NFL Week 18 Playoff-Clinching Scenarios: Bills and Dolphins will play for AFC East crown

Jordan Ramsay
Last Updated: January 1, 2024

The Baltimore Ravens and San Francisco 49ers are locked in as their respective conferences’ No. 1 seeds, but the race is still on to clinch the AFC East, AFC South, NFC East and NFC South divisions. It’s also do-or-die week as 11 teams will fight for just three remaining playoff spots.

Here are the teams that have already clinched a playoff spot or been eliminated:

AFC

Clinched playoffs

Baltimore Ravens
Miami Dolphins
Kansas City Chiefs
Cleveland Browns

Eliminated

New England Patriots
Los Angeles Chargers
Tennessee Titans
New York Jets
Las Vegas Raiders
Cincinnati Bengals
Denver Broncos

NFC

Clinched playoffs

San Francisco 49ers
Dallas Cowboys
Detroit Lions
Philadelphia Eagles
Los Angeles Rams

Eliminated

Carolina Panthers
Arizona Cardinals
Washington Commanders
New York Giants
Chicago Bears

Don’t forget to check out our complete list of NFL game odds and NFL futures.

With all that in mind, let’s take a look at the Week 18 playoff-clinching and division-clinching scenarios:

AFC East

Buffalo Bills

Clinch playoff spot with a win at Dolphins
Clinch division with win at Dolphins

Miami Dolphins

Clinch division with a win vs. Bills

AFC North

Pittsburgh Steelers

Clinch playoff spot with win at Ravens AND Bills loss at Dolphins

AFC South

Jacksonville Jaguars

Clinch playoff spot with win at Titans
Clinch division with win at Titans

Indianapolis Colts

Clinch playoff spot with win vs. Texans
Clinch division with win vs. Texans AND Jaguars loss at Titans

Houston Texans

Clinch playoff spot with win at Colts
Clinch division with win at Colts AND Jaguars loss at Titans

NFC East

Dallas Cowboys

Clinch division with a win at Commanders, OR an Eagles loss at Giants

Philadelphia Eagles

Clinch division with a win at Giants AND Cowboys loss at Commanders

NFC North

Green Bay Packers

Clinch playoff spot with win vs. Bears

Minnesota Vikings

Clinch playoff spot with win at Lions AND Packers loss vs. Bears AND Seahawks loss at Cardinals AND Saints loss vs. Falcons

NFC South

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Clinch playoff spot with a win at Panthers
Clinch division with win at Panthers

New Orleans Saints

Clinch playoff spot with win at Falcons AND Buccaneers loss at Panthers
Clinch playoff spot with win at Falcons AND Packers loss vs. Bears AND Seahawks loss at Cardinals
Clinch division with a win vs. Falcons AND Buccaneers loss at Panthers

Atlanta Falcons