The Kansas City Chiefs delivered their fans a Christmas present: The coveted #1 seed in the AFC. The team officially secured its ticket to the Divisional Round with a comfortable 29-10 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Christmas Day.
From kickoff to final whistle, the Chiefs controlled the game in a way not seen since their Week 5 victory over the Saints. Apart from a lackluster second quarter, Kansas City maintained control throughout the game. It marked their first win by 17+ points since defeating the Dolphins in last season's Wild Card Round.
After the 17th week of the 2024-25 NFL season, which teams in the AFC and NFC are still fighting for playoff positioning?
NFC Playoff Standings, Week 17
1. x-Detroit Lions (14-2)
2. z-Philadelphia Eagles (13-3)
3. z-Los Angeles Rams (10-6)
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-7)
5. x-Minnesota Vikings (14-2)
6. x-Washington Commanders (11-5)
7. x-Green Bay Packers (11-5)
*= Clinched #1 seed, z= Clinched division title, x= Clinched playoff spot
In the hunt: Atlanta Falcons (8-8).
In a game that tested viewers' sanity, the Seahawks barely escaped with a win against the Bears. The Rams survived a late comeback attempt from the Cardinals, clinching the NFC West crown. Breaking their home-field losing streak, the Giants outgunned the Colts in a surprising offensive shootout. The Saints' downward spiral continued as they fell flat against the Raiders. Meanwhile, the Buccaneers kept their divisional title hopes alive with a commanding victory over the Panthers.
The Eagles corralled the Cowboys to secure the NFC East crown. The Vikings fended off the Packers to keep pace in their pursuit of the NFC's top seed. The Commanders outlasted the Falcons in overtime to seal their first playoff berth since 2020, while Atlanta has lost control of their postseason destiny. The Lions handled business against the 49ers on Monday Night Football.
The upcoming Lions-Vikings Sunday Night Football showdown is poised for greatness. With their remarkable 28 combined victories, this showdown boasts the highest win total for any regular-season game in NFL history. The stakes couldn't be higher: the victor claims both the conference's top seed and a coveted first-round playoff bye, while the loser tumbles to fifth seed and faces a road game on Wild Card weekend. In essence, this game will serve as a de facto playoff game before the playoffs even begin.
A look at the NFC playoff odds
According to Team Rankings, heading into the final weekend of the regular season, the Lions have a 73.0% chance to win the NFC, while the Vikings are at 27.0%. The winner of the Minnesota-Detroit Week 18 matchup will earn the top seed.
The Lions also remain the favorites in the NFC to win Super Bowl LIX at a whopping 26.9%. The Eagles are second with a 9.6% chance of winning it all. They're followed by the Vikings at 5.5%, while the Packers (5.4%), Buccaneers (3.0%), Commanders (1.4%), and Rams (1.3%) are right behind them.