Sunday Game Result

In a dramatic turn of events, the Carolina Panthers secured their position as NFC South champions after Atlanta’s 19-17 victory over the Saints. This win means the Panthers will host a playoff game on Wild Card weekend as the No. 4 seed. Meanwhile, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been eliminated from playoff contention.

Saturday Game Result

On Saturday, the Bucs managed to defeat the Panthers, but they are now waiting to see what Sunday brings. If the Saints manage to beat the Falcons, the Bucs will claim the division title and secure the No. 4 seed in the NFC playoff bracket. However, if the Falcons come out victorious against the Saints, the Panthers will take the division and the No. 4 seed.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have missed a significant opportunity in 2025, but they still have a chance to secure a playoff berth in Week 18. To do so, they will need a win and some external help.

Ten weeks ago, the Bucs defeated the Saints 23-3 in New Orleans, entering their Week 9 bye with a 6-2 record and a two-game lead on the Panthers in the division. Since then, however, the Bucs have struggled, posting a 1-7 record and heading into their final game against the Panthers with a 7-9 record, sitting one game behind the Panthers in the standings.

Tampa is a field goal home favorite in this matchup, which will kick off at 4:30 p.m. ET on Saturday.

Playoff Berth Clinching Scenarios for the Buccaneers

While the Panthers can clinch the division with a win, the Bucs need more than just a victory—they require some unexpected support. If the Panthers beat the Bucs, they will finish the season two games ahead and clearly win the division. If the Bucs manage to defeat the Panthers, Tampa and Carolina would be tied for first place. In that case, if the Falcons lose on Sunday against the Saints, the Bucs would win the tiebreaker against the Panthers due to their better record in common games. They tied the head-to-head series and would have the same division record, so it would go to common games, which Tampa leads.

However, if the Falcons beat the Saints, there would be a three-way tie for first place in the NFC South. When three or more teams are tied in the division, the first tiebreaker is the best head-to-head record among all the clubs. In this scenario, the Panthers would have a 3-1 record with two wins over the Falcons and one over the Bucs, the Bucs would have a 2-2 record with splits against both teams, and the Falcons would have a 1-3 record. That means the Panthers would win the division without needing to go further down the list of tiebreakers.

The Falcons are a 3.5-point home favorite against the Saints.

NFC Standings Entering Week 18

Here are the full NFC standings ahead of the weekend:

• Seattle Seahawks (13-3)
• Chicago Bears (11-5)
• Philadelphia Eagles (11-5)
• Carolina Panthers (8-8)
• San Francisco 49ers (12-4)
• Los Angeles Rams (11-5)
• Green Bay Packers (9-6-1)
• Minnesota Vikings (8-8)
• Detroit Lions (8-8)
• Dallas Cowboys (7-8-1)
• Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-9)
• Atlanta Falcons (7-9)
• New Orleans Saints (6-10)
• Washington Commanders (4-12)
• Arizona Cardinals (3-13)
• New York Giants (3-13)

Key Symbols:

• x – Team has clinched a playoff spot
• y – Team has clinched their division title
• e – Team has been eliminated from playoff contention

NFC South Standings Entering Week 18

Here are the full NFC South standings:

• Carolina Panthers (8-8)
• Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-9)
• Atlanta Falcons (7-9)
• New Orleans Saints (6-10)