The final whistle of Week 17 has blown, and the Atlanta Falcons have turned the NFC playoff race upside down. With a thrilling 27-24 upset over the Los Angeles Rams on Monday night, the “locks” in the NFC bracket have been shattered, and the battle for the final division title has become a three-team chaos scenario.
As we head into Week 18, here is the definitive playoff picture and the projected matchups for Super Bowl LX.
AFC Playoff Bracket & Matchups
The AFC was largely dormant on Monday, but the seeds are solidified. The Denver Broncos control their destiny for the No. 1 seed, while the AFC North remains the only unsettled division.
| Seed | Team | Status | Projected Wild Card Matchup |
| 1 | Denver Broncos (13-3) | Clinched AFC West | BYE WEEK |
| 2 | New England Patriots (13-3) | Clinched AFC East | vs. (7) Buffalo Bills |
| 3 | Jacksonville Jaguars (12-4) | Leading AFC South | vs. (6) L.A. Chargers |
| 4 | Pittsburgh Steelers (9-7) | Leading AFC North | vs. (5) Houston Texans |
The AFC “In the Hunt”:
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Baltimore Ravens (9-7): Their Sunday Night Football clash with the Steelers is now a pure “Winner Takes the North” game.
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Houston Texans (11-5): Already clinched; they are pulling for a Jacksonville loss to steal the No. 3 seed.
NFC Playoff Bracket: The “Monday Night Shakeup”
The Rams’ loss to the Falcons was catastrophic for their seeding. Just 10 days ago, the Rams were the No. 1 seed; now, they have officially been eliminated from NFC West contention and have slid all the way to the No. 6 seed.
| Seed | Team | Status | Projected Wild Card Matchup |
| 1 | Seattle Seahawks (13-3) | Leading NFC West | BYE WEEK |
| 2 | Chicago Bears (11-5) | Clinched NFC North | vs. (7) Green Bay Packers |
| 3 | Philadelphia Eagles (11-5) | Clinched NFC East | vs. (6) Los Angeles Rams |
| 4 | Carolina Panthers (8-8) | Leading NFC South | vs. (5) San Francisco 49ers |
The NFC Shakeup Points:
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Rams Slide: By losing to Atlanta, the Rams (11-5) surrendered any chance of a home game. They now likely face a road trip to Philadelphia in the Wild Card round.
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49ers Vault: San Francisco (12-4) is the massive winner of the week. By beating Chicago and seeing the Rams lose, they are now the No. 5 seed and can jump all the way to No. 1 if they beat Seattle this Saturday.
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NFC South Chaos: The Falcons’ (7-9) win keeps them alive! If the Falcons beat the Saints and the Buccaneers beat the Panthers, we could see a three-way 8-9 tie where tiebreakers (likely favoring Carolina) decide the No. 4 seed.
Must-Watch Week 18 “Elimination” Games
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Seattle Seahawks at San Francisco 49ers (Saturday): This is the Game of the Year. The winner clinches the NFC West and the No. 1 seed. The loser likely has to travel to Philadelphia or Chicago in the first round.
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Carolina Panthers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Saturday): A win for Carolina clinches the division. A win for Tampa Bay keeps them alive, but they would still need a Falcons loss on Sunday to take the crown.
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Baltimore Ravens at Pittsburgh Steelers (Sunday Night): The final spot in the tournament. The winner goes to the playoffs as the No. 4 seed; the loser’s season ends.
Monday Night Injury Report
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Rams: Davante Adams missed Monday’s game (hamstring) and his status for Week 18 is “wait and see.” His absence was clearly felt in Matthew Stafford’s 3-interception performance.
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Falcons: Bijan Robinson looked like the best player in football Monday night (229 total yards). If he carries this into Week 18, the Falcons could complete a miraculous comeback to win the South.
