NFL Week 18: Who’s in and who is trying to be in?

Bo Nix (YouTube)

The 2024 National Football League regular season wraps up this weekend with Week 18 games on Saturday and Sunday. Here is what is at stake in each conference.

American Football Conference

The teams that are in and having nothing to play for are the AFC East champions Buffalo Bills (13-3), the AFC West Champions and number one seed Kansas City Chiefs (15-1), and the AFC South champions Houston Texans (9-7). The Los Angeles Chargers are in at 10-6. In the AFC North, the Baltimore Ravens (11-5), and Pittsburgh Steelers (10-6) are also both in and are battling for the division crown (number three seed). Baltimore clinches the AFC North with a win or tie against Cleveland. Pittsburgh wins the AFC North with a win over Cincinnati and a Ravens loss to the Browns.

The seventh seed in the AFC is still up for grabs. Denver gets the spot with a win or tie against Kansas City. However, things get interesting if Denver loses. Miami gets in with a win over the New York Jets and a Denver loss. Cincinnati gets in with a win over Pittsburgh, a Jets win over Miami and a Kansas City win over Denver. The Broncos still get in with a loss, a Miami loss or tie, and a Cincinnati loss or tie.

National Football Conference

Number one in the conference and the NFC North is up for grabs as the Detroit Lions face the Minnesota Vikings. Both teams are at 14 wins and two losses. The winner gets the number one seed and the loser gets the number five seed. So, both teams are playoff bound. The Philadelphia Eagles have won the NFC East at 13 wins and three losses, and the Los Angeles Rams have won the NFC West at 10 wins and six losses. The Washington Commanders and Green Bay Packers are both in with wildcard spots at 11 wins and five losses.

The only spot up for grabs is in the NFC South as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-7) are not only playing the Atlanta Falcons (8-8) for the division title, but for a playoff spot as well. Tampa is in with a win or tie against the New Orleans Saints. The Falcons are in with a win over the Carolina Panthers, and a Tampa loss to New Orleans.