The final week of the 2024 NFL regular season is here, and for some teams, there is not much to play for due to already having their spot set in the playoffs, or worse, being knocked out of playoff contention. 

However, for other teams not on either end of the spectrum, there is everything to play for, making this week a must-win situation while also looking at the rest of the league.

Looking at the current playoff picture, there is only one available playoff spot in both the AFC and NFC. In turn, four games in the AFC and three games in the NFC have playoff implications for nine total teams, whether it is simply making the playoffs or seeding within the bracket.

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Let’s dive into which teams and matchups to watch in Week 18, starting with a potential deep playoff run squad in the AFC:

BALTIMORE RAVENS (vs. Cleveland Browns) – CLINCHED

Lamar Jackson and company already have their playoff spot locked in for 2024 with an 11-5 record, but the AFC North title is still on the line with the Pittsburgh Steelers (more on them in a bit) sitting just one game behind them at 10-6. 

So, with a win or tie for Baltimore, they would win the division and lock up the No. 3 seed, which is an automatic home game in the Wild Card Round. They would also lock those up with a Steelers loss. 

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PITTSBURGH STEELERS (vs. Cincinnati Bengals) – CLINCHED

Like the Ravens, the Steelers have already reached the playoffs as well, but they want that No. 3 seed if they can get it. 

However, unlike the Ravens, they will be going against a much tougher AFC North foe in the Bengals, who are also gunning for an improbable spot in the postseason. 

A slight advantage for the Steelers, though, is that the Ravens will be playing earlier in the day. So, they will know their situation when they take the field against Cincinnati. They would clinch the division title with a win and a Baltimore loss. 

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase, #1, runs with a catch in the first quarter of the NFL Week 11 game between the Los Angeles Chargers and the Cincinnati Bengals at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024.

CINCINNATI BENGALS (vs. Steelers)

On the other sideline in this game is a Bengals team that has stayed alive with wins over the last four games to give themselves an 8-8 and a shot at that final wild card slot. 

A fifth straight win is paramount if they wish to attain that spot, but they also need things to happen in their favor in order to be granted a chance at the Vince Lombardi Trophy. 

After a win, the Bengals will need the Denver Broncos to lose and the Miami Dolphins to either lose or tie. Only then can Joe Burrow and his squad of stars sneak into the playoffs. 

DENVER BRONCOS (vs. Kansas City Chiefs)

The Chiefs have the No. 1 seed in the AFC etched in stone with their league-best 15-1 record, so they will be resting most of their starters on Sunday in preparation for the bye week and to ensure key players like Patrick Mahomes are healthy for the Divisional Round. 

For Bo Nix and the Broncos, however, they have the same plan as they needed a couple of weeks ago: Win and in. The Broncos have lost two straight games, which has kept teams like the Bengals and Dolphins alive in the playoff hunt. 

Can this 9-7 group led by their breakout rookie quarterback and stellar defense get Denver back into the postseason for the first time since they won the Super Bowl in 2015? They will not be seeing the usual Chiefs, and they will be at home to get the job done. 

Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix, #10, throws during the first half of an NFL football game against the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2024 in Seattle. (AP Photo/John Froschauer)

MIAMI DOLPHINS (@ New York Jets)

Like the Bengals, the Dolphins need some help to make the playoffs, but Cincinnati does not fall into those cards. 

Tua Tagovailoa and the Dolphins will need to beat their AFC East rival at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey and have someone watch the Broncos-Chiefs matchup because they will need a Denver loss along with their win to claim that final playoff spot. 

DETROIT LIONS – MINNESOTA VIKINGS: FOR THE NFC NO. 1 SEED

This is perhaps the best game that Week 18 has to offer NFL fans, because the No. 1 seed in the NFC will be determined by who wins the NFC North. 

Both the Lions and Vikings are 14-2, as the latter has ripped off a nine-game win streak and will be hosting the former on “Sunday Night Football” in a highly anticipated bout between two squads that each would love to host every single playoff game except for the Super Bowl. 

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold, #14, looks to throw against the Detroit Lions during the first half of an NFL football game on Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024 in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn)

If that is not enough, the loser would be the No. 5 seed – not the No. 2-4 as those are reserved for division winners. Being the No. 5 seed means going on the road to face the winner of the NFC South (on to that in just a second).

Buckle up, football fans. Two of the best offenses squaring off in Week 18 with tons on the line. It is playoff football without the true elimination. 

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS OR ATLANTA FALCONS?

Once again, the NFC South has not been pretty, but Week 18 provides some suspense as both the Bucs and Falcons will be gunning for that final playoff spot, and it will only be secured by the division title. 

Tampa Bay has the edge, though, as a win over the Carolina Panthers at home would ensure they win the division no matter what happens with the Falcons’ game against the New Orleans Saints. 

However, if the Bucs were to lose and the Falcons were to win, it would be Atlanta winning the division. 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield, #6, drops back against the Carolina Panthers during the second quarter at Raymond James Stadium. (Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images)

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However, they’d have the same 9-8 record, you say? Kirk Cousins might not be Atlanta’s starting quarterback anymore, but he had two of his best games of the season against Tampa Bay, which led to Falcons wins in both matchups. A clean sweep in the regular season means the Falcons own the tiebreaker over the Bucs, which would crown them NFC South champions. 

Both games will be happening at the same time, 1 p.m. ET, which will create the perfect amount of suspense for fans of both franchises. 

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