3 NFL teams playing for something in Week 18 feat. Joe Burrow's Bengals

Denver Broncos v Cincinnati Bengals - Source: Getty
3 NFL teams playing for something in Week 18 | Image Source: Getty

The 2024-2025 NFL regular season comes to a close this Sunday, with Week 18's Sunday slate on the horizon. Many teams have clinched playoff spots while several have been eliminated from playoff contention.

Other NFL teams will be fighting for chances at clinching a playoff berth as a final wildcard team with some division titles up for grabs based on Week 18 results. Teams who have clinched the playoffs already will also be fighting for seeding purposes.

Non-playoff teams could have some brass/coaches/players playing for their futures in their final game this season. Even teams with the worst records will be "fighting" for the No. 1 overall pick. There will be a lot of craziness in Week 18, as the NFL regular season comes to a conclusion on Sunday.


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3 NFL teams fighting for something in Week 18

NFL: OCT 20 Lions at Vikings - Source: Getty
NFL: OCT 20 Lions at Vikings - Source: Getty

With just one week left before the NFL postseason, there are only two playoff spots up for grabs, with one being in each conference. The No. 1 seed in the NFC is also up for grabs that will come down to a Sunday night showdown while the No. 1 seed in the AFC has been secured by the Kansas City Chiefs.

Here are three NFL teams/games that are fighting for their season/something in Week 18:

1] Bengals are playing for a chance to make the playoffs as a wildcard team

The seventh and final seed in the AFC is still up for grabs. With the Kansas City Chiefs clinching the AFC West title and the No. 1 seed, the 10-6 Los Angeles Chargers have clinched a wildcard berth.

With the Baltimore Ravens 11-5 and the Pittsburgh Steelers holding a 10-6 record, both teams have clinched a spot in the playoffs with the AFC North title being determined by the results of Sunday's games.

The final wildcard spot in the AFC will be won by either the Cincinnati Bengals, Miami Dolphins, or the Denver Broncos. The Bengals will get in with a win against the Steelers on Saturday as well as losses from both the Dolphins and Broncos on Sunday.

Denver gets in simply with a win over the Chiefs. The Dolphins get in with a win over the New York Jets and a Broncos loss. If all three teams lose, Denver would get in as they own the tiebreaker.

2] Lions-Vikings face off to determine who wins the NFC North and the No. 1 seed in the NFC

The NFC North division this season has been unreal. Both the Minnesota Vikings and the Detroit Lions enter the final week of the regular season with 14-2 records.

The winner of Sunday's game will not only win the NFC North title but will also win the No. 1 seed in the NFC, earning a first-round playoff bye. The Lions earned a close 31-29 win over the Vikings in Week 7.

The game got moved into the only primetime game on Sunday, as it will be played at 8:20 p.m. in Detroit.

The NFC North will have the No. 1 seed in the conference as well as two wildcard teams as the Green Bay Packers have clinched a wildcard berth.

3] Bucs/Falcons each have a chance to win the NFC South division

The NFC South division will be determined this Sunday. Either the Tampa Bay Buccaneers or the Atlanta Falcons will come out on top and represent the division in the playoffs.

Tampa Bay (9-7) controls their own destiny. If they defeat the New Orleans Saints on Sunday, they win the NFC South title. If the Buccaneers lose and the Falcons beat the Carolina Panthers, the Falcons would win the division based on winning their divisional games against the Buccaneers this season.

Bengals Nation! Check out the latest Cincinnati Bengals Schedule and dive into the Bengals Depth Chart for NFL Season 2024-25.

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Edited by Colin D'Cunha
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