NFL Playoff Picture: Best & Worst Playoff Matchup As We Enter Week 18

There are numerous possibilities that might lead to clubs clinching division titles or NFL Playoff spots going into Week 18, and two teams could secure home-field advantage if things work out for them. The following weekend’s playoff-clinching scenarios are listed in order:

NFL Playoff Picture: Best & Worst Playoff Performances As We Enter Week 18

AFC

1. Kansas City Chiefs (13-3)

With a win over the Raiders on Saturday afternoon as big road favourites, the Chiefs will clinch the No. 1 seed ahead of the Bills. After the 2020 NFL regular season, they shared the lead position on their way to Super Bowl 55.

Titans vs. Vikings is the ideal matchup. The Titans have historically been a challenge for the Chiefs, but if they stumble into the playoffs as a sub-.500 team with several injuries, likely without Ryan Tannehill as a No. 4 seed, the Chiefs would have a very easy road to another AFC championship game.

Chargers are the worst conceivable opponent. It’s challenging to defeat a team three times in a season. Both regular-season meetings were lost by a field goal for the current No. 5 Chargers, who have since made improvements to their health and defence. In a titanic passing battle, Patrick Mahomes vs. Justin Herbert is probably going to come down to the wire.

2. Buffalo Bills (12-3)

If the Chiefs lose and the Bills defeat the Patriots at home, they can still finish first. The Bills would be able to rest players before playing in the wild-card round if the Chiefs win.

Patriots are the ideal opponent. The Bills have crushed the current No. 7 Patriots since losing that wind-impeded disaster last season. Given their underwhelming offence that can’t compete with what the Bills can accomplish with Josh Allen, they wouldn’t mind playing them a second time in a replay of last year’s wild-card playoffs.

Steelers are the worst conceivable opponent. T.J. Watt, a top-notch pass rush, and a secondary that is starting to produce huge plays for the Steelers can give the Bills defensive issues. Allen has made a few critical ones of late. A defensive-minded slugfest could be in store, giving Pittsburgh a shot to steal a battle of attrition.

3. Cincinnati Bengals (11-4)

Without a Week 17 game, the Bengals have already clinched the AFC North, but they lose the tiebreaker against the Bills due to their conference record and are unable to overtake the Chiefs. The current AFC champions are projected to be the No. 3 seed, up one spot from the No. 4 seed from the previous season.

Ravens are the ideal opponent. Lamar Jackson may or may not be available for the playoffs for the current No. 6 Ravens, but the Bengals should be confident they can defeat a dependable opponent with Joe Burrow. knowing how to exploit weaknesses in their defence as his offence became more complex, varied, and powerful.

Worst possible matchup: Bills. It would have been a different scenario to obtain them in Cincinnati, but the requirement required to go to Buffalo and face the elements and a hostile crowd in the divisional playoffs is a much bigger challenge than taking down the Titans in Nashville a year ago.

4. Jacksonville Jaguars (8-8)

The Jaguars have a good chance of winning the AFC South after their second-half surge and finishing above.500.

Chargers are the ideal opponent. In Week 3, the Jaguars made significant strides thanks to Trevor Lawrence, thrashing the Chargers 38-10 in Los Angeles. They have a chance in a 4 vs. 5 rematch because of their strong offensive and defensive matchups.

Ravens are the worst conceivable opponent. In the regular season, the Jaguars did defeat the Ravens, but this would be more difficult due to playing against a strong defence and Jackson’s potential comeback, which would likely drive their own defence crazy. In Week 11, the Jaguars narrowly prevailed at home 28-27.

5. Los Angeles Chargers (11-5)

If the Chargers defeat the Broncos in Denver, they will remain in this position; however, if they lose and the Ravens triumph, they could drop to No. 6.

Best possible matchup: Bengals. There was no comparison when Herbert and Burrow faced off in Week 13 of the early December 2021 campaign because Herbert outperformed him in the Chargers’ 41-22 victory. For Herbert’s main offensive weapons, the Bengals lacked defensive countermeasures.

Worst possible matchup: Jaguars. The Chargers don’t want to start the game against another risky version of themselves.

6. Baltimore Ravens (10-6)

Either the Ravens stay put or the No. 5 team will replace them. They have a two-game advantage over every team vying for the final position, thus they cannot fall below No. 7.

Best possible matchup: Jaguars. When they face a youthful upstart again, their postseason experience can also be crucial.

Bengals are the worst conceivable opponent. In this case, familiarity isn’t a good thing.

7. New England Patriots (8-8)

Best possible matchup: Bengals. In Week 16, the Patriots made a significant comeback. The defence played them hard.

Worst possible matchup: Bills. A replay of their 47-17 defeat in the wild-card round from the previous year would be their reward for making the playoffs.

8. Miami Dolphins (8-8)

Best possible matchup: Chiefs. Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, two receivers whose coverage Kansas City’s defence can’t handle, will be part of an explosive passing team that Kansas City wants nothing to do with confronting.

