2 NFL division titles on the line in Week 18 after crucial losses tighten playoff picture

Three antithetic Week 17 games successful the NFL acceptable up 2 highly important matchups for the regular-season finale crossed the league adjacent week.

The NFC South and AFC North divisions volition some beryllium decided by who wins, arsenic the Carolina Panthers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Pittsburgh Steelers each mislaid connected Sunday.

The archetypal 2 teams, the Panthers and Bucs, are part rivals who some knew what was astatine involvement erstwhile they entered their contests against the Seattle Seahawks and Miami Dolphins respectively.

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Aaron Rodgers of the Pittsburgh Steelers reacts during the 2nd 4th of the crippled against the Cleveland Browns astatine Huntington Bank Field connected Dec. 28, 2025 successful Cleveland, Ohio. (Nick Cammett/Getty Images)

For the Panthers, a triumph astatine location against the Seahawks meant winning the NFC South. But Seattle had already clinched their playoff berth and owned the apical effect successful the NFC with a 12-3 grounds entering the game.

Bryce Young and institution were incapable to get thing going against a suffocating Seattle defense, which has been 1 of the champion units successful the league each play long. Young scored a meaningless touchdown successful the 4th quarter, but the Seahawks came distant with the 27-10 triumph connected the roadworthy to assistance their ain No. 1 effect status.

Meanwhile, the Bucs knew they would decidedly similar Carolina to suffer against the Seahawks, but they had to instrumentality attraction of the Dolphins to get a amended accidental astatine winning the division.

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Instead, Baker Mayfield had occupation again being accordant connected offense, throwing 2 interceptions arsenic good arsenic 2 touchdowns successful the 20-17 nonaccomplishment to Quinn Ewers and the Dolphins. The seventh-round prime by Miami was 14-of-22 for 172 yards with 2 touchdown passes successful the triumph that enactment the Dolphins astatine 7-9, though their playoff hopes were already done.

When looking astatine the NFC South standings, the Bucs are sitting astatine 7-9 aft losing their 4th consecutive game, portion the Panthers are astatine 8-8.

So, however would the Buccaneers triumph the part if they some person the aforesaid grounds astatine the extremity of Week 18 (8-9)? When you presumption the NFL tiebreaker rules, it begins with a head-to-head matchup. The Panthers took their archetypal meeting, a 23-20 victory, truthful it would beryllium divided if Tampa Bay wins successful Week 18.

Then, the tiebreaker would beryllium part record, but a Buccaneers triumph would mean the aforesaid divisional grounds for some themselves and the Panthers (3-3). The adjacent connected the database is grounds successful communal games, meaning those contests wherever they’ve faced the aforesaid opponent. The Buccaneers person the Panthers bushed successful that class considering their triumph implicit the Arizona Cardinals successful Week 13, portion the Panthers mislaid successful Week 2 to the aforesaid Arizona squad.

Bryce Young of the Carolina Panthers is seen earlier playing the Seattle Seahawks astatine Bank of America Stadium connected Dec. 28, 2025 successful Charlotte, North Carolina. (Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

Moving connected to the AFC North, Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers would’ve wrapped the part rubric up with a bow if they could instrumentality attraction of concern against the Cleveland Browns connected the road. But the Browns’ defence had different things successful caput successful the end.

It each came down to the last play of the game, wherever Rodgers led his Steelers squad down the tract into the reddish portion successful hopes they could unafraid their archetypal touchdown of the game, and possibly spell for 2 points to triumph 14-13.

But a arguable ending connected fourth-and-goal occurred erstwhile Rodgers tried lofting a walk to Marquez Valdes-Scantling successful the extremity zone, and it appeared Browns cornerback Denzel Ward committed walk interference, arsenic helium deed him earlier making interaction with the ball. However, nary flags were thrown, and the Browns celebrated astatine location arsenic they possibly spoiled their rival’s chances astatine winning the division.

The Steelers inactive power their ain destiny, though the Baltimore Ravens present person a accidental to bash the same.

The Ravens started the twelvemonth 1-5 successful mind-boggling fashion, and it appeared the playoffs were not successful the cards. That each changed successful caller weeks, and Derrick Henry’s champion crippled of his vocation came astatine the cleanable clip connected Saturday nighttime successful Green Bay, arsenic helium scored 4 touchdowns to assistance the Ravens bushed the Packers and determination to 8-8.

Everyone supporting the Ravens were watching intently to spot if the Browns could propulsion disconnected the upset astatine home, and they did conscionable that.

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Whoever wins the Week 18 bout astatine Acrisure Stadium betwixt the Ravens and Steelers volition beryllium crowned AFC North champions and gain a spot successful the playoffs.

Week 18 was looking similar an NFL slate without these sorts of matchups, with galore teams already punching their tickets to the playoffs.

Now, 2 cardinal rivalry games person everything astatine involvement with part titles connected the line.

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