AFC playoffs
Kansas City Chiefs: They are the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs, an honor that gives them a first-round bye and home-field advantage through the conference's postseason action. The Chiefs are not playing for anything in the regular-season finale at the Denver Broncos, so expect two weeks' worth of rest for Patrick Mahomes.
Buffalo Bills: They visit the New England Patriots in the regular-season finale with nothing to gain. The Bills secured the AFC's No. 2 seed, so they'll host the worst conference wild-card team during wild-card weekend. That postseason opponent could be the Denver Broncos, Miami Dolphins or Cincinnati Bengals.
Baltimore Ravens: Lamar Jackson and company can clinch the AFC North with a victory against the Cleveland Browns or a defeat by the Pittsburgh Steelers vs. the Cincinnati Bengals. Each of these games are on Saturday. The Ravens already clinched a playoff berth.
The regular-season finale will decide if the Ravens are hosting as the AFC's No. 3 seed or traveling to the Houston Texans on wild-card weekend as the No. 5-seeded wild card.
If the Ravens win the AFC North, they will host either the Los Angeles Chargers or Steelers.
Houston Texans: Nothing is on the line for the Texans in Week 18 vs. the Tennessee Titans. The Texans clinched the AFC South in Week 15, but couldn't improve their seeding the rest of the regular season. As the conference's worst division winner, Houston is locked into the No. 4 seed.
The Texans will host either the Pittsburgh Steelers, Los Angeles Chargers or Baltimore Ravens during wild-card weekend.
Pittsburgh Steelers: They still have a shot at the AFC North crown if they defeat the Cincinnati Bengals on Saturday and the Baltimore Ravens lose to the visiting Cleveland Browns.
Pittsburgh already clinched a playoff berth. The regular-season finale will decide if they're hosting as division champions during wild-card weekend or on the road as a fifth or sixth-seeded wild-card team.
If the Steelers win the AFC North, they would host the Los Angeles Chargers in Round 1 of the playoffs. If the Steelers earn the fifth seed, they will visit the Houston Texans. If they fall to the No. 6 seed, they'll face the rival Ravens.
Los Angeles Chargers: They walk into Week 18 at the Las Vegas Raiders already with a wild-card berth in hand. L.A. will be either a No. 5 or 6 seed in the AFC playoffs.
They'll be the fifth seed if they defeat the Raiders and the Pittsburgh Steelers lose to the Cincinnati Bengals. At No. 5, the Chargers would face the Houston Texans in the wild-card round.
The Chargers will remain in the No. 6 seed spot if they lose vs. the Raiders or the Steelers defeat the Bengals. A sixth seed would give the Chargers a wild-card weekend trip to either the Baltimore Ravens or Steelers.
Denver Broncos: A win against the Kansas City Chiefs at home in Week 18 will give the Broncos a wild-card berth as the No. 7 seed in the AFC. That's the best seed the Broncos can get, and it would guarantee them a postseason trip to Buffalo in Round 1.
The Chiefs have already clinched the conference's No. 1 seed, so they're not expected to use their starters throughout the regular-season finale in Denver.
If the Broncos lose against the Chiefs, they can still get into the postseason with help. In that scenario, they'd need the New York Jets to defeat the visiting Miami Dolphins and the Pittsburgh Steelers to defeat the visiting Cincinnati Bengals.
The Broncos will be eliminated if they lose to the Chiefs and either the Bengals or Dolphins win in Week 18.
Miami Dolphins: The Dolphins need help to nab that last wild-card spot in the AFC. They face the New York Jets on the road in Week 18, where they must win and get outside assistance.
The help Miami needs with that victory: a Denver Broncos defeat at home vs. the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Dolphins would face the Buffalo Bills in the wild-card round if they get the final postseason bid.
Cincinnati Bengals: They have the hardest chance at securing a playoff bid among the AFC postseason hopefuls. The Bengals must defeat the Pittsburgh Steelers on Saturday and have the Miami Dolphins and Denver Broncos each lose the following day.
The Bengals would face the Buffalo Bills in the wild-card round if they get the final postseason bid.
NFC playoffs
Minnesota Vikings: The NFL schedule makers couldn't have dreamed it up any better. In the regular-season Sunday night finale, a Vikings victory against the hosting Detroit Lions would deliver Minnesota the North divisional title, the No. 1 seed in the NFC and home-field advantage throughout the conference's postseason play.
A defeat in Motown would lock the Vikings into the No. 5 wild-card seed, which would put them on the road in Round 1. Their opponents in this scenario would be either the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Los Angeles Rams or Atlanta Falcons.
