AFC Week 18 Playoff-Clinching Scenarios
Who’s Clinched
Baltimore Ravens (1st-round bye), Miami Dolphins (clinch AFC East with a win or tie), Cleveland Browns, Kansas City Chiefs
Clinching Scenarios
Texans – clinch the AFC South with a win OR Jaguars loss/tie/clinch a playoff berth win or tie + Jaguars loss + Steelers loss/tie
Colts – clinch the AFC South with a win + Jaguars loss/tie OR tie + Jaguars loss/clinch a playoff berth with a win OR tie + Steelers loss/tie
Steelers – clinch a playoff berth with win + Bills loss OR win + Jaguars loss/tie OR win + Texans-Colts tie OR tie + Jaguars loss + Texans-Colts don’t tie OR Jaguars loss + Broncos win + Texans-Colts don’t tie
Bills – can clinch AFC East with a win/can clinch a playoff berth with tie OR Steelers loss/tie OR Jaguars loss/tie or Texans/Colts tie
Jaguars – clinch AFC South with a win or tie + Colts-Texans tie/can clinch playoff berth with Jaguars tie + Steelers loss/tie OR Steelers loss + Broncos loss/tie + Colts-Texans don’t tie
NFC Week 18 Playoff-Clinching Scenarios
Who’s Clinched
San Francisco 49ers (1st-round bye), Philadelphia Eagles (can clinch NFC East with win + Cowboys loss/tie OR tie + Cowboys loss), Detroit Lions, Dallas Cowboys (can clinch NFC East with a win OR tie + Eagles tie OR Eagles loss), Los Angeles Rams
Clinching Scenarios
Buccaneers – clinch NFC South with win OR tie + Saints loss/tie/can clinch playoff berth with tie + Seahawks loss + Packers loss/tie
Falcons – clinch NFC South with win + Bucs loss
Saints – clinch NFC with win + Bucs loss/tie OR tie + Bucs loss/can clinch playoff berth with win + Seahawks loss/tie + Packers loss/tie OR Saints tie + Seahawks loss + Packers loss
Seahawks – can clinch a playoff berth with win + Packers loss/tie OR tie + Packers loss + Bucs loss/tie OR Seahawks tie + Packers loss + Bucs loss/tie OR tie + Packers loss + Saints loss/tie
Packers – can clinch playoff berth with win OR tie + Seahawks loss/tie + Saints loss/tie OR Packers tie + Seahawks loss + Bucs loss OR tie + Seahawks tie + Bucs loss/tie OR Vikings loss/tie + Seahawks loss + Bucs loss OR Vikings loss/tie + Seahawks loss + Saints loss
Vikings – can clinch a playoff berth with win + Packers loss + Seahawks loss + Bucs loss OR win + Packers loss + Seahawks loss + Saints loss
Week 18 NFL Injury Updates
- Christian McCaffrey (calf) will not play in San Francisco’s Week 18 finale against the Los Angeles Rams.
- Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence (shoulder) remains “day to day,” per head coach Doug Pederson.
- Falcons QB Taylor Heinicke (ankle) is listed as questionable for Sunday.
- Browns LB Anthony Walker (knee) has been placed on IR.
- Chiefs’ wide receivers Rashee Rice (hamstring) and Kadarius Toney (hip, ankle) and cornerback L’Jarius Sneed (calf) are out for Sunday. With the division and No. 3 seed clinched, QB Patrick Mahomes will also sit this one out.
Week 18 NFL Schedule
Saturday
Pittsburgh Steelers (9-7) at Baltimore Ravens (13-3) – 4:30 pm ET/1:30 pm PT on ABC/ESPN/ESPN+
Houston Texans (9-7) at Indianapolis Colts (9-7) – 8:15 pm ET/5:15 pm PT on ABC/ESPN/ESPN+
Sunday
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-8) at Carolina Panthers (2-14) – 1 pm ET/10 am PT on FOX
Cleveland Browns (11-5) at Cincinnati Bengals (8-8) – 1 pm ET/10 am PT on CBS
Minnesota Vikings (7-9) at Detroit Lions (11-5) – 1 pm ET/10 am PT in FOX
New York Jets (6-10) at New England Patriots (4-12) – 1 pm ET/10 am PT on FOX
Atlanta Falcons (7-9) at New Orleans Saints (8-8) – 1 pm ET/10 am PT on CBS
Jacksonville Jaguars (9-7) at Tennessee Titans (5-11) – 1 pm ET/10 am PT on CBS
Seattle Seahawks (8-8) at Arizona Cardinals (4-12) – 4:25 pm ET/1:25 pm PT on FOX
Chicago Bears (7-9) at Green Bay Packers (8-8) – 4:25 pm ET/1:25 pm PT on CBS
Kansas City Chiefs (10-6) at Los Angeles Chargers (5-11) – 4:25 pm ET/1:25 pm PT on CBS
Denver Broncos (8-8) at Las Vegas Raiders (7-9) – 4:25 pm ET/1:25 pm PT on FOX
Philadelphia Eagles (11-5) at New York Giants (5-11) – 4:25 pm ET/1:25 pm PT on CBS
Los Angeles Rams (9-7) at San Francisco 49ers (12-4) – 4:25 pm ET/1:25 pm PT on FOX
Dallas Cowboys (11-5) at Washington Commanders (4-12) – 4:25 pm ET/1:25 pm PT on FOX
Buffalo Bills (10-6) at Miami Dolphins (11-5) – 8:20 pm ET/5:20 pm PT on NBC
College Football National Championship
Fangirl Nation, it’s time.
The world of college football heads to Houston with the country’s top two teams, No. 2 Washington vs. No. 1 Michigan, playing for the National Championship. Michael Penix Jr. and the Huskies offense will be the best the stout Wolverines defense has faced this season.
For Michigan’s offense, expect to see a lot of running back Blake Corum, while quarterback J.J. McCarthy does J.J. McCarthy things to make magic happen. Am I biased? Yes. That being said, Michigan is favored by 4.5 and I have zero doubt that they will be champions.
The action begins Monday at 7:30 pm ET/4:30 pm PT on ESPN, and I will be in Houston to see it all. GO BLUE!
