2025 NFL season Week 18: everything that can happen

NFL

2025 NFL season Week 18: everything that can happen

Three division crowns and the first pick in the draft are up for grabs

Jackson Thompson Fox News

Published

January 4, 2026 10:37am EST

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It is another consequential final week in the NFL, with teams playing for their playoff lives, seeding and draft positioning.

Here's a breakdown of everything that will be determined.

The AFC North

The biggest game of the weekend features the arch-rival Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens battling for the AFC North title and the final available playoff spot in the league. The pseudo-playoff matchup will take place in Pittsburgh on Sunday Night Football. Ravens star quarterback Lamar Jackson will return to his team from injury for the game, while Steelers veteran Aaron Rodgers will be playing for what could be his final shot at the postseason.

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Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver DK Metcalf (4) catches a pass against Baltimore Ravens cornerback Nate Wiggins (2) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

The NFC South

The NFC South champion will be either the Tampa Bay Buccaneers or Carolina Panthers, but neither team has any say in final standings at this point. The division winner will be determined by a battle between two eliminated rivals when the Atlanta Falcons take on the New Orleans Saints. A Saints win will clinch the division for Tampa Bay by virtue of a tiebreaker scenario. The Panthers will need the Falcons to win to claim the division.

The AFC South

The Jaguars can clinch the AFC South with a win over the Titans, but the Houston Texans would have a shot at the division title if the Titans can upset Jacksonville and Houston takes care of business against the Indianapolis Colts.

Top seed in the AFC

The Denver Broncos have the inside track to claiming the top seed in the AFC and can clinch it with a win over the division rival Los Angeles Chargers. The Chargers, meanwhile, are playing for a higher wild card seed. If the Broncos lose, the New England Patriots can claim the top seed with a win over the eliminated Miami Dolphins. If both the Patriots and Broncos lose, the Jaguars can swoop in and take the top seed with a win over Houston.

New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) runs to the end zone to score against the Buffalo Bills during the first half of an NFL football game in Foxborough, Massachusetts, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

The lower seeds in the AFC

The Jacksonville Jaguars can jump up to the second seed in the AFC with a win over the Tennessee Titans or a loss by either the Broncos or Patriots. The winner of the Ravens-Steelers matchup is locked into the fourth seed. However, the Texans (or Jaguars), Bills, and Chargers are all playing for their seeding in the wild card picture, with multiple scenarios determining the fifth, sixth and seventh seeds.

The lower seeds in the NFC

The Seattle Seahawks locked up the top seed in the NFC with a win over the San Francisco 49ers on Saturday, and the winner of the NFC South is locked into the fourth seed.

The Chicago Bears can clinch the second seed with a win over the eliminated Detroit Lions, but a Bears loss would give the Philadelphia Eagles a chance to clinch the second seed with a win over the also-eliminated Washington Commanders.

Members of the Chicago Bears celebrate after an interception against the Philadelphia Eagles with teammates during the third quarter of a game at Lincoln Financial Field. (Bill Streicher/Imagn Images)

The LA Rams' game against the Arizona Cardinals will determine if the 49ers or Rams get the fifth seed, as LA would clinch it with a win and the 49ers would fall to sixth. If LA loses, the 49ers move up to the fifth seed while the Rams get the sixth.

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The Green Bay Packers are locked into the seventh seed.

The top pick in the 2026 NFL Draft

The Las Vegas Raiders would clinch the first overall pick in the NFL Draft with a loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, who lost five straight games and are without Patrick Mahomes. If the Raiders can get the win, the New York Giants would clinch the top pick with a loss to the Dallas Cowboys.

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Jackson Thompson is a sports reporter for Fox News Digital covering critical political and cultural issues in sports, with an investigative lens. Jackson's reporting has been cited in federal government actions related to the enforcement of Title IX, and in legacy media outlets including The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Associated Press and ESPN.com.

2025 NFL season Week 18: everything that can happen