NFL Playoff Bracket Eventualities 2024-25 Week 18: Standings After 49ers vs. Lions
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It isn’t typically a workforce battling for the NFC’s No. 1 seed has a largely meaningless sport within the penultimate week of the season, however that was the case for the Detroit Lions on Monday.
In any case, their Week 18 showdown in opposition to the Minnesota Vikings might be for the NFC North crown, the No. 1 seed, a first-round bye and home-field benefit till the Tremendous Bowl. That remained the case whether or not the Lions gained or misplaced in opposition to the San Francisco 49ers.
Nonetheless, Detroit constructed some momentum heading into the essential sport with a win over the 49ers.
Now its consideration can flip towards the showdown in opposition to the Vikings. With that because the backdrop, right here is the place everyone seems to be within the present standings heading into the ultimate week of the 2024 common season.
NFC Standings
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Brace Hemmelgarn/Getty Photographs
Division Leaders
1. Detroit Lions (14-2)
2. Philadelphia Eagles (13-3)
3. Los Angeles Rams (10-6)
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-7)
Wild-Card Image
5. Minnesota Vikings (14-2)
6. Washington Commanders (11-5)
7. Inexperienced Bay Packers (11-5)
On the Bubble
9. Atlanta Falcons (8-8)
Eradicated
8. Seattle Seahawks (9-7)
10. Dallas Cowboys (7-9)
11. Arizona Cardinals (7-9)
12. San Francisco 49ers (6-10)
13. New Orleans Saints (5-11)
14. Chicago Bears (4-12)
15. Carolina Panthers (4-12)
16. New York Giants (3-13)
There is not a ton of Week 18 drama within the NFC outdoors of the plain battle for the No. 1 seed between the Lions and Vikings.
The Philadelphia Eagles are locked into the No. 2 seed with the one remaining query being whether or not head coach Nick Sirianni will play operating again Saquon Barkley, who’s 101 dashing yards away from setting the single-season document, in opposition to the New York Giants.
The Los Angeles Rams have already clinched the NFC West, and the Washington Commanders and Inexperienced Bay Packers are locked into wild-card spots.
Nevertheless, the NFC South continues to be up for grabs.
Management of the NFC South is again within the palms of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, although, after the Atlanta Falcons fell to the Commanders in additional time on Sunday. Tampa Bay would be the division champion with a win or a tie in opposition to the New Orleans Saints.
Atlanta must defeat the Carolina Panthers and hope for a New Orleans victory. The Saints have misplaced three straight whereas averaging 9.67 factors in that span, so the Falcons aren’t precisely in preferrred place.
In the end, all eyes might be on the Sunday evening sport between the Vikings and Lions. Detroit gained the primary matchup in Minnesota by simply two factors and might be at house this time round, though the Vikings enter play with 9 straight victories and no scarcity of momentum.
Another win could be huge.
AFC Standings
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Bryan M. Bennett/Getty Photographs
Division Leaders
1. Kansas Metropolis Chiefs (15-1)
2. Buffalo Payments (13-3)
3. Baltimore Ravens (11-5)
4. Houston Texans (9-7)
Wild-Card Race
5. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-6)
6. Los Angeles Chargers (10-6)
7. Denver Broncos (9-7)
On the Bubble
8. Miami Dolphins (8-8)
9. Cincinnati Bengals (8-8)
Eradicated
10. Indianapolis Colts (7-9)
11. New York Jets (4-12)
12. Las Vegas Raiders (4-12)
13. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-12)
14. Cleveland Browns (3-13)
15. Tennessee Titans (3-13)
16. New England Patriots (3-13)
In contrast to the NFC, the highest seed within the AFC is determined.
The Kansas Metropolis Chiefs clinched the first-round bye and home-field benefit with their Christmas Day victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers, which means they may solely need to win three postseason video games to grow to be the primary workforce in NFL historical past to win three straight Tremendous Bowls.
Elsewhere, the Buffalo Payments and Houston Texans are locked into the Nos. 2 and 4 seeds, respectively, as AFC East and AFC South champions.
But the AFC North just isn’t but determined though the Baltimore Ravens are in management and might clinch it with a victory or tie in opposition to the Cleveland Browns. If Cleveland pulls off the upset, the Pittsburgh Steelers can win the division with a win over the Cincinnati Bengals.
Saturday’s sport between Pittsburgh and Cincinnati can also be essential within the race for the AFC’s remaining wild-card spot.
The Denver Broncos management their very own future, however a loss in opposition to a Chiefs workforce that won’t play a few of its regulars after clinching the No. 1 seed would open the door for the Miami Dolphins and Bengals.
Miami must defeat the New York Jets and hope for a Broncos loss, whereas Cincinnati must beat Pittsburgh and hope for losses from each the Broncos and the Dolphins.
It looks like a protracted shot for Joe Burrow and Co. to get into the playoffs at this level, however the workforce has gained 4 in a row with the quarterback taking part in at an MVP stage.
A win on Saturday earlier than the Broncos and Dolphins each play on Sunday would at the least put the stress on the opposite two groups combating for a wild-card spot and add some drama to the ultimate regular-season weekend of the marketing campaign.
