By: Michael Spiers

TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services

With college football bowl season in full swing, and the college football playoffs going on, it’s understandable that current focus is squarely on the collegiate gridiron.

But with just one week left in the 2024-25 NFL regular season, the pro league is offering its share of excitement.

There are still plenty spots and seeding up in the air in both the AFC and NFC playoff races. While some teams have locked in their spots, Week 18 is shaping up to be a high-stakes showdown for division titles, seeding, and those last few playoff berths. Here’s how things look after Week 17 officially ended following Detroit’s win on Monday night.

NFC Playoff Picture: The NFC race is heating up, especially in the North and South divisions.

The Detroit Lions are back on top after a wild 40-34 win over the 49ers. They’ll face the Minnesota Vikings in Week 18, a winner-takes-all battle for the NFC North crown and the conference’s No. 1 seed. Both teams are 14-2, but Detroit has the edge because of their Week 7 victory over Minnesota. In that game, Jahmyr Gibbs went off, racking up 160 total yards and a touchdown.

It’s simple: if the Lions win or tie, they clinch the division and the top seed. If the Vikings win, they take over the North. Either way, this primetime matchup is going to be must-watch football.

Down South, the Buccaneers are clinging to a one-game lead over the Falcons.

Tampa Bay just needs a win or a tie against my hometown New Orleans Saints in Week 18 to lock up the division.

The Falcons, though, have a tougher road. They need to beat the Panthers and hope the Saints upset the Bucs.

Meanwhile, the Eagles are cruising into the playoffs with the No. 2 seed locked up. The Rams, Commanders, and Packers round out the current NFC playoff teams.

AFC Playoff Picture: Over in the AFC, things are a little clearer, but there’s still plenty of drama.

The Chiefs have been dominant all season, clinching the No. 1 seed, so they’ll probably rest their starters in Week 18.

The Bills have locked in the No. 2 spot after crushing the Jets 40-14.

But the AFC North is still up for grabs. The Ravens and Steelers both have a shot at the division title and the No. 3 seed.

The Ravens will face the Browns, while the Steelers take on the Bengals. Both teams are already in the playoffs, but Week 18 will decide who comes out on top.

The Texans secured the AFC South a couple of weeks ago, and the Chargers clinched their spot last week with a win over the Patriots.

That leaves one wild card spot up for grabs, and the Broncos are sitting in the driver’s seat. They’re 9-7 and control their destiny, but the Dolphins and Bengals (both 8-8) are right behind them.

For Miami to sneak in, they need a win and a Broncos loss.

The Bengals need even more help, with both the Broncos and Dolphins needing to lose on top of their own win. On a side note: wouldn’t it be fun to watch former LSU great Joe Burrow, or Joe Shiesty as they call him in the ‘League’, take a 9-8 Bengals team that started the season at 0-3 all the way to a Lombardi Trophy?!

Week 18 Games to Watch: Here’s what’s on tap for the final week of the regular season:

NFC North Showdown: Lions vs. Vikings – The division and top seed are on the line. Winner takes all.

NFC South Fight: Buccaneers vs. Saints and Falcons vs. Panthers – Can Tampa Bay hold off Atlanta’s late push?

AFC North Battle: Ravens vs. Browns and Steelers vs. Bengals – The division title is still anyone’s game.

Wild Card Chase: Broncos, Dolphins, and Bengals – Denver controls the last spot, but Miami and Cincinnati aren’t out of it yet.

With so much on the line, Week 18 is going to be an absolute thriller. Whether it’s division titles or wild-card spots, every game has something riding on it.

Get ready for some fireworks as the regular season comes to an epic close!