Here are five of the leading Week 18 storylines to follow Sunday.
1 seed Sunday night’s matchup between the Minnesota Vikings and host Detroit Lions will feel like a playoff game.
Sunday’s winner will earn first place in the NFC North and the NFC as a whole.
Now he hopes to deliver another authoritative performance to help the Bucs win the NFC South for a fourth straight season.
Steichen’s Colts, who got embarrassed by the Giants last week and were eliminated from playoff contention, are 7-9 as well.
The NFL regular season ends on Sunday, and the postseason is expected to be fiercely competitive and exciting.
A total of twelve teams—six in each conference—have already punched their playoff tickets. Five teams will compete for the two spots that are left. To decide seeding, a number of other teams must win. The only thing at stake for the other squads is their pride.
These are the top five storylines from Week 18 that you should watch on Sunday. The complete schedule can be found here. ).
1. . Contest for the NFC’s No. 1 seed.
It will feel like a playoff game when the Minnesota Vikings and host Detroit Lions play on Sunday night. The stakes in this game are so high that the intensity of any other match will be insignificant.
Each team has a 14-2 record. While the Lions have won 13 of their last 14 games and two consecutive games, the Vikings have won nine games in a row. The winner on Sunday will take first place in both the NFC North and the NFC overall. With home-field advantage and a first-round bye, the conference’s top seed carries a lot of weight. Therefore, the winner of this game will essentially be two home games away from making it to the Super Bowl.
Since division winners receive the top four seeds, the loser will fall all the way to the fifth seed in the conference. It would probably need to travel during the postseason as a wild-card team. The road ahead is much more difficult, which is why this game is so important.
Detroit prevailed 31-29 in their most recent meeting, which took place in Minnesota during Week 7. After the Lions led 28–17 going into the fourth quarter, linebacker Ivan Pace Jr. led the Vikings to a 29–28 lead with 5:50 remaining. For a touchdown, he returned a fumble 36 yards. In order to complete the victory, Detroit responded with a 44-yard field goal from Jake Bates with 15 seconds remaining. The next week, Minnesota lost to the Los Angeles Rams, but they haven’t lost since.
Will the Vikings, led by quarterback Sam Darnold (one touchdown, one interception against Detroit last time), or will Jared Goff (280 yards, two touchdowns) finish the sweep and carry the momentum into the postseason? (Vikings at Lions, 8:20 p.m. m. ET. ().
2. . The NFC South final.
With a victory and a Buccaneers defeat last Sunday, the Atlanta Falcons, who were leading their division, could have secured the championship. That didn’t occur after Jayden Daniels led the Commanders to victory over Atlanta with a 70-yard march in 13 plays and a 2-yard touchdown pass to Zach Ertz in overtime.
Following that 30-24 defeat and the Bucs’ 48-14 thumping of Carolina, the NFC South rankings saw a reversal. With a win or draw, the Buccaneers now have the chance to secure the division and a postseason berth. The Bucs are strong favorites to win when they play the New Orleans Saints in Tampa Bay. Last week, Baker Mayfield led Tampa Bay to victory with a burst of 359 yards and five touchdown passes. In order to help the Bucs win the NFC South for a fourth consecutive season, he now hopes to put on another dominant performance.
The Falcons will be hoping for a Saints upset while also trying to beat the Panthers. Atlanta advances to the playoffs and wins the division if both occur, while Tampa Bay is eliminated. The Bucs are in if the Falcons lose or draw. Buccaneers vs. Saints and Panthers vs. Falcons, 1 p.m. A. ET. . ().
3. . The last playoff spot in the AFC.
The Denver Broncos’ heartbreaking loss to the Cincinnati Bengals last week cost them the opportunity to secure a postseason berth. They will make another attempt on Sunday to salvage their season. The Chiefs, Bills, Ravens, Texans, Steelers, and Chargers will all be invited to the AFC playoffs if they defeat Kansas City, who is resting several of its starters, including Patrick Mahomes.
