The final week of the 2024 NFL regular season is almost here, and the playoff picture is nearly set.
Six teams from each conference have now punched their playoff tickets. In the AFC, the defending champion Kansas City Chiefs claimed the No. 1 seed on Christmas Day, while the Buffalo Bills, Pittsburgh Steelers, Baltimore Ravens, Houston Texans and Los Angeles Chargers are all in.
In the NFC, the Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings and Green Bay Packers (who all reside in the NFC North) are joined by the Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Commanders and Los Angeles Rams.
That leaves just two postseason spots remaining. But there's still plenty else at stake heading into the regular-season finale, including three division titles and the No. 1 seed in the NFC.
Check out this week's playoff scenarios below!
[Related:2024 NFL Playoff Bracket, Schedule, Standings]
AFC
HOW THE BALTIMORE RAVENS CAN CLINCH THE AFC NORTH AND NO. 3 SEED
- Baltimore Ravens win or tie OR
- Pittsburgh Steelers loss or tie
The red-hot Ravens reeled off three double-digit wins in 11 days, including victories over two other playoff teams (Steelers, Texans). As a result, they're in charge of their own fate. With a win over the Cleveland Browns on Saturday, Baltimore can secure its second straight AFC North title.
The Browns are just 3-13 and have lost five in a row, though they did beat the Ravens in Week 8. If the Ravens, led by MVP candidate Lamar Jackson, can get revenge, then they'll take the division and host at least one playoff game as the No. 3 seed.
HOW THE PITTSBURGH STEELERS CAN CLINCH THE AFC NORTH AND NO. 3 SEED
- Pittsburgh Steelers win + Baltimore Ravens loss
The Steelers have been on the opposite trajectory as the Ravens, cooling off after they topped Baltimore in Week 11 and improved to 8-2. Since then, Pittsburgh has dropped four of its last six contests, including three in 11 days.
Now, the Steelers need to snap their losing streak and get a little help to win their first division race since 2020. They'll do that, and get the No. 3 seed, if they beat the Bengals for the second time this season and if the Browns upset the Ravens.
HOW THE CINCINNATI BENGALS CAN CLINCH A PLAYOFF BERTH
- Cincinnati Bengals win + Denver Broncos loss + Miami Dolphins loss or tie
The Bengals looked dead in the water not that long ago. At the start of December, they were 4-8, with seven of those losses coming in one-score games. One month later, they're 8-8 and their playoff hopes remain alive, thanks in part to a thrilling overtime win over the Broncos last weekend and Joe Burrow's strong performance this season.
That's the good news for Cincinnati. The bad news is that it needs three outcomes to go in its favor. Not only do the Bengals need to take down the Steelers in Pittsburgh on Saturday night, but they also need the Broncos to lose to the Chiefs (who could be resting their starters) and the Dolphins to lose to or tie with the Jets.
HOW THE DENVER BRONCOS CAN CLINCH A PLAYOFF BERTH
- Denver Broncos win or tie OR
- Miami Dolphins loss or tie + Cincinnati Bengals loss or tie
For the third week in a row, the Broncos have an opportunity to end their long playoff drought. They haven't been back to the postseason since their Super Bowl 50 win.
They came up short the first two times, first after blowing a 24-13 lead against the Chargers and then by falling to the Bengals with 1:07 left in overtime. Third time could be the charm, if Denver can defeat Kansas City at home.
The Chiefs have lost just once this season, but the Broncos were a blocked field goal away from beating them earlier this season. It's also possible Kansas City, which has sewn up the AFC's top seed, will sit its starters for all or most of the afternoon.
Even if the Broncos lose their third straight, they can get back to the playoffs if the Dolphins and Bengals both lose or tie.
HOW THE MIAMI DOLPHINS CAN CLINCH A PLAYOFF BERTH
- Miami Dolphins win + Denver Broncos loss
Like the Bengals, the Dolphins' postseason chances were on life support not that long ago. They were 2-6 at midseason and had been without starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa for four of those games.
Heading into the final week, they're 8-8 and could potentially be without Tagovailoa for the second consecutive Sunday. Backup Tyler Huntley guided Miami to a win over the three-win Browns in Week 17 after Tagovailoa was ruled out with a hip injury. Huntley could be called on again when the Dolphins visit the four-win Jets. Miami has to beat the Jets, and have the Broncos lose to the Chiefs, in order to make the postseason for the third year in a row.
NFC
HOW THE DETROIT LIONS CAN CLINCH THE NFC NORTH AND NO. 1 SEED
- Detroit Lions win or tie
Even after a win over the San Francisco 49ers on Monday night, the Lions can't lose to the Vikings in the regular-season finale, or else they'll miss out on retaining the NFC North title. More importantly, the No. 1 seed — and the first-round bye and home-field advantage that come with it — will also be up for grabs in Detroit.
HOW THE MINNESOTA VIKINGS CAN CLINCH THE NFC NORTH AND NO. 1 SEED
- Minnesota Vikings win
The Vikings will take their NFL-leading nine-game winning streak into Ford Field on Sunday night, looking to lock down the NFC's No. 1 seed, regain the division throne and avenge an earlier loss to the Lions.
In Week 7, the Lions edged past the Vikings on a last-minute field goal. Minnesota fell to the Rams the following week and hasn't lost since. But only one of those wins — against the Packers in Week 17 — came against a team that is currently in the playoff picture.
HOW THE ATLANTA FALCONS CAN CLINCH THE NFC SOUTH
- Atlanta Falcons win + Tampa Bay Buccaneers loss
The Falcons were in control of their own fate, until they lost a heartbreaker in overtime to the Commanders. As such, Atlanta needs more than a win over the Panthers in Week 18 to be division champs and make the playoffs. It also needs the Bucs to lose to the free-falling Saints at home.
Even if the Falcons miss out on the postseason, they can at least feel hopeful about the future with rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr.'s solid performance in his first two starts.
HOW THE TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS CAN CLINCH THE NFC SOUTH
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers win or tie OR
- Atlanta Falcons loss or tie
The Buccaneers' dominant 48-14 win over the Panthers put them back in the driver's seat for NFC South bragging rights. A win or tie over the Saints, who have scored 10 points combined in the past two weeks, would keep the division crown in Tampa Bay for another year. So would a Falcons loss or tie to the Panthers.
The Buccaneers-Saints matchup will air at 1 p.m. ET on FOX and the FOX Sports app, with Tom Brady on the call as his former team tries to clinch its fourth straight division title.
Which teams have already clinched?
AFC
- No. 1 seed: Kansas City Chiefs (15-1)**
- No. 2 seed: Buffalo Bills (13-3)*
- No. 4 seed: Houston Texans (9-7)*
- Baltimore Ravens (11-5)
- Los Angeles Chargers (10-6)
- Pittsburgh Steelers (10-6)
NFC
- No. 2 seed: Philadelphia Eagles (13-3)*
- Los Angeles Rams (10-6)*
- Detroit Lions (14-2)
- Minnesota Vikings (14-2)
- Green Bay Packers (11-5)
- Washington Commanders (11-5)
*division clinched
** division and No. 1 seed clinched
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