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The NFC playoff field is officially locked in, and it took until the very end of the regular season for several dominoes to fall. From a dramatic NFC South finish to a showdown for the conference’s top seed, Week 18 delivered chaos.
NFC South Drama Comes Down to the Final Game
The most suspenseful division race unfolded in the NFC South, where the Buccaneers, Panthers, and Saints all remained alive heading into Sunday night. Carolina’s path to the division title wasn’t straightforward after losing to Tampa Bay on Saturday, the Panthers needed help.
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They got it.
Atlanta’s 19–17 win over New Orleans created a three-way tie atop the NFC South at 8–9. Thanks to superior head-to-head results, the Panthers emerged on top, clinching their first NFC South title in 10 years. Carolina went 3–1 against Tampa Bay and Atlanta, giving them the crucial tiebreaker and ending Tampa Bay’s four-year reign as division champions. Every team in the NFC South finished the season with a losing record, meanwhile every team in the NFC North finished the season with a winning one.
Seahawks Take Control of the NFC
While the South was chaotic, the NFC West race ended on Saturday night.
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The Seattle Seahawks left no doubt, dominating the 49ers 13–3 to clinch both the NFC West title and the No. 1 overall seed in the conference. The win earned Seattle a first-round bye and home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs.
This marks the fourth time in franchise history that the Seahawks have secured the top seed. In each of the previous three instances (2005, 2013, 2014), Seattle advanced to the Super Bowl.
Final NFC Playoff Seeding
1. Seattle Seahawks (14–3)
Seed: No. 1
Status: NFC West champions, first-round byeSeattle won the most important game of Week 18 and earned the reward that matters most, rest.
2. Chicago Bears (11–6)
Seed: No. 2
Wild Card Opponent: Packers Despite a loss to Detroit, Chicago held onto the second seed thanks to Philadelphia’s loss. The Bears now host Green Bay in a rivalry game. This will be their third meeting of the season.
3. Philadelphia Eagles (11–6)
Seed: No. 3
Wild Card Opponent: 49ers Philadelphia rested starters in Week 18, locking them into the third seed and setting up a physical matchup against San Francisco. It’s a rematch.
4. Carolina Panthers (8–9)
Seed: No. 4
Wild Card Opponent: Rams The Panthers may have the weakest record in the field, but they earned their division title anyway. They’ll host a Rams team they already beat once this season.
5. Los Angeles Rams (12–5)
Seed: No. 5
Wild Card Opponent: Panthers Los Angeles clinched its spot with a win over Arizona and now heads back to Carolina looking for revenge after a Week 13 upset loss.
6. San Francisco 49ers (12–5)
Seed: No. 6
Wild Card Opponent: Eagles San Francisco entered Week 18 with a chance at the No. 1 seed and exited with a road playoff game. The margin in the NFC was razor thin, and the loss to Seattle sent the 49ers to Philadelphia for Wild Card Weekend.
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7. Green Bay Packers (9–7–1)
Seed: No. 7
Wild Card Opponent: Bears Green Bay’s seed was locked before Week 18, allowing them to rest starters. Now, they’ll face Chicago for the third time since early December.
NFC Wild Card Weekend Schedule
(5) Rams at (4) Panthers — Saturday, Jan. 10 (4:30 p.m. ET, Fox)
(7) Packers at (2) Bears — Saturday, Jan. 10 (8:00 p.m. ET, Amazon Prime)
(6) 49ers at (3) Eagles — Sunday, Jan. 11 (4:30 p.m. ET, Fox)
Bye: Seahawks
Final Thought
Only one team earned the luxury of rest, while several contenders now face difficult road environments immediately. With divisional rivalries and rematches the path to the Super Bowl is wide open.
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