2022 NFL playoff picture: Week 18 AFC and NFC live updates, standings, clinching scenarios (updated through Saturday)

The ultimate weekend of the 2022 NFL common season is right here. The NFC and AFC playoff image will play out over the 2 days and 16 video games on the schedule. There are two video games slotted for Saturday, with the rest approaching Sunday, concluding with the Detroit Lions at Inexperienced Bay Packers on Sunday Evening Soccer.

How will the playoffs shake out? Over the previous couple of weeks right here on The Phinsider, we are going to sustain with all the motion all through the weekend, updating the playoff image with every sport’s outcomes. We observe of who’s clinching what spot within the postseason and which groups have seen their 2022 hopes dashed.

The NFL has formally canceled the Buffalo Payments at Cincinnati Bengals sport that was began final Monday evening, however was suspended when security Damar Hamlin went into cardiac arrest within the first quarter. Canceling the sport has added a wrinkle into the playoff image, with the AFC standings determined by successful proportion, reasonably than by straight information given the Bengals and Payments will play one fewer sport than the remainder of the league. It has additionally opened the opportunity of a neutral-site AFC Championship sport and doubtlessly a coin-toss to resolve who will host a possible wildcard sport between the Bengals and Baltimore Ravens.

All of that can play out all through the 16 video games on the Week 18 schedule. We’ll observe all of it right here as effectively.

Coming into the ultimate weekend of the season, the AFC has the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs within the prime spot, whereas the Buffalo Payments are holding on to the second seed. The Cincinnati Bengals are within the third spot, whereas the Jacksonville Jaguars are within the fourth seed. The Chiefs, Payments, and Bengals have all claimed their division titles, whereas the Jaguars must win on Saturday evening to say the AFC South. The Los Angeles Chargers and the Baltimore Ravens maintain the primary two wild card positions and are locked into the playoffs. The ultimate spot within the postseason is at present held by the New England Patriots, a spot they’ll clinch with a win this weekend. The Miami Dolphins and Pittsburgh Steelers are chasing the Patriots for that spot. The Tennessee Titans can soar into the playoffs in the event that they beat the Jaguars, pulling the AFC South title away from them; the Jaguars, even with a loss, may issue into the playoffs as the ultimate wild-card staff with losses from the opposite contenders.

For the NFC facet of the bracket, the Philadelphia Eagles maintain the highest spot within the standings, however they haven’t but clinched the NFC East division. The San Francisco 49ers, Minnesota Vikings, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers are within the second via fourth positions and have all claimed their respective division titles. The Dallas Cowboys, who may unseat the Eagles within the NFC East, and the New York Giants are locked into the playoffs, at present within the fifth and sixth positions. The Seattle Seahawks are within the closing place proper now because the seventh seed, however they don’t seem to be assured to finish the weekend there. The Detroit Lions and Inexperienced Bay Packers are each on the skin trying in heading into the weekend.

How will all the things have a look at the top of the week and the season? Our stay standings under will hold you updated.

Week 18 Schedule

Finals

Kansas Metropolis Chiefs 31 – 13 Las Vegas RaidersTennessee Titans 16 – 20 Jacksonville JaguarsTampa Bay Buccaneers 17 – 30 Atlanta FalconsNew England Patriots 23 – 35 Buffalo BillsMinnesota Vikings 29 – 13 Chicago BearsBaltimore Ravens 16 – 27 Cincinnati BengalsHouston Texans 32 – 31 Indianapolis ColtsNew York Jets 6 – 11 Miami DolphinsCarolina Panthers 10 – 7 New Orleans SaintsCleveland Browns 14 – 28 Pittsburgh Steelers

Schedule

New York Giants at Philadelphia Eagles, Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ETDallas Cowboys at Washington Commanders, Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ETLos Angeles Chargers at Denver Broncos, Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ETLos Angeles Rams at Seattle Seahawks, Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ETArizona Cardinals at San Francisco 49ers, Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ETDetroit Lions at Inexperienced Bay Packers, Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET

AFC Playoff Image (via Week 18 early Sunday video games)

Week 18 Clinching Eventualities:

Buffalo Payments – Can not clinch prime seedClinch AFC prime seed (home-field benefit and bye) with:

Payments win and Chiefs loss/tie OR
Payments tie and Chiefs loss

Observe: A Payments win would pressure a neutral-site AFC Championship if each the Chiefs and Payments advance to that mark.

