NFL releases Week 18 schedule with playoff berths on the line

The final slate of games for the 2025 NFL regular season is set.

With two division titles up for grabs, and the No. 1 seeds in both the AFC and the NFC yet to be determined, several critical games are on tap for Week 18. In the AFC, both the Denver Broncos and the New England Patriots are alive in the chase for the No. 1 seed, while the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Baltimore Ravens are meeting for the second time this season, this time with the AFC North title on the line.

Over in the NFC, the Seattle Seahawks are hoping to lock up the top seed with a win, while the Carolina Panthers and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will meet with the NFC South title at stake.

Here is the full Week 18 schedule, with some thoughts on the stakes for the bigger games:

Carolina Panthers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 4:30 p.m. Eastern

Seattle Seahawks at San Francisco 49ers, 8:00 p.m. Eastern

The Week 18 slate begins with the NFC South battle between the Carolina Panthers and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. While that game does not officially determine the winner of the division — if the Atlanta Falcons win their final two games they could force a three-way tie — if the Falcons lose to the Los Angeles Rams on Monday Night Football then the winner of that game betwen Carolina and Tampa Bay will clinch the NFC South.

Then Saturday night sees the San Francisco 49ers host the Seattle Seahawks with both the NFC West, and the No. 1 seed in the NFC, on the line.

Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings, 1:00 p.m. Eastern

Cleveland Browns at Cincinnati Bengals, 1:00 p.m. Eastern

Indianapolis Colts at Houston Texans, 1:00 p.m. Eastern

Dallas Cowboys at New York Giants, 1:00 p.m. Eastern

New Orleans Saints at Atlanta Falcons, 1:00 p.m. Eastern

Tennessee Titans at Jacksonville Jaguars, 1:00 p.m. Eastern

Of the games in the early slate, the only matchups with playoff implications are the games in the AFC South. Jacksonville will secure the division title with a win, or a Houston loss or tie. The Texans can still win the AFC South, but will need both a win and a Jaguars loss.

Los Angeles Chargers at Denver Broncos, 4:25 p.m. Eastern

Kansas City Chiefs at Las Vegas Raiders, 4:25 p.m. Eastern

Washington Commanders at Philadelphia Eagles, 4:25 p.m. Eastern

New York Jets at Buffalo Bills, 4:25 p.m. Eastern

Miami Dolphins at New England Patriots, 4:25 p.m. Eastern

Arizona Cardinals at Los Angeles Rams, 4:25 p.m. Eastern

Detroit Lions at Chicago Bears, 4:25 p.m. Eastern

In the late-afternoon slate, the AFC will crown a No. 1 seed, as the Denver Broncos host the Los Angeles Chargers and the New England Patriots host the Miami Dolphins.

Denver has clinched a tiebreaker advantage over the Patriots in this race. The Broncos will clinch the No. 1 seed with a win, while the Patriots need a win and a Broncos loss or tie to secure the No. 1 seed. New England can also slide out of the No. 2 spot and into the No. 3 spot if they lose to Miami, and the Jaguars beat the Tennessee Titans earlier in the day.

Baltimore Ravens at Pittsburgh Steelers, 8:15 p.m. Eastern

The winner takes the AFC North and the final playoff spot in the conference.

The loser watches the playoffs from home.