Michael McQuaid of Pro Football Ireland looks at some of the key storylines ahead of Week 18 in the NFL, which is the final weekend of the regular season before the play-offs get underway next week.
The NFL’s play-off bracket will be confirmed late Sunday night, with a four-week, three-game stretch until Super Bowl LX in Santa Clara is on tap shortly after.
Southern nights
Forgive me for saying that the play-offs are basically here. The reality is that this may as well be the first round, as the opening game on Saturday night carries great significance for the NFC play-off picture.
Either the 8-8 Carolina Panthers or 7-9 Tampa Bay Buccaneers will make it to the big dance in January. A win for Carolina on the road in Tampa Bay will see a first division title since 2015, the year they made it to Super Bowl 50.
For Tampa Bay, it’s not as easy as simply winning a game. They must win and then hope that Charlie Smyth and the Saints defeat the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday.
Momentum is a huge element in any sport. Tampa Bay have been disappointing across a broad stretch this season and they can only blame themselves for what potentially lies ahead.
For Carolina, what a rebirth it's been for Bryce Young and arguably the franchise overall. As recently as last year, fans were protesting over the direction of the team, with their stadium almost empty during games.
This is a huge opportunity for the Panthers.
It’s all happening out west
The San Francisco Bay Area will host Super Bowl LX early next month, but Levi’s Stadium is going to host a huge game late on Saturday night when the San Francisco 49ers face the Seattle Seahawks.
For the 49ers, the picture is easy; If they win on Saturday night at home, they are guaranteed the number one seed in the NFC (and an extra week off), along with two potential home games before what would be a home Super Bowl.
You cannot put a price on how much of a difference that could make.
Seattle knows that they can upset the bandwagon and win the NFC West and secure the number one seed with a win.
Both teams have the ability to be explosive on either side of the ball. The 49ers were superb last weekend against the Chicago Bears, putting up 42 points in a game that didn’t feature star tight end George Kittle, or long-term absentee linebacker Fred Warner, who has been out since October.
Seahawks fans need to look no further back than the incredible win they had over the Los Angeles Rams in December. Going forward, their triple threat of Zach Charbonnet, Kenneth Walker and Jaxon Smith-Njigba is lethal.
Expect points.
Fight for the north
The Pittsburgh Steelers have had ample opportunity to wrap up the AFC North prior to this weekend and even after the Baltimore Ravens defeated the Green Bay Packers last Saturday, Mike Tomlin and his men knew that a win over the Cleveland Browns would bring a first AFC North title since the 2020 season.
It wasn’t to happen. Now, we are all rewarded with Game 272 - the final game of the regular season.
The winner between Pittsburgh and Baltimore takes the division and will host a home play-off game next weekend. Whoever loses is done.
The stakes are incredibly high here. If Pittsburgh loses, questions will be asked. Could this be the final NFL game for Aaron Rodgers (below) if the Steelers were to fall short?
While Tomlin has never had a losing season and under his management the team has missed the play-offs just five times in 14 seasons, fans expect results.
Lamar Jackson has had injury issues again in recent weeks and missed the win last weekend in Wisconsin. He is expected to play, but a loss for the Ravens will call into question the potential future of Jackson and also head coach John Harbaugh.
A lot is on the line here, folks.
AFC top seed and Irish eye
While there are a number of scenarios open across the league, the AFC’s number one seeding looks close to completion.
The Denver Broncos sit at 13-3 and the newly crowned AFC West champions will take on the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday.
The Chargers are locked in to the playoffs, knowing they will go on the road next weekend. As a result, they’re expected to rest starters for the game, meaning it’s highly likely that the Denver Broncos will have a bye-week and the chance to play at home until Super Bowl LX.
Waiting in the wings are the New England Patriots and Jacksonville Jaguars.
If the Broncos lose, the Patriots will clinch the first position with a win (or tie) against the Miami Dolphins, while the Jaguars will have to beat the Tennessee Titans, and hope both Denver and New England lose.
In terms of Irish talent, Sunday will see Charlie Smyth (above) make his sixth consecutive start in his final game for the 2025 season. As noted earlier, he could potentially have a lot to say in the NFC South race, as the Bucs will need help from the Saints. The Down man kicked a career record 57-yard field goal last weekend.
While Dan Whelan missed out on a Pro Bowl selection, he will want to prepare for the NFL play-offs in the best way when Green Bay takes on the Minnesota Vikings at the weekend.
The Enniskerry man will feature with the Packers headed on the road next weekend in the Wild Card Round.
For what it’s worth, no Irish player has ever made it to a Super Bowl. Clondalkin’s Neil O'Donoghue made it to the 1979 NFC Championship game for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
NFL Draft
A quick one to finish off, but for fans of teams that are done for the season, it’s the weekend where the final order for the NFL Draft will be settled. The Las Vegas Raiders currently have the first pick and are a game back on the Giants, Jets, Titans and Cardinals. The Raiders host a Chiefs team without Patrick Mahomes on Sunday.
Could the order change one final time?
