NFL playoff scenarios and schedule for Week 18 - 3 minutes read
Week 18 of the 2021 NFL season is upon us. The playoff picture is quite a bit clearer than it was even one week ago -- with a number of spots clinched in Week 17 -- but there are many questions to be answered as the postseason bracket is filled up.
In the NFC, six teams have already clinched spots, including the Packers (the No. 1 seed) and division champion Buccaneers and Cowboys. The NFC West title remains up for grabs, as does the last wild-card spot, with two clubs looking to clinch.
Over in the AFC, the Titans, Chiefs and Bengals have clinched their respective divisions, while the Bills and Patriots look to grab the AFC East title. Four teams remain in play for the No. 1 seed, with five others vying for the remaining two wild-card spots.
There's still a lot to play for, starting with two Saturday games and ending Sunday night with a win-and-you're-in game between the Chargers and Raiders. Here's the full Week 18 schedule, along with the clinching scenarios for the teams still in the hunt.
WEEK 18 SCHEDULE
Saturday
4:30 p.m. ET
Kansas City Chiefs at Denver Broncos (ESPN, ABC, ESPN+)
8:15 p.m. ET
Dallas Cowboys at Philadelphia Eagles (ESPN, ABC, ESPN+)
Sunday
1 p.m. ET
Cincinnati Bengals at Cleveland Browns
Green Bay Packers at Detroit Lions
Chicago Bears at Minnesota Vikings
Washington Football Team at New York Giants
Indianapolis Colts at Jacksonville Jaguars
Pittsburgh Steelers at Baltimore Ravens
Tennessee Titans at Houston Texans
4:25 p.m. ET
New Orleans Saints at Atlanta Falcons
New York Jets at Buffalo Bills
San Francisco 49ers at Los Angeles Rams
New England Patriots at Miami Dolphins
Seattle Seahawks at Arizona Cardinals
Carolina Panthers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
8:20 p.m. ET
Los Angeles Chargers at Las Vegas Raiders
CURRENT PLAYOFF PICTURE
NFC
Six teams have already clinched playoff berths: GB, LAR, TB, DAL, ARI and PHI
(1) Packers: First-round bye
(7) Eagles at (2) Rams
(6) 49ers at (3) Buccaneers
(5) Cardinals at (4) Cowboys
AFC
Five teams have already clinched playoff berths: TEN, KC, CIN, BUF and NE
(1) Titans: First-round bye
(7) Chargers at (2) Chiefs
(6) Colts at (3) Bengals
(5) Patriots at (4) Bills
WEEK 18 PLAYOFF CLINCHING AND SEEDING SCENARIOS
For many teams, it is a good thing there is one more week of the season. Some are looking to squeeze into the playoffs as others try to gain positioning and clinch their division. Here are the clinching scenarios:
Race for NFC playoff spots
Saints clinch with win and 49ers loss
49ers clinch with win or Saints loss
Race for NFC West title
Cardinals clinch NFC West with win and Rams loss
Rams clinch NFC West with win or Cardinals loss
Race for AFC playoff berths
Ravens clinch with
Win and Colts loss and Chargers loss and Dolphins loss
Colts clinch with:
Win or
Steelers loss and Chargers loss and Dolphins win
Raiders clinch with:
Win or
Tie and Colts loss or
Colts loss and Steelers loss
Chargers clinch with:
Win or
Tie
Steelers clinch with:
Win and Colts loss and Chargers-Raiders doesn't end in tie
Dan Orlovsky breaks down why he thinks the Colts have the best formula to knock off the Chiefs in the AFC playoffs.
Race for AFC No. 1 seed (and first-round bye)
Titans clinch with:
Win or
Chiefs loss and Bengals loss and Patriots loss or
Chiefs loss and Bengals loss and Bills win
Chiefs clinch with:
Win and Titans loss
Bengals clinch with:
Win and Titans loss and Chiefs loss and Patriots loss or
Win and Titans loss and Chiefs loss and Bills win
Patriots clinch with:
Win and Bills loss and Titans loss and Chiefs loss
Race for AFC East title
Bills clinch with win or Patriots loss
Patriots clinch with win and Bills loss
Source: www.espn.com - NFL