The NFL regular season is winding down and the results from Week 17 reset the stakes for Week 18 with the playoff picture nearly complete. Three division titles are still up for grabs and the No. 1 seed in the NFC is going to come down to the climactic Seahawks-49ers showdown in Santa Clara, which is reflected in the league's decisions for the Week 18 schedule.
The slate was revealed after the conclusion of a thrilling Sunday night game with San Francisco holding on for dear life against Chicago to give themselves an improbable shot at the top seed against Seattle in Week 18. Whoever wins that game, which will be played on Saturday night on ESPN and ABC, will secure the top seed throughout the NFC's postseason with the loser dropping to the No. 5 or potentially No. 6 seed.
Full NFL Week 18 schedule
NFL Week 18 Matchup | Date, Start Time and TV Schedule |
|---|---|
Carolina Panthers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Saturday, Jan. 3 – 4:30 p.m. ET (ESPN/ABC) |
Seattle Seahawks at San Francisco 49ers | Saturday, Jan. 3 – 8 p.m. ET (ESPN/ABC) |
Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings | Sunday, Jan. 4 – 1 p.m. ET (CBS) |
Cleveland Browns at Cincinnati Bengals | Sunday, Jan. 4 – 1 p.m. ET (CBS) |
Indianapolis Colts at Houston Texans | Sunday, Jan. 4 – 1 p.m. ET (CBS) |
Dallas Cowboys at New York Giants | Sunday, Jan. 4 – 1 p.m. ET (FOX) |
New Orleans Saints at Atlanta Falcons | Sunday, Jan. 4 – 1 p.m. ET (FOX) |
Tennessee Titans at Jacksonville Jaguars | Sunday, Jan. 4 – 1 p.m. ET (FOX) |
Los Angeles Chargers at Denver Broncos | Sunday, Jan. 4 – 4:25 p.m. ET (CBS) |
Kansas City Chiefs at Las Vegas Raiders | Sunday, Jan. 4 – 4:25 p.m. ET (CBS) |
Washington Commanders at Philadelphia Eagles | Sunday, Jan. 4 – 4:25 p.m. ET (CBS) |
New York Jets at Buffalo Bills | Sunday, Jan. 4 – 4:25 p.m. ET (CBS) |
Miami Dolphins at New England Patriots | Sunday, Jan. 4 – 4:25 p.m. ET (FOX) |
Arizona Cardinals at Los Angeles Rams | Sunday, Jan. 4 – 4:25 p.m. ET (FOX) |
Detroit Lions at Chicago Bears | Sunday, Jan. 4 – 4:25 p.m. ET (FOX) |
Baltimore Ravens at Pittsburgh Steelers | Sunday, Jan. 4 – 8:20 p.m. ET (NBC) |
Everything that matters in the Week 18 schedule
The NFC South's winner-take-all matchup kicks off Week 18 as Carolina takes on Tampa Bay at Raymond James Stadium to determine the No. 4 seed in the NFC. There is an outside possibility that the contest isn't quite the ultimate deciding factor because if Tampa Bay wins and Atlanta wins its final two games, the division would finish in a three-way tie at 8-9, with the tiebreaker going to the Panthers based on their 3-1 record against those opponents.
The choice for Game 272 was an easy one once Cleveland upset Pittsburgh, which created a win-or-go-home fight for the AFC North between the Steelers and Ravens after Baltimore beat Green Bay on Saturday night. Lamar Jackson, who missed that game with a back injury, could be a key X-factor in that contest.
The rest of the slate is split between CBS and FOX, who will have dueling doubleheaders for the final Sunday of the regular season. The AFC South will be decided in the early window, with Jacksonville hosting Tennessee on FOX, while the Texans will be rooting for the Titans to pull an upset to give themselves the crown with a win over the Colts.
The late window will determine home field in the AFC as Denver hosts the Chargers on CBS while the Patriots host Miami on FOX. There is also some seeding drama on the line in the NFC, as Chicago and Philadelphia are playing for the two seed, which would ensure a second home game if chalk holds. The Bears currently hold that spot thanks to a head-to-head victory over the Eagles on Black Friday and would wrap it up with a win, which would set up a third matchup with Green Bay to kick off the postseason.