Jacksonville Jaguars – Clinched divisionClinch AFC South division championship with:

Clinch playoff berth with:

Patriots loss and Dolphins loss and Steelers loss

Kansas Metropolis Chiefs – Clinched first spherical byeClinch AFC prime seed (home-field benefit and bye) with:

Chiefs win and Payments loss/tie OR

Chiefs tie and Payments loss

Clinch first-round bye (potential impartial web site AFC Championship) with:

Chiefs win OR

Payments loss OR

Chiefs tie and Payments tie

Miami Dolphins – Clinched playoff berthClinch playoff berth with:

Dolphins win and Patriots loss/tie OR

Dolphins tie and Patriots loss and Steelers loss/tie

New England Patriots – EliminatedClinch playoff berth with:

Patriots win OR

Patriots tie and Dolphins loss/tie and Steelers loss/tie OR

Dolphins loss and Steelers loss and Jaguars win/tie

Pittsburgh Steelers – EliminatedClinch playoff berth with:

Steelers win and Dolphins loss/tie and Patriots loss/tie OR

Steelers tie and Dolphins loss and Patriots loss

Tennessee Titans – Can not clinchClinch AFC South division championship with:

Stay Standings:

1 – Kansas Metropolis Chiefs (14-3, AFC West champion)+<2 – Buffalo Payments (13-3, AFC East champion)+3 – Cincinnati Bengals (12-4, AFC North champion)+*4 – Jacksonville Jaguars (9-8, AFC South champion)+5 – Los Angeles Chargers (10-6, Wild Card 1)^*6 – Baltimore Ravens (10-7, Wild Card 2)^7 – Miami Dolphins (9-8, Wild Card 3)^

EliminatedPittsburgh Steelers (9-8)New England Patriots (8-9)New York Jets (7-10)Tennessee Titans (7-10)Cleveland Browns (7-10)Las Vegas Raiders (6-11)Indianapolis Colts (4-12-1)Denver Broncos (4-12)*Houston Texans (3-13-1)

* Nonetheless to play^ Clinched playoff berth+ Clinched division title< Clinched prime seed/bye week

Week 17 Elimination Eventualities:

Jacksonville Jaguars – Clinched divisionEliminated from playoff rivalry with:

Jaguars loss and Dolphins win/tie OR

Jaguars loss and Patriots win/tie OR

Jaguars loss and Steelers win/tie

Eradicated from AFC South division championship with:

Miami Dolphins – Clinched playoff berthEliminated from playoff rivalry with:

Dolphins loss OR

Patriots win OR

Dolphins tie and Patriots tie OR

Dolphins tie and Steelers win

New England Patriots – EliminatedEliminated from playoff rivalry with:

Patriots loss and Dolphins win/tie OR

Patriots loss and Steelers win/tie OR

Patriots loss and Jaguars loss OR

Patriots tie and Dolphins win OR

Patriots tie and Steelers win

Pittsburg Steelers – EliminatedEliminated from playoff rivalry with:

Steelers loss OR

Patriots win OR

Dolphins win OR

Steelers tie and Patriots tie OR

Steelers tie and Dolphins tie

Tennessee Titans – EliminatedEliminated from AFC South division championship and playoff rivalry with:

NFC Playoff Image (via Week 18 early Sunday video games)

Week 17 Clinching Eventualities:

Dallas Cowboys Clinch NFC prime seed (home-field benefit and bye) with:

Dallas win and Eagles loss and 49ers loss/tie

Clinch NFC East division championship with:

Cowboys win and Eagles loss

Detroit LionsClinch playoff berth with:

Lions win and Seahawks loss/tie OR
Lions tie and Seahawks loss OR
Lions tie and Seahawks tie and Commanders win

Inexperienced Bay PackersClinch playoff berth with:

Philadelphia EaglesClinch NFC prime seed (home-field benefit and bye) with:

Eagles win/tie OR
Cowboys loss/tie and 49ers loss/tie

Clinch NFC East division championship with:

Eagles win/tie OR
Cowboys loss/tie

San Francisco 49ersClinch NFC prime seed (home-field benefit and bye) with:

49ers win and Eagles loss

Seattle SeahawksClinch playoff berth with:

Seahawks win and Packers loss/tie OR
Seahawks tie and Lions tie and Commanders loss/tie

Stay Standings:

1 – Philadelphia Eagles (13-3, NFC East chief)^*2 – Minnesota Vikings (13-4, NFC North champion)+3 – San Francisco 49ers (12-4, NFC West champion)+*4 – Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-9, NFC South champion)+5 – Dallas Cowboys (12-4, Wild Card 1)^*6 – New York Giants (9-6-1, Wild Card 2)^*7 – Seattle Seahawks (8-8, Wild Card 3)*

Within the huntDetroit Lions (8-8)*Inexperienced Bay Packers (8-8)*

EliminatedWashington Commanders (7-8-1)*Carolina Panthers (7-10)New Orleans Saints (7-10)Atlanta Falcons (7-10)Los Angeles Rams (5-11)*Arizona Cardinals (4-12)*Chicago Bears (3-14)*

*Nonetheless to play^Clinched playoff berth+Clinched division title