Few but good. There aren’t many games in Week 18, the last week of the regular season of the NFL, that will have a defining value for the playoffs, although those that do promise to provide a lot of excitement, from this Saturday to Sunday night.
In the American Conference, the Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills, Houston Texans, Baltimore Ravens, Los Angeles Chargers, and Pittsburgh Steelers are already classified. There is only one spot left. In the National Conference, the Detroit Lions, Philadelphia Eagles, Los Angeles Rams, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, and Washington Commanders have secured postseason berths. There is also one spot to be determined here.
The decisive matches in the American Conference
- Baltimore Ravens vs Cleveland Browns. Saturday 4:30 pm (EST) on ESPN/ABC. The Ravens secure the AFC North Division title and play the first round of the playoffs at home if they defeat the Browns or if the Steelers lose.
- Pittsburgh vs Cincinnati Bengals. Saturday 8 pm (EST) on ESPN/ABC. Both teams need a victory. The Steelers, although already qualified for the playoffs, need to win and then hope for a Ravens loss to be champions of the AFC North Division. The Bengals, on the other hand, are required to win and also hope for losses by the Broncos and Dolphins on suday to enter the postseason.
- Denver Broncos vs Kansas City Chiefs. Sunday 4.25 pm (EST) on CBS. If the Broncos win, they will qualify for the playoffs as a wildcard. If they lose, they will need the Dolphins and Bengals to lose. The advantage for Denver is that with the Chiefs already secured as the AFC's No. 1 seed, they will rest several starters, including Patrick Mahomes.
- Miami Dolphins vs New York Jets. Sunday 4.25 pm (EST) on FOX. The Dolphins need to win and hope for a Broncos loss.
The decisive matches in the National Conference
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs New Orleans Saints. Sunday 1 pm (EST) on FOX. The "Bucs" qualify if they win or if the Falcons lose.
- Atlanta Falcons vs Carolina Panthers. Sunday 1 pm (EST) on CBS. They need to win and also for the Saints to defeat the Buccaneers.
- Detroit Lions vs Minnesota Vikings.Sunday 8:20 pm (EST) on NBC. The most entertaining game of the last round. Both teams have secured a spot in the postseason with a record of 14-2. The winner will be crowned champion of the NFC North Division and secure the top seed in the conference, which means having a bye in the first round and home-field advantage in the playoffs. The loser, on the other hand, will be the 5th seed and will start playing in the wild-card round.