But the Broncos are not the only team vying for a postseason berth. Miami and Cincinnati are still up for grabs. To stay in the running for the playoffs, the Bengals defeated the Steelers 19–17 on Saturday night. They will now wait to find out their fate on Sunday.
Sean Payton and his team will be eligible for the playoffs if the Broncos defeat the Chiefs. Miami will overtake the Broncos for the seventh and final seed, though, if Denver loses and the Dolphins defeat the Jets. However, the Dolphins’ chances of making the playoffs are still slim because quarterback Tua Tagovailoa might miss time due to a hip injury. For Cincinnati to make it to the playoffs, Miami and Denver must lose. Dolphins vs. Jets, 4:25 p.m. Chiefs vs. Broncos etc. A. ET. ).
4. Is it Aaron Rodgers’ final song?
Aaron Rodgers was expected to save the Jets. It was expected that the four-time league MVP with the Packers would lead the Jets to a much-needed Super Bowl triumph. However, things have not gone as planned. Plans were derailed by Rodgers’ torn Achilles tendon last season, and a combination of misfortune, dysfunction, and subpar play from Rodgers and many of his teammates have condemned the Jets to yet another season with double digit losses, the fifth consecutive for New York and the tenth in the previous 13 seasons.
According to Rodgers, 41, he is uncertain if he will play in 2025. He claimed to have already given thought to the possibility that Sunday’s game against the Dolphins would mark the end of his career. Before determining whether to return for a 21st season, Rodgers stated that he will take some time to recuperate both physically and mentally.
Whatever Rodgers decides in the end, he wants to close out the season with a win. He only threw 112 yards, no touchdowns, and two interceptions in a 40–14 loss to Buffalo last week. (Dolphins at Jets, 4:25 p.m.) Can Rodgers, who has only thrown for 300 yards once in 2024 and has only had one three-touchdown game this season, put on a standout performance, or has the magic worn off? Can he and the Jets, who have lost six of their last seven games, muster enough fire to defeat a desperate Dolphins team? M. ET. . ().
5. . Last cases are made by coaches on the hot seat.
As the regular season comes to a close, six head coaches are facing uncertain futures. After missing out on the playoffs the previous season, Doug Pederson and the Jaguars were expected to make a comeback. It was expected that Mike McCarthy’s Cowboys would compete for a Super Bowl. During his tenure as interim head coach, Antonio Pierce’s Raiders were expected to build on their successful season finale. Brian Daboll aspired to help the Giants and Daniel Jones reach their full potential. The Colts, led by Shane Steichen, were expected to challenge the Texans’ dominance of the AFC South. Jerod Mayo was expected to begin the Patriots’ rebuilding process in his first season after replacing Bill Belichick.
DIVE IN FURTHER.
The Colts are at a crossroads again after another unsuccessful season: “There is no vision here.”.
Rather, these teams have all performed terribly. The Giants, Raiders, and Jaguars have all suffered 12 or more losses. At 7-9, McCarthy’s Cowboys are limping toward the finish line after battling serious injuries. Steichen’s Colts are 7-9 as well; they were put out of the running for the playoffs after being humiliated by the Giants last week. Mayo and the Patriots will be 3-14 and selected last if they lose on Sunday. first in the NFL Draft.
It’s possible that some owners have already decided how they want their head coaching positions to develop. Others might be undecided about their franchises’ futures. These coaches have one last chance to motivate their teams to put on impressive performances on Sunday. They risk being placed on the infamous Black Monday firing list if they don’t. Colts vs. Jaguars, Giants vs. Eagles, Bills vs. Patriots, and Commanders vs. Cowboys all start at 1 p.m. A. ET. Raiders vs. Chargers, 4:25 p.m. M. ET. ).
(Image of Justin Jefferson at the top: Getty Images/Stephen Maturen).
