The NFL has announced the Week 18 schedule, including the Miami Dolphins at New York Jets game.
The NFL has announced the Week 18 schedule, slotting all of the games into Saturday and Sunday kickoff times. The league typically waits until the playoff standings are as little more finalized heading into the final week of the year to schedule each game’s start in an effort to maximize the drama and to prevent unfair advantages for teams. Week 17 will conclude on Monday as the Detroit Lions visit the San Francisco 49ers.
In the AFC playoff picture, there is one wild card position still to be decided, with the Denver Broncos clinching the spot with a win. If the Broncos lose and the Miami Dolphins win, they will jump into the seventh seed spot. If both Denver and Miami lose and the Cincinnati Bengals win, they will have that final position.
As for seeding in the AFC, the Kansas City Chiefs are locked into the top spot, while the Buffalo Bills will be the second seed. The Baltimore Ravens are currently the third seed, but they have not clinched the AFC North title, with a possibility the Pittsburgh Steelers, sitting in the fifth seed position right now, could jump into the division title and shake up the order. The Houston Texans are guaranteed the fourth seed. The Los Angeles Chargers are currently the sixth seed, but could still move around the wild card seeding.
The NFC side of the bracket is essentially down to seeding, though there is still a division title to be decided as well. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are still battling with the Atlanta Falcons for the NFC South title.
The highlight game for the NFC will be the Minnesota Vikings at Detroit Lions game. While the Lions still have to play the 49ers tomorrow, the top seed and the NFC North title will be decided by the Week 18 game. The Philadelphia Eagles claimed the NFC East and the second seed this week, while the Rams should be the third seed and the Buccaneers or Falcons will be the fourth seed.
The league considers all these possibilities – along with the draft order possibilities where the New England Patriots are now in position to claim the number one overall pick – as they build the Week 18 schedule. Here is what was announced tonight:
Week 18 Schedule
Saturday, 4:30 p.m. Eastern
Cleveland Browns at Baltimore Ravens – ESPN
Saturday, 8 p.m. Eastern
Cincinnati Bengals at Pittsburgh Steelers – ESPN
Sunday 1 p.m. Eastern
New York Giants at Philadelphia Eagles – CBS
Buffalo Bills at New England Patriots – CBS
Houston Texans at Tennessee Titans – CBS
Carolina Panthers at Atlanta Falcons – CBS
Washington Commanders at Dallas Cowboys – FOX
Chicago Bears at Green Bay Packers – FOX
Jacksonville Jaguars at Indianapolis Colts – FOX
New Orleans Saints at Tampa Bay Buccaneers – FOX
Sunday, 4:25 p.m. Eastern
Kansas City Chiefs at Denver Broncos – CBS
Los Angeles Chargers at Las Vegas Raiders – CBS
Miami Dolphins at New York Jets – FOX
San Francisco 49ers at Arizona Cardinals – FOX
Seattle Seahawks at Los Angeles Rams – FOX
Sunday, 8:20 p.m. Eastern
Minnesota Vikings at Detroit Lions – NBC
