NFL playoff picture Week 18: Wild-card matchups set, Steelers steal final spot

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NFL playoff picture Week 18: Wild-card matchups set, Steelers steal final spot

Nate Davis, USA TODAY · USA TODAY Sports

Sun, Jan 4, 2026 ·

6 min read

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The playoff field for the 2025 NFL season is set, the wild and crazy 272nd and final game of the regular season between the Ravens and Steelers determining the field's final entry − Pittsburgh , newly crowned champs of the AFC North, as it turns out.

One other division was determined Sunday − a day after the NFC South-winning Panthers lost in Tampa ... before the Falcons backed them onto the throne. Seeding in both conferences was also finalized Sunday, including the Broncos wrapping up the top spot in the AFC.

Here's where things stand with the regular season now complete:

Week 6: Washington Commanders wide receiver Chris Moore (19) celebrates with teammates after scoring a touchdown during the "Monday Night Football" game against the Chicago Bears at Northwest Stadium. The Commanders wore their all-black alternate uniforms for the game.
(Peter Casey, Imagn Images)

Week 6: Atlanta Falcons running back Tyler Allgeier (25) carries the ball for a touchdown against the Buffalo Bills at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The Falcons played the game while sporting throwback uniforms that harken back to the team's inaugural season of 1966.
(Brett Davis, Imagn Images)

Week 6: Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen operates at the line of scrimmage before a play against the Atlanta Falcons during a "Monday Night Football" game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The Bills wore throwback uniforms reminiscent of the team's look from 1962-1973 during the game.
(Brett Davis, Imagn Images)

Week 6: Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young looks for a receiver against the Dallas Cowboys at Bank of America Stadium. The Panthers wore this uniform combination for the first time in the 30-27 win.
(Cory Knowlton, Imagn Images)

Week 5: Buffalo Bills wide receiver Curtis Samuel makes a catch against the New England Patriots at Highmark Stadium. The Bills wore their new "Rivalries" uniform for the "Sunday Night Football" game, which the Patriots won, 23-20 .

(Gregory Fisher, Imagn Images)

Week 5: Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray makes a throw during the third quarter against the Tennessee Titans at State Farm Stadium. The Cardinals wore their all-black uniforms, but were defeated 22-21.
(Joe Camporeale, Imagn Images)

Week 5: Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield awaits the snap against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field. Both teams wore throwback uniforms in the Buccaneers' 38-35 win. The Buccaneers and Seahawks entered the NFL together as expansion teams in 1976.

(Joe Nicholson, Imagn Images)

Week 5: Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Tory Horton (15) is congratulated by teammate AJ Barner (88) after catching a touchdown pass against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the second half at Lumen Field. The Seahawks wore throwback uniforms harkening back to the team's original look from 1976-2001.
(Steven Bisig, Imagn Images)

Week 5: Los Angeles Chargers running back Omarion Hampton (8) runs against the Washington Commanders during the first quarter at SoFi Stadium. The Chargers wore monochrome powder blue uniform pants and jerseys for the first time.
(Gary A. Vasquez, Imagn Images)

Week 5: New York Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson (5) is tackled by the Dallas Cowboys' Trevon Diggs (7) and Juanyeh Thomas (2) during the first half at MetLife Stadium. The Cowboys wore their "Arctic White" uniforms for the 37-22 win.
(Vincent Carchietta, Imagn Images)

Week 5: New York Jets quarterback Justin Fields stands in the pocket against the Dallas Cowboys during the first half at MetLife Stadium. The Jets wore their all-black uniforms in the 37-22 loss.
(Robert Deutsch, Imagn Images)

Week 4: Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) hands the ball off to running back J.K. Dobbins during the "Monday Night Football" game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Empower Field at Mile High. The Broncos wore their "Midnight Navy" uniforms for the 28-3 win .

(Isaiah J. Downing, Imagn Images)

Week 4: Miami Dolphins running back De'von Achane rushes the ball against the New York Jets during a 27-21 win on "Monday Night Football" at Hard Rock Stadium. The Dolphins wore their new their Nike "Rivalries" uniforms – the team version dubbed "Dark Waters."

(Rich Storry, Imagn Images)

Week 4: The Arizona Cardinals defense tackles Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Tory Horton (15) during the first quarter of a "Thursday Night Football" game at State Farm Stadium. The Cardinals became the first NFL team to wear the new Nike "Rivalries" uniform in a game. The Seahawks won the game, 23-20 .

