NFL Week 18 Roundup

The final week of the NFL regular season has concluded, with no changes in the standings, and the playoff spots are now finalized.

In the AFC, the Denver Broncos crushed the Kansas City Chiefs with a 38-0 shutout, securing the final playoff spot in the conference and eliminating the Cincinnati Bengals and Miami Dolphins.

In the NFC, the Detroit Lions claimed the top spot in the standings after defeating the Minnesota Vikings, earning a direct berth to the divisional round. Meanwhile, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers triumphed over the New Orleans Saints, securing the NFC South title ahead of the Atlanta Falcons, who fell to the Carolina Panthers.

Week 18 Results

NFL Week 18: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 27-19 New Orleans Saints

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10-7) secured the final playoff spot in the NFC and claimed the NFC South title with a 27-19 victory over the New Orleans Saints (5-12).

It wasn’t an easy win for the Buccaneers, who trailed for most of the game. The first half ended 6-16, and they began the final quarter down 13-19. At halftime, they were losing while the Falcons were winning, which would have eliminated them from the postseason. However, in the fourth quarter, they showcased their determination to reach the playoffs, scoring touchdowns with Jalen McMillan and Bucky Irving, while the defense shut down the Saints’ offense.

Baker Mayfield finished the game with 21 completions on 32 attempts for 221 yards and two touchdowns, though he was intercepted once. The Buccaneers clinched the third seed in the NFC and will face the Washington Commanders in the first round of the playoffs—a team they already defeated in the season opener (37-20).

NFL Week 18: Atlanta Falcons 38-44 Carolina Panthers

The Atlanta Falcons (8-9) needed a win and a Tampa Bay Buccaneers loss to advance to the postseason, but neither happened. They fell 38-44 to the Carolina Panthers (5-12).

The game was unusual, starting with a low-scoring first quarter that ended 3-3. However, the second quarter exploded with five touchdowns, closing the half at 24-17 in favor of Atlanta. In the third quarter, the Panthers turned the tables with two touchdowns (24-31), and in the fourth, a Bijan Robinson touchdown with 46 seconds remaining tied the game at 38-38.

In overtime, Miles Sanders secured the Panthers’ fifth win of the season with a rushing touchdown, while the Falcons finished their season with a losing record and six losses in their last eight games.

Notable performances included Michael Penix Jr., who completed 21 of 38 passes for 312 yards and two touchdowns, both to Drake London. Bijan Robinson also stood out with 28 rushing attempts, 170 yards, and two touchdowns. On the Panthers’ side, quarterback Bryce Young had the best game of his career, achieving three passing touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns, becoming the first quarterback in franchise history to accomplish this. He also completed 25 of 34 passes for 251 yards.

NFL Week 18: Denver Broncos 38-0 Kansas City Chiefs

The Denver Broncos (10-7) took full advantage of the Kansas City Chiefs (15-2) fielding their backup players, crushing them 38-0 to secure the final AFC playoff spot.

The Broncos dominated from the start, scoring at least one touchdown in every quarter. It was an outstanding performance by Bo Nix, who achieved a 90% completion rate with 26 passes completed out of 29 attempts and no interceptions. The rookie quarterback also threw four touchdowns for the second time in his career, helping Denver reach the postseason for the first time since 2015.

On the Chiefs’ side, having already secured the top seed in the AFC, quarterback Carson Wentz managed only 98 yards with 10 completions out of 17 attempts—a lackluster performance for the 32-year-old.

The Broncos will now face the Buffalo Bills in the first round of the playoffs, while the Chiefs will enjoy a bye and wait for the second round.

NFL Week 18: Detroit Lions 31-9 Minnesota Vikings

The Detroit Lions capped off the regular season with a commanding 31-9 victory over the Minnesota Vikings, securing the NFC’s top seed and a direct spot in the divisional round. This win also sent a clear message that they are strong contenders for the Super Bowl.

The Lions dominated the game, thanks to an exceptional performance by Jahmyr Gibbs, who scored all four of the game’s touchdowns. The running back tallied three rushing TDs and one receiving TD, becoming only the second player in Lions history in his position to achieve four touchdowns in a game—the first since Barry Sanders in 1991. Gibbs also broke the franchise record for touchdowns in a single season, tied James Cook and Derrick Henry for the most rushing TDs in the regular season (16), and led the league in total touchdowns this season with 20.

For the first time in franchise history, the Lions secured the #1 seed for the playoffs and swept their division, winning all their matchups against NFC North rivals.

The Vikings were outmatched from the start, managing only nine points via three field goals by Will Reichard. Their offense struggled, with quarterback Sam Darnold completing just 18 of 41 passes for 166 yards. In contrast, Jared Goff of the Lions completed 27 of 33 passes for 231 yards and a touchdown, despite being intercepted twice.

Now, the 14-3 Vikings face a tough road ahead. They will visit Los Angeles to play the Rams in the Wildcard round, and if they win, they will face the Lions again—a team they have already lost to twice this season and five times in a row.

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