Week 18 NFL Regular Season: What’s at Stake?

As the NFL regular season approaches its final day, there are numerous stakes on the line for teams across both conferences. From division titles to playoff seeding and even the No. 1 pick in the draft, each game has significant implications. Here’s a breakdown of what’s at stake for each matchup.

Carolina Panthers vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Result:

The Buccaneers defeated the Panthers 16-14, with both teams finishing the regular season at 8-9.

Remaining Scenario:

If the Falcons beat the Saints, they too will finish 8-9, leading to a three-way tiebreaker for the NFC South crown and the No. 4 seed. The Panthers would win the tiebreaker despite their loss Saturday. If the Saints win, the Bucs become the division champions and the NFC’s No. 4 seed. A tie in the Falcons-Saints game would give the playoff ticket to the Bucs.

Seattle Seahawks vs. San Francisco 49ers

Result:

The Seahawks clinched the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs and the NFC West title by stifling the 49ers.

Remaining Scenario:

San Francisco was already in the playoffs, but it will settle for either the 5 or 6 seed with the loss. A Rams loss to the Cardinals gives the Niners the 5 seed while a Rams win knocks San Francisco to the 6 spot.

Indianapolis Colts vs. Houston Texans

What’s at Stake for Colts:

Nothing except the chance to ruin a rival’s shot at the division title. Even Indianapolis’ first-round draft pick, which is currently 18th, goes to the Jets next spring thanks to the Sauce Gardner trade.

What’s at Stake for Texans:

If the Texans win and the Jaguars lose, the Texans win the AFC South.

Are Both Teams Going for It?

The Texans will, though Nico Collins will not play. As for the Colts, the biggest player news is rookie sixth-round quarterback Riley Leonard will start over Philip Rivers, while several others including Sauce Gardner won’t play. But otherwise the Colts will have their full complement.

Tennessee Titans vs. Jacksonville Jaguars

What’s at Stake for Titans:

Just the chance to play spoiler, and also potentially clinch the No. 2 pick in the draft with a loss and wins by the Giants, Jets and Cardinals.

What’s at Stake for Jaguars:

A lot. If the Jaguars win or tie, they’ll win the AFC South no matter what. They can also win it with a Texans loss or tie. Jacksonville also has a shot at the No. 1 seed in the AFC, which would require a win plus losses by the Broncos and Patriots.

Are Both Teams Going for It?

The Jaguars definitely are. The Titans haven’t indicated they’ll sit anyone yet.

Dallas Cowboys vs. New York Giants

What’s at Stake for Cowboys:

Draft positioning in the mid-first round and the chance to springboard into a more hopeful 2026.

What’s at Stake for Giants:

There’s still a chance the Giants can get the No. 1 overall pick in the draft. They would have to lose, the Raiders would have to win, and at least two of the following teams would also have to win: Seahawks, Falcons, Browns and Bears. It’s also one last chance for interim head coach Mike Kafka to make his case to be the permanent head coach.

Are Both Teams Going for It?

Dallas’ top two running backs, Javonte Williams and Malik Davis, are going to be out. Dak Prescott is expected to start, but Jerry Jones hinted Tuesday that Prescott might not play much. The Cowboys also just released cornerback Trevon Diggs, so they seem to be getting a head start on offseason moves. The Giants, meanwhile, plan to play their starters too.

Cleveland Browns vs. Cincinnati Bengals

What’s at Stake for Browns:

The Browns can get the No. 2 pick in the draft with a loss plus wins by the Giants, Jets, Titans and Cardinals. They currently hold the No. 6 pick. Myles Garrett is also aiming for the single-season sack record. He’s a half-sack away from the record books.

What’s at Stake for Bengals:

Cincinnati will pick either in the back half of the top 10 or early in the teens no matter what.

Are Both Teams Going for It?

So far, both the Bengals and Browns have indicated their starters will play Week 18 if healthy, including one last look at Shedeur Sanders.

