Week 18 Playoffs Loom Large in NFL Championship Push

The NFL’s 2025-26 playoff picture is starting to take shape as teams near their divisional and wild-card clinching scenarios for the final stretch of the regular season. In the AFC, the top seed will be determined by a three-way tiebreaker between the Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills, and Baltimore Ravens. The Chiefs are currently holding onto the first spot due to better head-to-head record against each other, but any one of these teams could secure the top seed with a favorable win in Week 18. On the other side of the AFC, the Cincinnati Bengals and Los Angeles Chargers will be battling it out for the wild-card spots. The Bengals have clinched their division title, while the Chargers are currently tied for second place with an identical record to two teams behind them. In the NFC, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ quest for a fifth consecutive playoff berth is on the line as they aim to secure a wild-card spot in Week 18. With multiple teams vying for the last available spot, every game down the stretch will be crucial in determining who makes it into the postseason. The Atlanta Falcons and Carolina Panthers are closely tied in their pursuit of a second wild-card spot, but the Falcons’ superior tiebreaker advantage gives them a slight edge over their division rivals.