Full playoff round, wild card matches

The 2024 NFL regular season is coming to an end and the field for the NFL playoffs will soon be set.

At the start of Week 18, 12 of the 14 available playoff spots were already secured. However, there were still three division titles to be determined and numerous seeding scenarios to be decided. That included the No. 1 overall pick in the NFC.

But at the end of the day on Sunday, NFL fans will know the entire 14-team field and the shape of the league’s playoff round. Here’s what we know about it as week 18 results are recorded.

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NFL playoff round, wild card matchups

Here’s a look at the NFL playoffs – and the matchups for Super Wild Card Weekend – as the league’s regular season comes to a close in Week 18.

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AFC Wildcard Matches

1. Kansas City Chiefs (15-1, AFC West winner) – Bye

The Chiefs secured the No. 1 seed with their win over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Christmas in Week 17. That gives them the opportunity to rest their starters in Week 18 and clinch the coveted lone spot in the AFC.

Kansas City will face the conference’s highest-ranked player in the divisional round of the postseason.

2. Buffalo Bills (13-4, AFC East winner) vs. 7. Denver Broncos (9-7, Wildcard No. 3)

The Bills were the only AFC team that had a chance to challenge the Chiefs, but they will settle for the conference’s No. 2 seed instead. Buffalo secured the No. 2 seed in Week 17 and had the chance to sit out its starters in Week 18. Josh Allen maintained his starting streak, but played only one snap and gave up the ball before leaving the game.

Buffalo is currently scheduled to host the Broncos, the only team that has not yet secured a playoff spot as of Sunday afternoon. The Broncos must win or draw against the Chiefs to enter the postseason as the No. 7 seed and set up an exciting first-round matchup between Buffalo’s high-powered offense and Denver’s strong defense.

3. Baltimore Ravens (12-5, AFC North winner) vs. 6. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7, Wildcard No. 2)

The Ravens defeated the Cleveland Browns on Saturday and secured the AFC North. The Steelers couldn’t quite overcome a 12-point, four-quarter deficit in their game Saturday night against the Cincinnati Bengals, denying them a chance to secure the No. 5 seed in the conference.

Instead, the Steelers fell to No. 6 and prepared to play the Ravens for the third time in the first round of the postseason. The division rivals split the season, but Pittsburgh has generally gotten the better of Lamar Jackson throughout his career.

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4. Houston Texans (10-7, AFC South winner) vs. 5. Los Angeles Chargers (10-6, Wildcard No. 1)

The Texans had won the AFC South for a long time and were ranked 4th in the AFC after their Christmas loss to the Ravens. However, they still managed to beat the Tennessee Titans in Week 18 to gain positive momentum heading into the NFL playoffs.

Meanwhile, the Chargers are poised to become the No. 5 seed in the AFC if they can beat the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday afternoon. A loss would allow the Steelers to overtake them and force the Chargers into a tougher matchup with the Ravens. So rest assured that Jim Harbaugh’s team will do their best.

NFC Wildcard Matches

1. Detroit Lions (14-2, NFC North leaders) – Bye

The Lions have not yet clinched the NFC North, but can do so with a win or a tie against the Vikings in their Week 18 Sunday Night Football matchup. If they lose, Minnesota is No. 1 and Detroit, No. 1, drops to No. 5, so the NFL’s final contest of the regular season will be meaningful.

2. Philadelphia Eagles (14-3, NFC East winner) vs. 7. Green Bay Packers (11-6, Wildcard No. 3)

The Eagles played third-string quarterback Tanner McKee in Week 18 after securing the No. 2 pick the previous week. They still defeated the New York Giants 20-13 and established themselves as one of the deepest teams in the league.

The Packers lost to the Chicago Bears in the final week of the season for the first time since 2018. Cairo Santos scored a game-winning field goal as time expired to send the Packers to the postseason after losing two straight games. Green Bay had a chance to be the No. 6 seed in the conference, but now the Packers get a postseason rematch against an Eagles team that beat them 34-29 in Week 1.

3. Los Angeles Rams (10-6, NFC West winner) vs. 6. Washington Commanders (12-5, Wild Card No. 2)

The Rams decided to sit out their starters in Week 18, despite securing the No. 3 seed with a win. If they can’t beat the Seattle Seahawks, they’ll drop to No. 4 and face the NFL’s first wild-card team with 14 wins.

As for the Commanders, they were able to pull off a come-from-behind win against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 18 to secure the sixth spot. This was done by sitting out most of the contest for Jayden Daniels, so he should be fit for Washington’s first playoff game in four years.

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10-7, NFC South winner) vs. 5. Minnesota Vikings (14-2, Wild Card No. 1)

The Buccaneers had a close matchup against the New Orleans Saints in Week 18, but Baker Mayfield and Co. ultimately did enough to earn an eight-point victory over their division rival. Now they’ll wait to see if they can get the No. 4 seed in the NFC or if they can move up to No. 3 with a loss to the Rams.

The No. 5 seed will be the loser of the Lions vs. Vikings game on “Sunday Night Football.” Minnesota has the slightly narrower path to the No. 1 seed – it has to win and can’t get the No. 1 seed in a tie – but it’s more of a coin toss whether it will be the Lions or the Vikings.

NFL playoff schedule

The NFL playoffs begin Jan. 11 with the league’s Super Wild Card Weekend and end Feb. 9 with Super Bowl 59 in New Orleans.

Great Wild Card weekend

Always east

Saturday, January 11th

AFC/NFC wildcard game: 4:30 p.m
AFC/NFC wildcard game: 8 p.m

Sunday, January 12th

AFC/NFC Wildcard Game: 1 p.m
AFC/NFC wildcard game: 4:30 p.m
AFC/NFC wildcard game: 8:15 p.m

Monday, January 13th

AFC/NFC wildcard game: 8:15 p.m

Divisional round

Saturday, January 18th

AFC/NFC division game: 4:30 p.m
AFC/NFC division game: 8:15 p.m

Sunday, January 19th

AFC/NFC division game: 3 p.m
AFC/NFC division game: 6:30 p.m

NFL Conference Championship Round

Sunday, January 26th

NFC Championship Game: 3 p.m
AFC Championship Game: 6:30 p.m

Super Bowl 59

Date: February 9, 2025
Location: Caesar’s Superdome (New Orleans)
Time: 6:30 p.m
TV: FOX

NFL playoff picture week 18

AFC

Kansas City Chiefs (15-1, AFC West winner, No. 1 seed)*
Buffalo Bills (13-4, AFC East winner, No. 2 seed)*
Baltimore Ravens (12-5, AFC North winner, No. 3 seed)*
Houston Texans (10-7, AFC South winner, No. 4 seed)*
Los Angeles Chargers (10-6, Wild Card No. 1)*
Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7, Wild Card No. 2)*
Denver Broncos (9-7, Wild Card No. 3)

On the hunt: Cincinnati Bengals (9-8), Miami Dolphins (8-8).

NFC

Detroit Lions (14-2, NFC North leaders)*
Philadelphia Eagles (14-3, NFC East winners, No. 2 seed)*
Los Angeles Rams (10-6, NFC West winner)*
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10-7, NFC South winner)*
Minnesota Vikings (14-2, Wild Card No. 1)*
Washington Commanders (12-5, No. 2 wild card, No. 6 seed)*
Green Bay Packers (11-6, No. 3 wild card, No. 7 seed)*

denotes teams that won

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Full playoff round, wild card matches

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