Worst possible matchup: Bills. Miami upset the odds to win the first match, but lost badly to Buffalo in the follow-up match.

9. Pittsburgh Steelers (8-8)

Best possible matchup. Bills. It just seems risky to start the game off against a Mike Tomlin defensive-minded club.

Worst possible matchup: Chiefs. The squad that defeated the Steelers 42-21 in last year’s playoffs would be their opponent if the Steelers manage to pull off a wild-card upset.

10. Tennessee Titans (7-9)

Best possible matchup: Ravens. Another strong team attempting to drag things out with a lot of rushing and little passing would be advantageous for the Titans.

Worst possible matchup: Chargers. In a 17-14 game against the Titans in Week 15, which shouldn’t have been that close, the Chargers just outplayed them defensively.

NFC

1. Philadelphia Eagles (13-4)

The Eagles will keep the No. 1 seed with a win over the Giants. If they can still defeat the Cowboys in their division, a loss might drop them to No. 2 behind the 49ers. Should they fail and the Cowboys triumph to win the division, they would fall to No. 5.

Best possible matchup: Vikings. Given the potential difficulty of all the remaining games, securing a free trip to the divisional round is crucial. In Week 2’s 24-7 victory over Minnesota, a potential NFC title rematch foe, Philadelphia proved unbeatable.

Buccaneers are the worst conceivable opponent. It would not be ideal for the Eagles to be a 13-win wild card and get a playoff rematch with Tom Brady.

2. San Francisco 49ers (12-4)

With a victory over the Cardinals, the 49ers have a slim chance of moving up to No. 1 and a good probability of falling back to No. 3 behind the Vikings.

Best possible matchup: Packers. In order to go to the NFC championship game last season, the 49ers had to defeat both them and the Cowboys in the playoffs. Their special teams may once again provide a spark, and their defence can be unbeatable.

Worst possible matchup: Eagles. The 49ers ought to be one of the NFC’s two favourites. The only team in the field with a strong enough overall matchup to keep San Francisco out of the Super Bowl is Philadelphia.

3. Minnesota Vikings (12-4)

The Vikings must either remain in this spot or vault the Eagles and Cowboys to No. 1 in order to avoid falling below the 49ers.

Giants is the worst possible opponent. Given that the Vikings can win convincingly or lose badly, any club can be selected here, but due to recency bias, pick the team that the Vikings narrowly defeated 27-24 in Week 16.

Giants vs. Jaguars is the ideal matchup. You can love them and despise them in the same game when the Vikings are playing with house money in one-possession games.

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-8)

They are officially the NFC South champs at this point. When they won Super Bowl 55, they were a No. 5 seed wild card.

Best possible matchup: Cowboys. Based on Dallas’ recent early playoff failures, including last year’s loss to San Francisco straight away, that is the current matchup. In Week 1, the Bucs also defeated the Cowboys 19-3.

Worst possible matchup: Eagles. Despite how well the Buccaneers handled Jalen Hurts and their offence and how many points they scored last year, playing an improved team, especially at home, isn’t ideal for them.

5. Dallas Cowboys (12-4)

Depending on how the 49ers perform, the Cowboys may go up to No. 1 or No. 2 with a win and an Eagles defeat.

Lions are the ideal opponent. Dallas would adore the opportunity to play the group it thrashed 24-6 at home in Week 7 in a hypothetical No. 2 vs. No. 7 matchup.

Best-case scenario: Packers. It wouldn’t be good for Mike McCarthy’s side to encounter a hot Aaron Rodgers in a hypothetical No. 2 vs. No. 7 matchup.

6. New York Giants (9-6-1)

The Giants are unable to move up or down with too big of a gap between them, therefore they are stuck in this second wild-card slot.

Vikings are the ideal opponent. Up until the final week of the season, they had the upper hand. Once more, Daniel Jones and the offence can effectively move the ball.

49ers are the worst conceivable opponent. San Francisco would outperform New York thanks to its offensive prowess and Nick Bosa’s erratic defence against Jones.

7. Seattle Seahawks (8-8)

Vikings are the ideal opponent. The Seahawks would want to have a chance to play a team that would struggle to stop their wide outs and running attack.

49ers are the worst conceivable opponent. The 49ers would welcome the opportunity to play the Seahawks a third time at home after thrashing them twice in the regular season, 27-7 and 21-13.

8. Detroit Lions (8-8)

Vikings are the ideal opponent. In their second encounter in Week 14, the Lions defeated them very handily, 34–23.

49ers are the worst conceivable opponent. When playing outside against a strong offence and defence that can move the ball at will? Not at all.

9. Green Bay Packers (8-8)

Vikings are the ideal opponent. Observing a pattern here? The club the Packers just defeated 41-17 in Week 17 would want a second chance.

49ers are the worst conceivable opponent. Observing a pattern here? The Packers don’t match up well at all this time, and the 49ers have caused the Packers several postseason issues.

 

 

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