Philadelphia Eagles: The NFC East champions are locked into the No. 2 seed in the conference. They face the New York Giants on Sunday, with nothing on the line other than perhaps Saquon Barkley taking a shot at Eric Dickerson's single-season rushing record.
On wild-card weekend, the Eagles will host the NFC's worst wild-card team. Their opponent will be either the Washington Commanders or Green Bay Packers.
Los Angeles Rams: As NFC West champs, L.A. enters Sunday vs. the Seattle Seahawks with a chance to clinch the No. 3 seed with a victory. A Week 18 defeat wouldn't lock the Rams out of the third seed. They can achieve that seeding with a loss if the Tampa Bay Buccaneers lose against the visiting New Orleans Saints.
A No. 3 seed would mean the Rams would host either the Green Bay Packers or Washington Commanders on wild-card weekend.
The Rams could dip to the No. 4 seed if they lose to the Seahawks and the Buccaneers defeat the Saints.
A No. 4 seed would put the Rams against either the Minnesota Vikings or Detroit Lions in Round 1 of the playoffs.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: They can make the playoffs only as NFC South champions. A win vs. the visiting New Orleans Saints on Sunday would do just that. Or an Atlanta Falcons defeat to the visiting Carolina Panthers.
The Buccaneers could play their way into the No. 3 seed with a victory on Sunday and a defeat by the Los Angeles Rams to the visiting Seattle Seahawks.
As the third-seeded team in the NFC, the Bucs could face the Green Bay Packers or Washington Commanders in the opening round of the playoffs.
If the Bucs remain in their current No. 4 seed after Week 18, they would host either the Minnesota Vikings or Detroit Lions over wild-card weekend.
The Buccaneers can be eliminated from the postseason race if they fall to the Saints and the Falcons beat the Panthers.
Detroit Lions: They can win the NFC North, their conference's No. 1 seed and home-field advantage throughout the NFC postseason with a victory over the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday night.
A loss dooms the Lions to the No. 5 seed, where they would face on the road in Round 1 either the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Los Angeles Rams or Atlanta Falcons.
Washington Commanders: They're headed to the postseason as a wild-card team as either the NFC's No. 6 or 7 seed. Washington can take the higher seed if it defeats the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday or the Green Bay Packers lose to the visiting Chicago Bears.
As a No. 6 seed in wild-card weekend, the Commanders would play the Los Angeles Rams or Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
As a No. 7 seed in wild-card weekend, the Commanders would play the Philadelphia Eagles.
Green Bay Packers: Like the Washington Commanders, the Packers are headed to the postseason as a wild-card team as either the NFC's No. 6 or 7 seed.
A victory on Sunday against the visiting Chicago Bears and a Washington Commanders defeat at the Dallas Cowboys would give the Packers the No. 6 seed. As a sixth seed, the Packers would open wild-card weekend at either the Los Angeles Rams or Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
If the Packers remain in the No. 7 spot, they'll face the Philadelphia Eagles on the road in Round 1.
Atlanta Falcons: They have the longest odds out of any NFC playoff hopeful. The Falcons must win against the visiting Carolina Panthers and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers must lose against the visiting New Orleans Saints for the Falcons to win the NFC South. Atlanta can get into the postseason only as a No. 4 seed.
If the Falcons win the NFC South, they would host in the wild-card round either the Minnesota Vikings or Detroit Lions.
The Falcons are eliminated from postseason contention with a loss or a Bucs victory on Sunday.
Playoff matchups
As of Dec. 29, here’s what the playoff matchups look like. Bolded teams have clinched a playoff spot.
NFC
1. Minnesota Vikings (14-2)
2. Philadelphia Eagles (13-3) vs. 7. Green Bay Packers (11-5)
3. Los Angeles Rams (10-6) vs. 6. Washington Commanders (11-5)
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-7) vs. 5. Detroit Lions (13-2)*
On the bubble
8. Seattle Seahawks (9-7)
9. Atlanta Falcons (8-8)
AFC
1. Kansas City Chiefs (15-1)
2. Buffalo Bills (13-3) vs. 7. Denver Broncos (9-7)
3. Baltimore Ravens (11-5) vs. 6. Los Angeles Chargers (10-6)
4. Houston Texans (9-7) vs. 5. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-6)
On the bubble
8 . Miami Dolphins (8-8)
9. Cincinnati Bengals (8-8)
*=Lions play the San Francisco 49ers on "Monday Night Football" to close out Week 17.