(Mark J. Rebilas, Imagn Images)

Week 3: Baltimore Ravens tight end Charlie Kolar (88) makes a catch during his team's "Monday Night Football" game against the Detroit Lions at M&T Bank Stadium. The Ravens wore their all-black uniforms for the game dubbed, "Darkness Falls." Despite the fancy marketing moniker, the Ravens were defeated, 38-30.
(Mitch Stringer, Imagn Images)

Week 3: New Orleans Saints running back Kendre Miller (5) stiff arms Seattle Seahawks linebacker Tyrice Knight (48) during the second quarter at Lumen Field. The Saints wore their all-white uniform and helmet combo for the first time in the 44-13 loss.

(Joe Nicholson, Imagn Images)

Week 3: San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey carries the ball against the Arizona Cardinals during the first half at Levi's Stadium. The 49ers wore throwback jerseys - an homage to the team's 1950s look, as well as its 1994 Super Bowl-winning season - in the 16-15 win against the Cardinals.

(Cary Edmondson, Imagn Images)

Week 3: New England Patriots tight end Hunter Henry (85) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Gillette Stadium. New England brought out its iconic "Pat Patriot" throwback in the 21-14 defeat.
(Paul Rutherford, Imagn Images)

Week 3: Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Rachaad White (1) runs with the ball as New York Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner attempts to make the tackle during the second quarter at Raymond James Stadium. The Buccaneers wore their famous "Creamsicle" throwback uniforms in the 29-27 win.
(Kim Klement Neitzel, Imagn Images)

Week 3: Cleveland Browns running back Quinshon Judkins celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Green Bay Packers during the fourth quarter at Huntington Bank Field. The Browns debuted their "Alpha Dawg" alternate uniform for the 13-10 win.
(Ken Blaze, Imagn Images)

Week 3: Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Jourdan Lewis (2) celebrates after making an interception in the fourth quarter against the Houston Texans at EverBank Stadium. The Jaguars wore their "Prowler Throwbacks" - an homage to the team's late-1990s heyday - for the 17-10 win.
(Morgan Tencza, Imagn Images)

Week 3: Carolina Panthers tight end JaTavion Saunders runs with the ball against the Atlanta Falcons at Bank of America Stadium. The Panthers wore their special black helmets in the 30-0 win.
(Bob Donnan, Imagn Images)

Week 2: Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) runs the ball against the Atlanta Falcons at U.S. Bank Stadium. Sporting "The Vikings Classic" throwback uniform inspired by the team's look during the 1960s and '70s, Minnesota was defeated, 22-6.

(Jeffrey Becker, Imagn Images)

Week 2: The Green Bay Packers' Micah Parsons (1) reacts during a "Thursday Night Football" game against the Washington Commanders at Lambeau Field. The Packers wore their "Winter Warning" uniforms for the 27-18 win.
(Jeff Hanisch, Imagn Images)

Week 1: New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara scores a touchdown against the Arizona Cardinals at Caesars Superdome. The Saints wore their reimagined "Gameday Gold" uniforms for their season opener, marking the first time the team wore gold jerseys since the 2002 season. The Cardinals defeated the Saints, 20-13.
(Stephen Lew, Imagn Images)

AFC playoff picture

yz − 1. Denver Broncos (14-3), AFC West champions:Sunday's win over the Chargers , who rested a lot of key players, gave the Broncos home-field advantage and a first-round bye in a season which brought Denver's first division title in a decade − which was also the last time they won the Super Bowl. The common-games tiebreaker gives the Broncos the No. 1 seed instead of New England . Remaining schedule: Bye, TBD

y − 2. New England Patriots (14-3), AFC East champions:They have their first division title since 2019 even if they couldn't quite get up to the conference's top spot, as Tom Brady and Co. so frequently did. Their Week 1 loss to the Raiders cost them in the tiebreaker department. Remaining schedule: vs. Chargers, Jan. 11 (8 p.m. ET)

y − 3. Jacksonville Jaguars (13-4), AFC South champions: They won their ninth straight game with ease, capturing the division crown for the first time since 2022. Remaining schedule: vs. Bills , Jan. 11 (1 p.m. ET)

y − 4. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7), AFC North champions: In a wild finale, their kicker's late-game letdown wasn't nearly as bad as Baltimore 's. Aaron Rodgers and Co. forge ahead. Remaining schedule: vs. Texans , Jan. 12 (8 p.m. ET)