Green Bay Packers vs. Minnesota Vikings

What’s at Stake for Packers:

Nothing. The Packers are locked into the NFC’s seventh seed and a wild-card trip to either Chicago or Philadelphia.

What’s at Stake for Vikings:

Mid-first round draft positioning. The Vikings will be picking in the teens or early 20s.

Are Both Teams Going for It?

The Packers might play some starters, though quarterback Jordan Love won’t be one of them. Head coach Matt LaFleur said he’d sit out despite being out of concussion protocol and rest up for the playoffs. Meanwhile, the Vikings haven’t indicated their plans yet.

New Orleans Saints vs. Atlanta Falcons

What’s at Stake for Saints:

Tyler Shough’s Offensive Rookie of the Year campaign and some optimism heading into 2026. Shough has been pretty good since becoming the starter, and the Saints are on a four-game win streak to close Kellen Moore’s first season in charge. They’re locked into a late top 10 or early teens first-round draft pick.

What’s at Stake for Falcons:

For the Falcons themselves? Very little, with their first-round draft pick this year going to the Rams thanks to the James Pearce Jr. trade last spring. But for the NFC South? That’s where things go full sicko mode.

Are Both Teams Going for It?

The Saints will be without star wideout Chris Olave, while several others starters didn’t practice Wednesday or Thursday. The Falcons, meanwhile, appear set to play their starters.

Miami Dolphins vs. New England Patriots

What’s at Stake for Dolphins:

The chance to deny the Patriots the No. 1 seed in the AFC with a win. Mike McDaniel’s last chance to state his case to be head coach in 2026. Draft positioning too, since the pick could fall anywhere in the late top 10 to the teens.

What’s at Stake for Patriots:

There are two scenarios that would land the Patriots the No. 1 seed in the AFC. Either they win and the Broncos lose or tie, or they tie and the Broncos lose.

Are Both Teams Going for It?

Expect the Patriots to, with the Broncos playing at the same time Sunday. Meanwhile the Dolphins are sitting their two best playmakers: De’Von Achane and Jaylen Waddle. They likely also want one more look at rookie seventh-round QB Quinn Ewers.

Los Angeles Chargers vs. Denver Broncos

What’s at Stake for Chargers:

Out of 64 possible AFC playoff seeding scenarios, 18 end with the Chargers in the fifth seed (28%), 30 end with the Chargers in the sixth seed (47%), and 16 end with the Chargers in the seventh seed (25%). Fun!

What’s at Stake for Broncos:

Win and they’re the No. 1 seed in the AFC. Beyond that, they can still clinch the No. 1 seed with a tie and a Patriots loss or tie. They can also get it with a loss, as long as the Patriots lose and the Jaguars lose or tie.

Are Both Teams Going for It?

The Broncos almost certainly will, with head coach Sean Payton describing Sunday as “like a playoff game” and stressing the importance of the No. 1 seed historically. The Chargers, meanwhile, are resting quarterback Justin Herbert, who fractured his non-throwing hand in Week 13, along with running back Omarion Hampton, outside linebacker Khalil Mack and safety Derwin James Jr.

Washington Commanders vs. Philadelphia Eagles

What’s at Stake for Commanders:

There’s still a small chance the Commanders secure the No. 2 overall pick in the draft. They’d need to lose, and they’d need the Giants, Jets, Titans, Cardinals and Browns to all win. Unlikely. But maybe!

What’s at Stake for Eagles:

The Eagles get the No. 2 seed in 25% (16 out of 64) of the Week 18 NFC scenarios. All of them require an Eagles win and a Bears loss. Otherwise they’re the No. 3 seed, since the Bears own the head-to-head tiebreaker.

Are Both Teams Going for It?

QB Tanner McKee will start, giving Jalen Hurts rest before wild-card weekend. Head coach Nick Sirianni hinted that he’d rest some starters Monday. The Commanders will start Josh Johnson at QB and are expected to play their starters, with head coach Dan Quinn hinting injuries are the only thing that would keep players out.

