Everything always gets crazy during the final week of the NFL regular season, and this year was no different. It lasted all the way until the final game of Week 18 to determine what the 2025 NFL playoff picture would look like with Wild Card Weekend ahead.
The drama started early Sunday with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers trying to clinch the final playoff spot out of the NFC. The Bucs needed a win over the New Orleans Saints to win the NFC South, and they got it in dramatic fashion. Tampa Bay trailed by double digits in the second half but ended up rallying for a 27-19 win over New Orleans that put the Bucs in the NFL postseason for the fifth straight year.
Over in the AFC, the Denver Broncos nabbed the conference’s final playoff spot with a 38-0 win over a Kansas City Chiefs team that was resting most its starters. That eliminated the Cincinnati Bengals, which won Saturday night over the Pittsburgh Steelers to stay alive, with the Miami Dolphins eliminating themselves simultaneously Sunday in a loss to the New York Jets.
The NFL playoff picture was finally decided Sunday night when the Detroit Lions topped the Minnesota Vikings, 31-9, in the final game of the regular season. The victory clinched the NFC North, the No. 1 seed, a bye and home-field advantage through the NFC side of the bracket for Detroit.
Let’s take a look how everything shook out after Sunday’s action along with the full bracket and schedule for Wild Card Weekend.
2025 NFL playoff picture
AFC playoff standings
Eliminated
- Bengals (9-8): To even have a chance to make the playoffs, the Bengals needed the Chiefs to beat the Broncos on Sunday and that didn’t happen, which means the Bengals will be spending the postseason at home for the second straight year.
- Dolphins (8-9): The Dolphins were officially eliminated after the Broncos beat the Chiefs but still lost to the Jets in their finale.
AFC wild card games
(5) Chargers at (4) Texans — Saturday, Jan. 11 (4:30 p.m. ET on CBS, Paramount+)
(6) Steelers at (3) Ravens — Saturday, Jan. 11 (8 p.m. ET on Prime Video)
(7) Broncos at (2) Bills — Sunday, Jan. 12 (1 p.m. ET on CBS, Paramount+)
Bye: (1) Chiefs
NFC playoff standings
Eliminated
- Falcons (8-9): For the Falcons to have any chance at winning the NFC South, they had to win and they needed the Buccaneers to lose, but neither of those things happened. The Falcons ended up losing to the Panthers, 44-38, in overtime in a game that ended after the Bucs had already beaten the Saints to clinch the division.
NFC wild card games
(7) Packers at (2) Eagles — Sunday, Jan. 12 (4:30 p.m. ET on Fox)
(6) Commanders at (3) Buccaneers — Sunday, Jan. 12 (8 p.m. ET on NBC)
(5) Vikings at (4) Rams — Monday, Jan. 13 (8 p.m. ET on ESPN/ABC)
Bye: (1) Lions
