina Panthers each can try to play spoiler this season as they take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Atlanta Falcons, respectively.

NFC West

  1. Los Angeles Rams (10-6)
  2. Seattle Seahawks (9-7)
  3. Arizona Cardinals (7-9)
  4. San Francisco 49ers (6-10)

Despite a win over the Chicago Bears on Thursday night, the Seattle Seahawks still have been eliminated from playoff contention after the Los Angeles Rams claimed a win over the Arizona Cardinals this past weekend, and the Washington Commanders knocked off the Atlanta Falcons. With a win over the Seahawks on Sunday or a Buccaneers loss, the Rams will be the NFC’s No. 3 seed.

NFC Playoff Seeds

  1. Detroit Lions (14-2)
  2. Philadelphia Eagles (13-3)
  3. Los Angeles Rams (10-6)
  4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-7)
  5. Minnesota Vikings (14-2)
  6. Washington Commanders (11-5)
  7. Green Bay Packers (11-5)

The Green Bay Packers were the big losers among current playoff seeds this weekend as their loss to the Minnesota Vikings along with Washington’s win over Atlanta meant that Green Bay fell to the No. 7 seed in the conference. If things hold steady in Week 18, they would be slated to take on the Philadelphia Eagles in a tough road matchup against a team that has gone 7-1 at home in the regular season.

Editor’s Note: Statistics for this article were found via Pro Football Reference.

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