NFL 2024 playoff race: What to observe in Week 18 as Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings battle for No 1 seed

The ultimate week of the 2024 NFL common season is right here, with division titles to be gained and playoff seedings to be selected the ultimate stretch in direction of Tremendous Bowl LIX in New Orleans. Here is what to observe in Week 18…

NFC No 1 seed

Whereas the Tremendous Bowl champion Kansas Metropolis Chiefs have wrapped up the No 1 seed within the AFC, the NFC race will proceed into the ultimate day of the common season.

The Minnesota Vikings stored their hopes of a first-round bye alive on Sunday as they held off a late fightback from the Inexperienced Bay Packers to clinch a 27-25 victory and transfer to 14-2, remaining within the hunt alongside the Detroit Lions and persevering with their staggering season behind comeback quarterback Sam Darnold and Coach of the Yr candidate Kevin O’Connell.

It leaves Week 18 completely poised because the Vikings and Lions go face to face as soon as extra figuring out the winner will safe the No 1 seed whereas the opposite heads right into a Wild Card match-up towards both the Tampa Bay Buccaneers or Atlanta Falcons.

Detroit prevailed in a thriller between the NFC North rivals earlier this season as Jared Goff threw for 280 yards and two touchdowns alongside two speeding scores from Jahmyr Gibbs to neutralise Brian Flores’ blitz-heavy protection on the best way to a 31-29 win.

Goff’s profession resurgence is outdated information by now as he pilots the league’s most prolific and revolutionary offense as a part of a Detroit group among the many Tremendous Bowl favourites after years of harm. He has thrown for 4,095 yards and 33 touchdowns to simply 10 interceptions whereas surrounded by a secure of explosive younger expertise in 1,000-yard males Gibbs and Amon-Ra St Brown and a supporting solid of Jameson Williams and Sam LaPorta.

Darnold in the meantime refuses to fade as one of many tales of the season, using a Geno Smith-esque resurrection whereas throwing for 4,153 yards, 35 touchdowns and 12 picks to steer Minnesota to the playoffs having secured a beginning spot by means of JJ McCarthy’s offseason harm. The Vikings reaching the postseason had felt like a stretch upon Kirk Cousins departing; to safe the No 1 seed would have been unthinkable.

Rodgers and Wentz to have ultimate say?

Some acquainted faces may nonetheless have a component to play in making or breaking the season for 3 groups because the Denver Broncos, Miami Dolphins and Cincinnati Bengals contend the ultimate wild card spot within the AFC.

The Denver Broncos stay in pole place to safe a playoff berth at 9-7 and as present occupants of the seventh seed, figuring out they may advance in the event that they beat the Chiefs. Kansas Metropolis, with nothing to play for, are anticipated to relaxation their starters in view of January, which may imply a sure Carson Wentz having a ultimate say in playoff proceedings as Patrick Mahomes’ backup quarterback.

Miami are 8-8 and can advance if they’ll beat Aaron Rodgers’ New York Jets and the Broncos lose to the Chiefs, whereas the Bengals, additionally 8-8, will progress with a victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Saturday night and defeats for each the Broncos and Dolphins. If all three groups lose, it is going to be Denver that safe the ultimate spot.

By some means, even amid a torrid season with the Jets, Rodgers nonetheless has a task to play in how the NFL playoff image shapes up as he resumes his pursuit of a five hundredth profession landing go. And it’s a humorous time on this planet when the Dolphins and Bengals are reliant on former Philadelphia Eagles man Wentz.

Who will win the NFC South?

Solely three division titles are nonetheless up for grabs heading into the ultimate weekend of the common season: the Vikings and Lions are set to battle it out for the NFC North, the Baltimore Ravens and Steelers are tussling for the AFC North, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Atlanta Falcons are preventing for NFC South honours.

Surprisingly sufficient within the AFC North, the Ravens won’t thoughts settling for runner-up given it will depart them in place to face an unconvincing Houston Texans group that they only steamrolled on Christmas Day. In the meantime, awaiting the loser of the Vikings and Lions’ final-day conflict would be the NFC South champions.

Tampa Bay presently sit prime at 9-7 after cruising to a 48-14 win over the Carolina Panthers on Sunday earlier than seeing the Falcons slip up in a 30-24 additional time defeat to the Washington Commanders that leaves Raheem Morris’ facet 8-8. The Falcons conclude their marketing campaign at house to Bryce Younger’s Panthers, whereas the Bucs welcome Darren Rizzi’s New Orleans Saints, on a three-game skid, to Raymond James Stadium.

The Bucs will probably be division champions in the event that they beat the Saints, however defeat for Tampa and a win for Atlanta would see the Falcons snatch the title having crushed Todd Bowles’ facet twice this season to manage the person head-to-head.

Who wins NFL MVP?

