General News

2023-24 NFL Week 18 playoff scenarios and bracket: Bills, Steelers clinch berths after Jaguars loss – The Athletic

The Jacksonville Jaguars lost to the Tennessee Titans on Sunday setting off some AFC playoff dominoes. The Pittsburgh Steelers and Buffalo Bills clinched playoff spots with the Jags’ loss. This also gave the Houston Texans the AFC South title.

Plus, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers punched their ticket to the postseason capturing the NFC South crown with a sluggish win over the Carolina Panthers on Sunday.

Below is a glimpse at all the scenarios for every team with playoff life remaining.

Follow here for live updates from NFL Week 18 and here for live updates on Buffalo Bills vs Miami Dolphins.

AFC

Clinched

  • Baltimore Ravens (13-4) – AFC North division title, No. 1 seed, first-round bye and homefield advantage
  • Kansas City Chiefs (10-6) – AFC West division title
  • Houston Texans (10-7) – AFC South division title
  • Cleveland Browns (11-5) – playoff berth
  • Miami Dolphins (11-5) – playoff berth
  • Buffalo Bills (10-6) — playoff berth
  • Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7) — playoff berth

Projected bracket

  1. Ravens
  2. Dolphins OR Bills
  3. Chiefs
  4. Texans
  5. Browns
  6. Bills, Dolphins OR Steelers
  7. Steelers OR Bills

Up for grabs

Buffalo Bills (10-6) at Miami (11-5); Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET, NBC​

Buffalo clinches AFC East division title with:

  1. Bills win

Miami Dolphins (11-5) vs. Buffalo (10-6); Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET, NBC

Miami clinches AFC East division title with:

  1. Dolphins win or tie

go-deeper

GO DEEPER

NFL QB EPA rankings: Lamar Jackson’s atypical route to a probable NFL MVP award

NFC

Clinched

Projected bracket

  1. 49ers
  2. Cowboys, Eagles OR Lions
  3. Cowboys, Eagles OR Lions
  4. Buccaneers
  5. Cowboys OR Eagles
  6. Rams
  7. Packers, Saints OR Seahawks

Up for grabs

Dallas Cowboys (11-5) at Washington (4-12); Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET, FOX

Dallas clinches NFC East division title with:

  1. Cowboys win OR
  2. Cowboys tie + Eagles tie OR
  3. Eagles loss

Green Bay Packers (8-8) vs. Chicago (7-9); Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET, CBS

Green Bay clinches playoff berth with:

  1. Packers win

go-deeper

GO DEEPER

NFL Week 18 schedule: Bills-Dolphins clash on SNF

New Orleans Saints (9-8, won vs. Falcons on Sunday)

New Orleans clinches playoff berth with:

  1. Saints win + Seahawks loss or tie + Packers loss or tie

Philadelphia Eagles (11-5) at N.Y. Giants (5-11); Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET, CBS

Philadelphia clinches NFC East division title with:

  1. Eagles win + Cowboys loss or tie OR
  2. Eagles tie + Cowboys loss

Seattle Seahawks (8-8) at Arizona (4-12); Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET, FOX

Seattle clinches playoff berth with:

  1. Seahawks win + Packers loss or tie

Required reading

(Photo: Patrick Smith / Getty Images)

Get all-access to exclusive stories.

Subscribe to The Athletic for in-depth coverage of your favorite players, teams, leagues and clubs. Try a week on us.