Next Sunday night’s game between the Lions and the Vikings is most influential match But that’s not the only thing that will affect the overall playoff picture.
Saturday’s game will determine who wins the AFC North and whether the Bengals have a chance to advance to the postseason. If they beat the Steelers, they’ll survive Sunday and the Ravens will be the division champions. The Ravens would also win the championship if they defeated the Browns, and if the Steelers won and the Ravens lost, Pittsburgh would become the AFC North champion.
The winner of the AFC North will be the third seed in the AFC. The Chiefs are No. 1, the Bills are No. 2, and the Texans are No. 4.
If the Bengals win, the Broncos would need to lose to the Chiefs and the Dolphins would need to lose to the Jets to advance. If the Broncos win, they will become a wild card team and the Dolphins will qualify with a 1-1 record against Denver.
Atlanta’s loss on Sunday night means the Bucks will defeat the Saints to win the NFC South. If the Falcons win and the Bucks lose, they’ll win the title, but if both teams lose, Tampa will advance.
The Lions and Vikings conclude the regular season in Detroit on Sunday night. Both teams are in the playoffs, but the winner will become the NFC North champion and the No. 1 seed in the NFC, while the loser will enter the first round as the No. 5 seed.
Elsewhere in the NFC, the Eagles are guaranteed to be the No. 2 seed, but either the Rams or the NFC South champions could be the No. 3 seed. There will be a lot of meaningful games in Week 18, as the Packers and Commanders will decide who finishes 6th and 7th.
