NFL Week 18 is The Final Chance at Gaining the 2025 Playoffs

The last weekend of the regular season will likely offer some must-win games for teams that seek to gain a playoff spot. On the other hand, there will be plenty of load management by teams looking to stay healthy for the 2026 NFL Playoffs. All games for Week 18 are on a flex schedule. To illuminate, starting times and TV coverage will be determined a week or so before the games. Because of the combination of virtual playoff and preseason games, Week 18 has become the most challenging NFL odds handicap of all.

2025-26 NFL Super Bowl Championship Future Odds

2024-25 NFL Week 18 Schedule

Saturday, Jan. 3 or Sunday, Jan. 4 (time/network TBD)

• New Orleans Saints at Atlanta Falcons
• New York Jets at Buffalo Bills
• Detroit Lions at Chicago Bears
• Cleveland Browns at Cincinnati Bengals
• Los Angeles Chargers at Denver Broncos
• Indianapolis Colts at Houston Texans
• Tennessee Titans at Jacksonville Jaguars
• Arizona Cardinals at Los Angeles Rams
• Kansas City Chiefs at Las Vegas Raiders
• Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings
• Miami Dolphins at New England Patriots
• Dallas Cowboys at New York Giants
• Washington Commanders at Philadelphia Eagles
• Baltimore Ravens at Pittsburgh Steelers
• Seattle Seahawks at San Francisco 49ers
• Carolina Panthers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Initially, the Week 18 schedule is loaded with seemingly attractive division rivalry games. But will those games matter?

For example, in the 2024 season when the Kansas City Chiefs faced the Las Vegas Raiders. With nothing on the line for the Chiefs, Kansas City rested quarterback Patrick Mahomes to protect him for the playoffs. Hence, it is a lesson on how difficult it is to bet on the final weekend of the regular season successfully.

Now for 2025, the Chiefs and Raiders will again close out the regular season, this time from Las Vegas, which will make for a fun road trip for Kansas City fans. Despite the possibility that the sportsbook matchup doesn’t have anything on the line.

Also, from the AFC West is an NFL betting odds matchup of the Los Angeles Chargers at the Denver Broncos, where playoff position could be at stake for each side.

Meanwhile, the Pittsburgh Steelers will host the Baltimore Ravens and could be playing for their postseason lives. What will be interesting is if Baltimore has already clinched its playoff position. This means that the Steelers would likely protect their best players from potential injury, which could open the door for their hated rivals.

Once upon a time, a matchup between the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants was for all the marbles in the NFC East. This year, it may be for nothing as each team is facing low expectations.

Also from the NFC East is the old rivalry matchup of the Washington Commanders at the Philadelphia Eagles. Can Washington again confound the experts with a playoff berth?

The NFC North was once known as the Black and Blue division in football’s golden age. While the game and teams have changed, the historic rivalry matchups remain. The Chicago Bears will host the Detroit Lions, and the Green Bay Packers will visit the Minnesota Vikings.

In the NFC West, the Los Angeles Rams will host the Arizona Cardinals, while the San Francisco 49ers host the Seattle Seahawks. Certainly, it is possible that all of these teams could be fighting for a playoff spot or positioning.

Finally, in the AFC East, ancient rivalries will renew with the Miami Dolphins at the New England Patriots and the New York Jets at the Buffalo Bills. Miami and cold weather have been a terrible combination. Of course, if Buffalo has nothing to play for, that could change the handicapping dynamics.