x − 5. Houston Texans (12-5), wild card No. 1: They've won 10 of 11, including nine in a row after Sunday's narrow defeat of Indianapolis . But the Texans weren't able to overtake similarly surging Jacksonville for the top spot in the AFC South. However Houston, which beat both the Chargers and Bills this season, locks into the fifth seed and a guaranteed wild-card matchup on the road against Pittsburgh. Remaining schedule: at Steelers, Jan. 12 (8 p.m. ET)

x − 6. Buffalo Bills (12-5), wild card No. 2: Their subs whacked the Jets and moved the Bills up to the sixth seed and a trip to Duval County. Remaining schedule: at Jaguars, Jan. 11 (1 p.m. ET)

x − 7. Los Angeles Chargers (11-6), wild card No. 3: They'll be on the road as long as they're postseason relevant. Remaining schedule: at Patriots, Jan. 11 (8 p.m. ET)

Week 1: Detroit Lions wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa (18) makes a catch for a touchdown against the Green Bay Packers during the fourth quarter at Lambeau Field. The play was originally ruled an incomplete pass, but the call was overturned. Despite TeSlaa's effort, the Packers won the game 27-13.

(Jeff Hanisch, Imagn Images)

Week 1: The New England Patriots' Robert Spillane (14) and Christian Elliss (53) tackle Las Vegas Raiders tight end Michael Mayer (87) during the second half at Gillette Stadium. The Raiders won the game, 20-13.
(Bob DeChiara, Imagn Images)

Week 1: New York Giants quarterback Russell Wilson (3) fumbles the ball on a tackle by Washington Commanders safety Will Harris (3) during the first quarter at Northwest Stadium. It was a rough Giants debut for Wilson (17 of 37 passing for 168 yards) as the Commanders won the game, 21-6.
(Peter Casey, Imagn Images)

Week 1: Fireworks go off before the NFL Kickoff Game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys at Lincoln Financial Field. The defending Super Bowl champion Eagles opened the season with a 24-20 victory over their longtime NFC East rivals.
(Eric Hartline, Imagn Images)

NFC playoff picture

yz − 1. Seattle Seahawks (14-3), NFC West champions:Huge win at Silicon Valley on Saturday night assured them of staying home in the Pacific Northwest − with a week off − unless they get back to Santa Clara for Super Bowl 60. Remaining schedule: Bye, TBD

y − 2. Chicago Bears (11-6), NFC North champions: They hung on to the second seed and the two home playoff games it could bring despite losing to Detroit . Next? A 2025 season trilogy matchup with Green Bay . Remaining schedule: vs. Packers , Jan. 10 (8 p.m. ET)

y − 3. Philadelphia Eagles (11-6), NFC East champions:They're the first team to win this division in successive years since they last did it 21 years ago. Successive Super Bowl wins feels like a much longer shot. Remaining schedule: vs. 49ers , Jan. 11 (4:30 p.m. ET)

y − 4. Carolina Panthers (8-9), NFC South champions:Turns out Saturday's loss at Tampa didn't finish the Panthers. Atlanta saved them Sunday by beating New Orleans and creating a three-way tie atop the division. The Panthers' 3-1 record against the Falcons and Bucs proved to be the determining tiebreaker. Remaining schedule: vs. Rams , Jan. 10 (4:30 p.m. ET)

x − 5. Los Angeles Rams (12-5), wild card No. 1: They became the first team this season to clinch a playoff spot but lost the pathway to home-field advantage and a first-round bye after consecutive losses. But they got back on track against Arizona on Sunday, claiming the fifth seed − and a matchup with the NFC South champion Panthers − to wrap the regular season. Remaining schedule: at Panthers, Jan. 10 (4:30 p.m. ET)

x − 6. San Francisco 49ers (12-5), wild card No. 2: They could have stayed home for the next month as long as they kept winning. Alas, they lost Saturday and plummeted to the sixth seed Sunday − which means a trip to the City of Brotherly Love. Remaining schedule: at Eagles, Jan. 11 (4:30 p.m. ET)

x − 7. Green Bay Packers (9-6-1), wild card No. 3: Locked into the seventh seed a week ago, they won't play another game at Lambeau Field this season. Remaining schedule: at Bears, Jan. 10 (8 p.m. ET)