Detroit Lions vs. Chicago Bears

What’s at Stake for Lions:

Only the chance to help deny the Bears and their former offensive coordinator the No. 2 seed in the NFC. The Lions will pick in the teens in the first round of the NFL Draft.

What’s at Stake for Bears:

If the Bears win, they’re the No. 2 seed in the NFC no matter what by virtue of a head-to-head tiebreaker over the Eagles. If the Bears lose, they can still clinch the No. 2 seed with an Eagles loss to the Commanders.

Are Both Teams Going for It?

Lions head coach Dan Campbell has indicated his starters will play, including Amon-Ra St. Brown but not Penei Sewell, as long as they’re not risking long-term injury, plus it fits the franchise’s ethos to do so. Bears head coach Ben Johnson, meanwhile, said Monday “we’re playing to win this week.” So it sounds like Chicago will be going for the No. 2 seed.

New York Jets vs. Buffalo Bills

What’s at Stake for Jets:

The Jets can get the No. 2 pick with a loss and a Giants win. It also might not hurt head coach Aaron Glenn to finish the season with a good performance after some ugly losses this season, despite team ownership indicating he’ll be back.

What’s at Stake for Bills:

The Bills can move up to the fifth or sixth seed in 37.5% of the remaining scenarios, so they’ll have to win and let the other results fall where they may.

Are Both Teams Going for It?

Head coach Sean McDermott said Josh Allen should be “good to go” for Sunday despite being limited in practice, though it remains to be seen if Allen or other starters will play. As for the Jets, well, they’re in full-blown find-out-who-wants-to-be-here-next-season mode, so in some sense, you could say they’re “going for it.”

Arizona Cardinals vs. Los Angeles Rams

What’s at Stake for Cardinals:

The Cardinals can still get the No. 2 pick with a loss and wins by the Giants, Jets and Titans. Arizona has shut down wideout Marvin Harrison Jr., who has had a disappointing sophomore season.

What’s at Stake for Rams:

Thanks to the 49ers’ loss on Saturday, the Rams can secure the No. 5 seed with a win. Otherwise they’ll be the sixth seed.

Are Both Teams Going for It?

Rams head coach Sean McVay said he won’t rest starters in Week 18, which makes sense given how messy his team has looked in recent weeks and the fact that they still have seeding to play for. The Cardinals, meanwhile, have given no indication they’ll sit anyone yet.

Kansas City Chiefs vs. Las Vegas Raiders

What’s at Stake for Chiefs:

The Chiefs can lock up a top-10 pick with a loss. It might be Travis Kelce’s last career game, and he’ll want to go out with a win. Otherwise, not much else in a rare lost season for Kansas City.

What’s at Stake for Raiders:

If the Raiders lose, they’ll clinch the No. 1 overall pick in the draft. If they win it gets dicier, but there are still several scenarios that land them the top pick.

Are Both Teams Going for It?

Andy Reid has indicated his starters will play. As for the Raiders, well, it’s trickier. Pete Carroll hasn’t directly said starters won’t play this weekend. Then again, Maxx Crosby seems a little defiant over being shut down due to a knee injury, while Brock Bowers was placed on injured reserve with a knee injury he’s battled all season. So at the very least, the Raiders are giving the outward appearance of being ready to close up shop on this campaign. Which, of course, would be good for their draft status.

Baltimore Ravens vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

What’s at Stake for Ravens:

If the Ravens win, they’re the AFC North champion and the No. 4 seed. If they lose or tie, they’re out of the playoff race.

What’s at Stake for Steelers:

If the Steelers win or tie, they’re the AFC North champion and the No. 4 seed. If they lose, they’re out of the playoff hunt.

Are Both Teams Going for It?

Hell, yes. There’s a reason this is Game 272. And Lamar Jackson says he’ll be back from injury.