The crazy reality created by this uncharacteristically bloated season is that the team seeded No. 5 in the NFC playoffs might just be the second-best team in the NFL.

Depends on if you favor the powers atop the NFC or AFC.

The winner of the Lions-Vikings battle Sunday night will clinch the NFC North title, the No. 1 seed, a first-round bye and home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs.

The loser will be the No. 5 seed and possibly be on the road for the duration of the playoffs.

It is befitting of a season where a razor-thin line separates the five-best teams in the NFL.

You won’t quite find either the Lions or Vikings listed below in the top-two in The Post’s NFL power rankings for Week 18, but who knows how things will look after the final 16 games are played.

1. Chiefs 15-1 (1)

The regular season is winding down, and the two-time defending Super Bowl champions are rounding into form.

After 11 one-score wins, there was nothing close about a 29-10 rout of the Steelers.

Patrick Mahomes threw for three touchdowns, including one to Travis Kelce to set the franchise’s all-time record with 77 receiving scores, and helped secure the AFC’s No. 1 seed in the playoffs.

2. Bills 13-3 (2)

Josh Allen threw two touchdowns and ran for another in a 40-14 rout of the Jets to become the NFL’s first player ever to account for 40 touchdowns in five straight seasons.

The Bills put the game away with three third-quarter touchdowns in a span of 5:01 on the way to setting franchise records for points scored (509) and touchdowns (63).

3. Lions 14-2 (3)

In a 2023 NFC Championship Game rematch, the Lions flipped the script and were the ones to make a second-half comeback in a 40-34 win against the 49ers.

Jared Goff threw for 303 yards and three touchdowns.

Jahmyr Gibbs provided the winning points with an electric 30-yard touchdown run.

Jameson Williams scored twice, including once off of a lateral from Amon-Ra St. Brown.

4. Vikings 14-2 (4)

What a time for Sam Darnold to throw for a career-best 377 yards.

Darnold hit three different receivers for touchdowns in a 27-25 win against the Packers that kept alive the Vikings’ hopes of catching the front-running Lions in the division.

He also completed two passes for first downs on the final drive to run out the clock.

5. Eagles 13-3 (5)

Saquon Barkley joined the prestigious 2,000-yard rushing club and moved within 101 yards of breaking Eric Dickerson’s all-time single-season record in a 41-7 victory against the Cowboys.

Down to their No. 3 quarterback after starting the game without Jalen Hurts and losing Kenny Pickett, the Eagles got two touchdown passes from Tanner McKee to clinch the NFC East.

6. Packers 11-5 (6)

In getting swept by the Vikings, the Packers fell to 0-5 against the NFC’s three best teams (Lions, Vikings and Eagles).

Fourth-quarter touchdowns scored by Emmanuel Wilson on the ground and Malik Heath off a pass from Jordan Love closed a 27-10 deficit but the Packers did not get the ball back.

Josh Jacobs scored a touchdown but lost a fumble.

7. Ravens 11-5 (8)

Lamar Jackson’s 48-yard rushing touchdown was the highlight of a memorable day in which he set the NFL’s career rushing record for quarterbacks during a 31-2 blowout of the Texans.

Jackson also threw a touchdown pass to both of his top two tight ends (Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely).

A win this week will clinch the AFC North title.

8. Steelers 10-6 (7)

After getting fat on a soft schedule, the Steelers have dropped three straight — all by at least 14 points — and lost their lead in the AFC North.

Russell Wilson threw an early end-zone interception against the Chiefs that couldn’t be made up for with his second-half rushing touchdown.

The defense didn’t notch a sack or a takeaway.

9. Commanders 11-5 (9)

It took overtime to finish it off, but the Commanders overcame a 10-point halftime deficit to beat the Falcons, 30-24, on Jayden Daniels’ walk-off touchdown pass to Zach Ertz.

Daniels’ third touchdown pass of the game clinched a playoff berth — and was made possible after the Falcons missed a 56-yard field goal at the end of regulation.

10. Chargers 10-6 (10)

Two of Justin Herbert’s three touchdown passes in a 40-7 pasting of the Patriots went to rookie Ladd McConkey, whose 94-yard total put him over 1,000 for the season.

The Chargers clinched a playoff berth in head coach Jim Harbaugh’s first year back on the NFL sidelines since 2014.

J.K. Dobbins ran for 76 yards and a touchdown.

11. Rams 10-6 (13)

12. Broncos 9-7 (11)

13. Buccaneers 9-7 (14)

14. Bengals 8-8 (18)

15. Texans 9-7 (12)

16. Seahawks 9-7 (15)

17. Dolphins 8-8 (17)

18. Falcons 8-8 (16)

19. Cardinals 7-9 (19)

20. Cowboys 7-9 (20)

21. 49ers 6-10 (22)

22. Colts 7-9 (21)

23. Panthers 4-12 (23)

24. Raiders 4-12 (28)

25. Saints 5-11 (24)

26. Jaguars 4-12 (29)

27. Jets 4-12 (25)

The Jets trailed by 40 when they subbed out Aaron Rodgers for Tyrod Taylor, who threw two garbage-time touchdowns in the loss to the Bills.

Rodgers threw two interceptions and took a safety.

The Jets committed a mind-boggling 16 penalties, including five personal fouls, for 120 yards.

The defense allowed five touchdowns, including four in the second half.

28. Bears 4-12 (26)

29. Giants 3-13 (32)

Where was this performance hiding?

The NFL’s lowest-scoring offense exploded in a 45-33 victory against the Colts.

Drew Lock threw four touchdown passes — a first for a Giants quarterback since 2019 — and ran for another.

Ihmir Smith-Marsette returned a kickoff for a touchdown.

And it all knocked the Giants out of position to hold the No. 1 pick in the 2025 draft.

30. Browns 3-13 (27)

31. Titans 3-13 (30)

32. Patriots 3-13 (31)