NFL playoff picture: Bracket live updates for 2026 NFL postseason in Week 18

We have reached the final weekend of the 2025-26 NFL regular season and the playoff bracket is coming into focus. There are two playoff spots left to be claimed and most of the field still has to sort out each seed. Heading into Week 18, only the Green Bay Packers are locked into a position as the No. 7 seed in the NFC.

The final weekend of the regular season features two games on Saturday and the rest on Sunday. The weekend opens on Saturday with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers hosting the Carolina Panthers and closes on Sunday Night Football with the Pittsburgh Steelers hosting the Baltimore Ravens. Both matches will see one of the two teams claiming the No. 4 seed in each conference, and the other team eliminated entirely from the playoff field.

By the close of Saturday, we’ll have clarity on the NFC’s No. 1 and No. 4 seeds. By the end of Sunday, the rest of the bracket will be settled.

The number one seed gets a first-round bye and home-field advantage through the playoffs. The remaining six teams in each conference will face off next weekend in the Wild Card round.

AFC playoff bracket

The Broncos can clinch the No. 1 seed with a win, while the Patriots and Jaguars need to win and get some help. How that resolves itself will also settle the No. 2 and No. 3 seeds. The Steelers or Ravens will claim the No. 4 seed based on their SNF matchup. Finally, the three wild card seeds remain to be sorted out. The Bills and Chargers are locked in as wild cards, while the Texans could be a wild card or a division winner by Sunday afternoon.

Here is the current AFC playoff bracket.

1. Denver Broncos (13-3)**

2. New England Patriots (13-3)* host 7. Buffalo Bills (11-5)*
3. Jacksonville Jaguars (12-4)* host 6. Los Angeles Chargers (11-5)*
4. Pittsburgh Steelers (9-7) host 5. Houston Texans (11-5)*

NFC playoff bracket

The Seahawks-49ers matchup on Saturday night will determine the No. 1 seed in the NFC. The Bears and Eagles will be the No. 2 and No. 3 seeds based on their respective Sunday results. The Panthers-Bucs will determine the No. 4 seed. The Rams and the loser of the Seahawks-49ers game will be the No. 5 and No. 6 seeds, depending on their respective results. The Packers are locked into the No. 7 seed.

Here is the current NFC playoff bracket.

1. Seattle Seahawks (13-3)*

2. Chicago Bears (11-5)** host 7. Green Bay Packers (9-6-1)*
3. Philadelphia Eagles (11-5)** host 6. Los Angeles Rams (11-5)*
4. Carolina Panthers (8-8) host 5. San Francisco 49ers (12-4)*

*: Clinched playoff berth
**: Clinched division title
***: Clinched no. 1 seed

We will update as more Week 18 results come in.