Week 18 arrives with division titles on the line, the No. 1 seed still up for grabs in both conferences, and one game that amounts to a de facto playoff elimination round. This is what 18 weeks of regular season football builds toward.
The headline matchup: Ravens at Steelers
Sunday Night Football delivers the stakes we crave. Baltimore (8-8) travels to Pittsburgh (9-7) with the AFC North title and the conference's No. 4 seed hanging in the balance. The loser goes home. Simple as that.
The Ravens enter this matchup with Tyler Huntley having proven capable of winning crucial games when Lamar Jackson has been sidelined. Their two biggest victories of 2025 — against the Bears and Packers — came with Huntley under center. But asking any team to beat a divisional rival in a must-win situation without their MVP quarterback is a tall order.
Pittsburgh's defense hasn't been its dominant self. T.J. Watt, despite a three-year, $123 million extension signed in March, has just 7.0 sacks this season — his lowest output since recording 5.5 in 10 games during 2022. The Steelers rank 28th in yards allowed (357.9) and 30th in passing yards allowed (246.4).
Saturday's NFC showdowns
The action kicks off Saturday with two games carrying playoff implications:
Panthers at Buccaneers (4:30 PM ET, ESPN/ABC): The NFC South title hinges on this one. The winner controls their own destiny, though the Falcons beating the Saints could complicate things. Tampa's once-turbulent playoff path has only gotten rockier — they've lost eight of nine games since their Week 9 bye.
Seahawks at 49ers (8:00 PM ET, ESPN/ABC): Seattle sits at 13-3 and can lock up the NFC's top seed and first-round bye with a win. San Francisco, under Kyle Shanahan's guidance, has exceeded expectations after a massive offseason roster reset. The winner claims the NFC West crown.
The AFC's No. 1 seed chase
Both Denver and New England remain alive for the conference's top spot. The Broncos (11-2 in one-score games) host the Chargers, while the Patriots welcome the Dolphins to Gillette Stadium.
Denver's formula has been maddening and effective in equal measure. As linebacker Alex Singleton put it: "At this point, let's just play all one-score games." Their defense has been title-worthy; their margin for error has been nonexistent.
New England, meanwhile, rides the momentum of clinching the AFC East for the first time since 2019. Drake Maye kept himself in MVP conversation with a five-touchdown performance against the Jets in Week 17.
Other games to monitor
The AFC South picture clarifies Sunday afternoon. Jacksonville secures the division with a win or Houston loss. The Texans need a win and Jaguars loss to claim it.
Green Bay visits Minnesota in a noon kickoff. The Vikings (8-8) have won four straight and look to end the season on a positive note against a Packers team sitting at 9-6-1.
Sunday's slate runs deep: Browns at Bengals, Colts at Texans, Cowboys at Giants, Lions at Bears, Chargers at Broncos, Chiefs at Raiders, Commanders at Eagles, Jets at Bills, Dolphins at Patriots, and Cardinals at Rams — all before the primetime clash in Pittsburgh.
One more week. Everything still to be decided.