NFL Playoff Update: Bears, Patriots, and Broncos secure division championships in Week 17

There’s just one week remaining, and two playoff spots are still up for grabs, though the top seed remains undecided.

As we approach Week 18 of the 2025 NFL season, let’s look at where things stand.

During Week 17, the Chicago Bears, Denver Broncos, and New England Patriots all secured their division titles, while the Green Bay Packers and Houston Texans also made the playoffs. Now, let’s dive into how these games shaped the playoff landscape.

With just one week to go, here’s how the NFC playoff picture looks:

× – Advanced to playoffs
y- Won division title
e- Eliminated from playoffs

Starting from the seventh spot, the Green Bay Packers have officially clinched a playoff berth despite their recent loss to the Baltimore Ravens. Head Coach Matt LaFleur has indicated that several key players will be rested during Week 18, given there’s minimal chance for better playoff seeding.

The NFC South will remain competitive heading into the last week, although the matchup between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Carolina Panthers isn’t technically a divisional game. Both teams lost last Sunday, which raises the possibility of a three-way tie. Currently, the Panthers are at 8-8 and the Buccaneers at 7-9—if Tampa Bay wins next week, they’ll both finish at 8-9.

Interestingly, if the Atlanta Falcons win both of their remaining games, they could join the tie at 8-9 as well; they face the Los Angeles Rams tonight. Should three teams end up tied, the Panthers would still win the NFC South even with a loss against the Buccaneers. According to the NFL tiebreaker rules, the first step uses head-to-head matchups.

If the Panthers lose to Tampa Bay, they’d still be 3-1 against the Buccaneers and Falcons, having previously beaten Atlanta. In that case, Tampa Bay would end up 2-2, and Atlanta would finish 1-3.

So, Panthers fans may want to cheer for Atlanta tonight, hoping for a bit of breathing room.

Moving on to Sunday Night Football, the San Francisco 49ers marked a solid win, pushing their record to 12-4, which keeps them in fifth place for the moment. But a victory over Seattle in Week 18 could mean clinching both the NFC West title and the top seed in the conference.

If San Francisco wins, it also means that the Rams won’t have a shot at the NFC West title or the top seed.

Though Chicago takes a loss, they still stay in the No. 2 position but can’t capture the top seed anymore.

As it stands, here are potential matchups for Wild Card Weekend:

Shifting gears to the AFC, the current standings are as follows with only one week remaining:

× – Advanced to playoffs
y- Won division title
e- Eliminated from playoffs

Almost all playoff spots in the AFC are settled.

The last spot will be determined next week when the Baltimore Ravens face the Pittsburgh Steelers. The winning team will not only advance to the playoffs but also secure the AFC North and the fourth seed, while the loser will be out. Pittsburgh had success in their last matchup, but the winner of Week 18 will improve to 4-2 in the division and claim the AFC North title in the second tiebreaker.

Interestingly, if Baltimore and Pittsburgh end up in a tie, Pittsburgh would take the division due to their earlier win against Baltimore.

At the top of the conference, it’s neck and neck for the No. 1 seed between the New England Patriots and Denver Broncos. A win for the Broncos would secure that top position, but the Patriots can also clinch it if Denver loses. The Broncos currently hold the tiebreaker over New England based on their overall record.

New England can only take the No. 1 spot if they win against the Miami Dolphins and Denver loses to the Los Angeles Chargers. The Patriots have already secured the division title thanks to a loss by the Bills against the Eagles, but more on the Bills later.

The battle for the AFC South is still alive, with the 12-4 Jacksonville Jaguars trailing the 11-5 Houston Texans by a game. Both teams have secured playoff spots, but if the Jaguars win against the Tennessee Titans or the Texans lose or tie against the Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville will clinch the division and the No. 3 seed.

Should the Texans win and the Jaguars lose, Houston would claim the AFC South title.

Currently, Houston is the No. 5 seed, tied with the Bills and Chargers at 11-5. However, Houston’s earlier victory over Buffalo gives them an edge in the tiebreaker. They also swept the Chargers this season, while Los Angeles edged out Buffalo based on better performance against common opponents.

If these standings persist, the wild card round matchups are shaping up as follows: