Which NFL teams need to win this week? Scenarios for franchises in the hunt entering Week 18 

There are still several mini-battles to be resolved in the AFC and NFC conferences as we enter Week 18 of the 2022 NFL season. With multiple teams competing for the top seed in both conferences and several teams looking to squeeze into the postseason, there is still a lot to play for.

In Week 14, the Philadelphia Eagles became the first team to enter the postseason. The following week, they were accompanied by the Kansas City Chiefs, San Francisco 49ers, Buffalo Bills, Minnesota Vikings, and Dallas Cowboys. The next teams to secure their spots in Week 16 were the Los Angeles Chargers, Cincinnati Bengals, and Baltimore Ravens.

The division titles that have been confirmed have gone to the San Francisco 49ers (NFC West), Buffalo Bills (AFC East), Kansas City Chiefs (AFC West), and Minnesota Vikings (NFC North). The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were able to save their stop-start campaign last week with a win that gave them the NFC South title and another playoff berth.

Additionally, for the first time since 2016, the New York Giants have advanced into the postseason.

Let's examine the teams still in the hunt entering Week 18 of the 2022 NFL season:

Franchises in the hunt for the NFL playoffs

Jacksonville Jaguars and Tennessee Titans, AFC South

Head coach Doug Pederson of the Jacksonville Jaguars celebrates after the game against the Houston Texans

We have lumped these two together as due to their imminent winner-takes-all matchup, their fates are entwined.

The 8-8 Jacksonville Jaguars have experienced quite the season, losing five consecutive matches from Week 4-8 before sweeping their last four contests. Jacksonville will win the AFC South if they defeat the 7-9 Tennessee Titans in Week 18.

This is the clearest way for them to enter the playoffs, as a loss means they will need a lot of assistance from other sides to qualify as a wild card. They would require New England, Pittsburgh and Miami to all lose in Week 18.

For the Titans, it is clearer, although confidence is not high in Tennessee right now. They've lost six on the bounce, but a win in Florida gives them the AFC South title. This is a game to keep an eye on as passions will be high.

Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers, NFC North

Aidan Hutchinson of the Detroit Lions walks off the field after a win over the Chicago Bears

In another exciting game, the Detroit Lions face the Green Bay Packers in Week 18. Both sides are in with a shot at the NFL playoffs, although the Lions' road is trickier than that of the Packers. That said, it's simple enough. To take the seventh spot in the NFC, the Lions must win, and the Seattle Seahawks must lose.

The Green Bay Packers were 4-8, and Aaron Rodgers experienced the poorest start to an NFL season ever. Rodgers didn't even seem to have a chance of getting the Packers out of that mess. Jordan Love was widely expected to displace the experienced signal-caller for the remainder of the campaign.

Since that poor run, the Packers have risen from the dead. Their secondary has undergone a significant transformation over the team's four-game winning run and the offense is getting it done.

To guarantee a spot in the NFL playoffs, the Green Bay Packers need to defeat the Detroit Lions in Week 18.

Pittsburgh Steelers, AFC North

Another side that has undergone something of a transformation is the Pittsburgh Steelers. After a poor start and some underwhelming offense, the Steelers are somehow still in contention.

In Week 17 they needed a myriad of results to go their way just to survive. These included the Miami Dolphins and New York Jets both losing and Pittsburgh beating the Baltimore Ravens. Luckily for the Steelers, they all came in.

Week 18 is no easier. The Steelers must beat the Cleveland Browns, the New England Patriots must lose to the Bills and the Miami Dolphins must lose to the Jets. It seems impossible, but these things happen in the NFL and Pittsburgh made the 2021 postseason in crazier circumstances.

Seattle Seahawks, NFC West

This situation is also tricky. If the Seattle Seahawks want to secure an NFL postseason berth, they must defeat the Los Angeles Rams in Week 18. They also need the Detroit Lions to beat the Green Bay Packers. If the Seahawks and the Lions end with 9-8 records, the Seahawks will prevail with a tiebreaker over the Lions.

Miami Dolphins, AFC East

Before Week 17, the Miami Dolphins were considered the odds-on favorites to advance to the postseason. However, they have already slipped out after suffering their fifth consecutive loss.

They do, however, have a great chance of taking the last wild-card spot. They must defeat the struggling New York Jets and pray that New England falls to Buffalo. If the Patriots beat Buffalo, the Dolphins are out.

New England Patriots, AFC East

Speaking of the Patriots, they have playoff ambitions too. They primarily have a simple win-and-in route. If they beat the Bills, they're in the NFL postseason.

If they lose, however, they can still make it. They will need the Dolphins to lose to the Jets, the Steelers to lose to the Browns and the Titans to lose to the Jaguars.