NFL Playoff picture with every seed clinched after Week 18 (Updated)
By Josh Hill
Here’s a look at the final updated NFL Playoff Picture now that the regular season has come to an end.
Note: This post will be updated with the latest results and the most accurate look at the playoff picture. The bracket will officially be locked in after SNF.
We’ve finally reached the end of the regular season and the NFL Playoff Picture is officially set.
There was a ton of room for chaos in all windows on Sunday, with the AFC dominating the early slate and the NFC stepping up in the late afternoon. As many as six teams were still in the mix to punch a playoff ticket when the day started and only three seeds were locked into place when games kicked off.
Outside of the Chiefs, Jaguars, and Buccaneers, nobody knew where they’d be playing next week and against whom. Kansas City locked up the No. 1 seed on Saturday in Las Vegas, Jacksonville won the AFC South and eliminated the Titans on Saturday night, and the Buccaneers were locked into the NFC’s No. 4 seed without a chance to climb any higher or fall any lower based on Sunday’s results.
Everyone else braced for total chaos.
The AFC was mostly straightforward, with the Patriots needing a win to clinch the No. 7 seed. Miami needed a win and a Patriots loss, and the Steelers needed a win plus losses by the Patriots and Dolphins.
Over in the NFC, the Packers controlled their own destiny, needing a win on Sunday Night Football to punctuate one of the more improbable comebacks this season. Green Bay hasn’t lost since November 27th, winning four straight games and storming back into the playoff picture. Detroit needed a Seattle loss to remain alive, but regardless of its own playoff standing would be playing to knock the Packers out of the playoffs on national television.
Aside from tickets that needed to be punched, the seeding situation was all over the place. Philadelphia needed a win or a 49ers loss to clinch the No. 1 seed, while the Vikings were clinging to hope that the No. 2 seed would still be in play when the dust settled. Buffalo and Cincinnati were jockeying for the No. 2 seed in the AFC, while Ravens and Chargers needed to see where the chips fell to know what seed they’d be locked into for next weekend.