The NFL’s fiercely-contested MVP race will proceed into the ultimate weekend of the common season, with Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson seemingly neck-and-neck as the 2 frontrunners with some potential competitors from Joe Burrow and Saquon Barkley.

Allen is unlikely to function when the Buffalo Payments tackle the New England Patriots having already helped Sean McDermott’s facet lock within the No 2 seed within the AFC, leaving Mitchell Trubisky primed to start out in his place. He just lately grew to become the primary participant in NFL historical past to document 5 consecutive 40-touchdown campaigns after accounting for 18 whole touchdowns to only one turnover throughout 5 video games in December.

Jackson can punctuate his ultimate case for a 3rd profession MVP award when the Baltimore Ravens face the Cleveland Browns on Saturday night with hopes of snatching the AFC North division title from Pittsburgh. He arrives into the ultimate week having thrown for 3,955 yards and 39 touchdowns to simply 4 interceptions, in addition to speeding for 852 yards and 4 touchdowns having simply snapped Michael Vick’s document for many speeding yards by a quarterback in NFL historical past.

Burrow has in the meantime thrust himself into the dialog by means of an outstanding particular person season to maintain Cincinnati’s slim playoff aspirations alive with a four-game successful streak that has seen them transfer to 8-8 heading into the ultimate recreation. The previous No 1 total decide has accomplished a league-high 423 passes for a league-leading 4,641 yards and 42 touchdowns to eight interceptions, amassing the league’s greatest quarterback ranking within the course of. Can he rescue a marketing campaign that had seemed lifeless within the water?

Who clinches the No 1 Draft decide?

The Giants face the prospect of not solely watching Barkley break the speeding document towards them, but in addition lacking out on the No 1 decide on the Draft. Brian Daboll’s facet had occupied the No 1 decide heading into Week 17 earlier than lastly deciding to show up on offense as they shattered the Indianapolis Colts’ playoff hopes in a 45-33 victory, bettering to 3-13 however sliding to No 4 in consequence.

The New England Patriots presently sit at No 1 and can tackle the Payments in Week 18 after dropping to 3-13 with their 40-7 defeat to the Los Angeles Chargers, adopted by the Tennessee Titans (3-13) at No 2 as Brian Callahan’s facet put together to face the Houston Texans and the Cleveland Browns at No 3 forward of their conflict with the Ravens.

Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders and Miami’s Cam Ward are projected as the highest two quarterbacks on the Draft, whereas two-way Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter can also be anticipated to be among the many first gamers off the board.

Saquon chases historical past… or not

It had seemed like Saquon Barkley would have a shot at historical past on the ultimate day after leaving himself inside attain of Eric Dickerson’s all-time NFL single-season speeding yards document. Barkley rushed for 167 yards to assist the Philadelphia Eagles clinch the NFC East title with victory over the Dallas Cowboys in Week 17, making him the ninth participant in NFL historical past to go 2,000 yards in a season.

In doing so he left himself needing simply 101 towards the New York Giants within the ultimate recreation to overhaul Dickerson’s document of two,105, which he has held since 1984. Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni, nevertheless, admitted this week Barkley is more likely to be among the many starters which can be rested in view of the playoffs.

“It’s a very special record that’s been standing for a very long time by a great player,” mentioned Sirianni. “It’s a team record that everybody is involved in, so you weigh in all those things.

“However on the finish of the day, you simply attempt to do what’s greatest for the group. Once more, when the bye was, how guys are feeling, the bumps and bruises we are able to maintain. We have put ourselves able to have the ability to be on this state of affairs. And our targets are to have success and to play good the subsequent recreation we play. Not solely New York, however whoever we play after that. We predict this performs into that.

“It’s not easy. It wasn’t the easiest decision to go through, but we have great people in this building and had a lot of input from a lot of different people, players included.”

When do the playoffs start?

Wildcard weekend will happen from Saturday January 11 to Monday January 13 earlier than the playoffs enter the Divisional Spherical on Saturday January 18 and Sunday January 19, at which level the respective No 1 seeds will be a part of the motion following their bye.

It’s then onto the AFC and NFC Championship Video games on Sunday January 26, earlier than Tremendous Bowl LIX takes place on the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans on February 9.

Who would meet in playoffs if season ended at the moment?

Wild Card Weekend:

AFC
Denver Broncos (No 7 seed) @ Buffalo Payments (No 2)
Los Angeles Chargers (No 6) @ Baltimore Ravens (No 3)
Pittsburgh Steelers (No 5) @ Houston Texans (No 4)

NFC
Inexperienced Bay Packers (No 7 seed) @ Philadelphia Eagles (No 2)
Washington Commanders (No 6) @ Los Angeles Rams (No 3)
Minnesota Vikings (No 5) @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (No 4)