Ranking the five biggest games on NFL Week 18 schedule

The 2025 NFL regular season concludes this weekend, and there are a handful of significant games on the Week 18 schedule that will determine the remaining playoff spots and the top seeds in both the AFC and NFC. Here is a look at the top five games this weekend. 

1. Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Baltimore Ravens

When the NFL schedule was released, there was a good chance this game was going to have a lot of meaning. Most Steelers-Ravens games do, especially when they come late in the season. This is a literal win-or-go-home game as the winner takes the AFC North and gets a home playoff game, while the loser gets nothing and has to wait for next season. 

The Steelers seemed to have the division under control on two different occasions this season (a three-game lead early in the season, and a two-game lead with two games to play) and have let it slip away. Now they have to win to avoid completely letting it slip away. 

The big questions in this game will be the availability of Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson and Steelers edge-rusher T.J. Watt. 

2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Carolina Panthers

This one is pretty similar to the Steelers-Ravens game in that only one of these teams is going to make the playoffs. 

If Carolina wins, the math is simple — the division is theirs and a home playoff game follows.

If Tampa Bay wins, things get a little more complicated and they have to wait for the outcome of Sunday's Atlanta Falcons vs. New Orleans Saints game (more on that down below).

3. Seattle Seahawks vs. San Francisco 49ers

This is an absolutely massive game with huge implications for the NFC playoff picture. The only reason it is not higher on the list is because we already know both teams are going to the playoffs.

We just do not know where their place in the standings will be.

The winner wins the NFC West and has home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs.

The loser is a wild-card team and goes on the road to begin.

If the 49ers win, they could theoretically be home through the playoffs and the Super Bowl if they make it that far. Huge implications in this game. 

4. New Orleans Saints vs. Atlanta Falcons

Neither one of these teams can go to the playoffs, but they could play a big role in deciding who does. Its ranking here is largely dependent on the Buccaneers winning their game against the Panthers. If Tampa Bay wins on Saturday, the winner of this game determines the NFC South winner. 

In that instance, an Atlanta win would create a three-way tie at the top of the South with the Falcons, Panthers and Buccaneers all owning 8-9 records. The Panthers would win that three-way tiebreaker. 

If the Saints win, then the Buccaneers get the division title.

5. Denver Broncos vs. Los Angeles Chargers

The math here is simple for the Denver Broncos.

Beat a Chargers team that has very little to play for in terms of playoff seeding and secure the No. 1 seed in the AFC, making every playoff team have to travel through the Mile High City. That is a big advantage.