Dec 29, 2025
·Max Meyer
The 2025 NFL regular season wraps up this weekend, and while much of the playoff field is already set, Week 18 still carries meaningful implications. Top seeds in both conferences, multiple division titles, the final playoff spots and the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft will all be decided.
Here’s a breakdown of what’s at stake heading into the final regular season slate of games.
NFC No. 1 Seed
The race for the NFC’s top seed comes down to a single game in the NFC West.
The Seahawks enter Week 18 at 13-3, holding a one-game advantage over the 49ers, and the two division rivals will meet Saturday night in Santa Clara at 8 p.m. ET.
The stakes are as high as they get in the NFL: the winner clinches the NFC West title, the No. 1 overall seed in the conference and a first-round bye. Meanwhile, the loser drops into the wild-card round and will have to open the playoffs on the road. Super Bowl LX is at Levi’s Stadium as well, meaning the 49ers won’t have to travel outside of their home stadium as long as they continue winning.
You can get Seahawks vs. 49ers tickets for Week 18 at SeatGeek for as low as $426!
AFC North Title
The AFC North will be decided in the final game of the regular season, with the Ravens visiting the Steelers on Sunday Night Football at 8:20 p.m. ET.
Pittsburgh missed an opportunity to clinch the division in Week 17 with a loss to Cleveland, setting up a winner-take-all finale at Acrisure Stadium. The winner will secure the AFC North title and the No. 4 seed in the AFC playoff bracket, while the loser will be eliminated.
Few matchups carry more history or animosity than Steelers–Ravens, and that rivalry will be front and center with both teams’ seasons hanging in the balance. With playoff positioning, a division crown, and elimination all tied to one game, the intensity should match the stakes.
You can get Ravens vs. Steelers tickets for Week 18 at SeatGeek for as low as $150!
NFC South Title
The other potential win-or-go-home Week 18 matchup will take place Saturday afternoon at 4:30 p.m. ET in Tampa Bay, with the Buccaneers hosting the Panthers.
The 8-8 Panthers currently hold a one-game lead over the 7-9 Buccaneers for the No. 4 seed in the NFC, but Tampa Bay would hold the tiebreaker if those two teams are tied atop the NFC South standings at 8-9.
Where things potentially get complicated, though, is if the 6-9 Falcons also happen to win their final two games, including tonight’s Monday night matchup against the Rams. If the Falcons, Buccaneers and Panthers all finish at 8-9, the Panthers would then have the tiebreaker advantage and win the division.
So if the Falcons lose tonight, this becomes a true play-in game. If the Falcons win on Monday night, the Panthers would have two chances to capture the NFC South—either by beating the Buccaneers on Saturday or if the Falcons pick up a home victory against the Saints on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET.
You can get Panthers vs. Buccaneers tickets for Week 18 at SeatGeek for as low as $109!
AFC No. 1 Seed
Three teams remain in contention for the AFC’s top seed: the Broncos, Patriots and Jaguars.
Denver (13-3) controls its own destiny. A win at home against the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday would secure the No. 1 seed and a first-round bye. The Broncos previously lost to the Chargers in Week 8, and while Los Angeles has already clinched a playoff spot, the Chargers could still play starters to improve their playoff seeding, which adds some uncertainty.
If Denver loses, New England (12-4) can take the top seed by defeating Miami at home. Jacksonville (12-4) has the most difficult path to the No. 1 seed and homefield advantage for the playoffs. The Jaguars must beat Tennessee at home and also need losses by both Denver and New England.
You can get Chargers vs. Broncos tickets for Week 18 at SeatGeek for as low as $181!
AFC South Title
Unlike the other three division races (NFC West, AFC North, NFC South) still up for grabs heading into Week 18, the first- and second-place teams in the AFC South aren’t facing each other to end the regular season. The 12-4 Jaguars host the Titans, while the 11-5 Texans are at home against the Colts, with both of those contests on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET.
All the Jaguars have to do is beat the 3-13 Titans, and they will clinch the AFC South crown in Liam Coen’s first season as head coach after finishing 4-13 the season before. If the Jaguars lose, the Texans will have the chance to take home the AFC South with a win over the Colts.
You can get Titans vs. Jaguars tickets for Week 18 at SeatGeek for as low as $66!
No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft
The Raiders and Giants met this past Sunday with identical 2-13 records. But after the Giants cruised to a 34-10 victory in Las Vegas, the Raiders are now in the driver’s seat for the top pick in the upcoming NFL draft and the chance to grab potential franchise quarterback Fernando Mendoza. The Raiders host the Chiefs on Sunday at 4:25 p.m. ET, and a loss in that game would give Las Vegas the No. 1 overall pick.
If the Raiders beat the Chiefs and the Giants lose to the Cowboys (Sunday at 1 p.m. ET), the Giants would end up with the top pick. If the Raiders win and the Giants win, Las Vegas would hold the tiebreaker over the other potential 3-win teams (Jets, Titans, Cardinals) and still end up with the No. 1 pick.
You can get Chiefs vs. Raiders tickets for Week 18 at SeatGeek for as low as $69!
📁 Categories: NFL