The NFL’s policy of scheduling divisional rivals against each other on the final week of regular season play has long been a benefit to the league, and this year is no exception with playoff places, division titles and even a number one seed still to be decided.

With no Thursday night game, the action starts on Saturday with an AFC North double-header and, although playoff-bound Pittsburgh and Baltimore don’t face each other, both still have title ambitions to play for, while Cincinnati retains faint postseason dreams. Denver and Miami remain in the race for the final AFC wild card spot but it is in the NFC where stakes are higher, with the South division title — and, with it, the final playoff berth — on the line for Tampa Bay and Atlanta, and nothing short of the conference’s #1 seed up for grabs in a ‘winner takes all’ NFC North showdown that rightly earns Game of the Week status.

***

GAME OF THE WEEK

Minnesota Vikings (14-2) @ Detroit Lions (14-2)

The Minnesota Vikings travel to the Motor City for a clash for all the marbles with the Detroit Lions. The 14-2 Lions have been out in front all season long, but have been unable to enlist any help in slowing the roll of the Vikings. Kevin O’Connell, the favourite to take home NFL Coach of the Year honours, has led his side to nine straight wins, the longest active streak in the NFL, as they also sit at 14-2. The Vikings have enjoyed stellar play from quarterback Sam Darnold who has already set career-highs with 4,153 passing yards and 35 touchdowns while completing 68.1% of his passes. But the Vikings have also enjoyed themselves on defense, with Brian Flores coordinating a unit that ranks fourth in points allowed and first in turnovers. The Vikings need to win, while a loss or a tie would see the Lions secure the title and a much-needed bye week. The Lions’ defense is barely recognisable from the unit that began the season, with a whopping 13 players on injured reserve. Offensively, however, they have shown no signs of slowing down, scoring at least 30 points in their last four games. This Sunday Night Football clash is the last regular season game of the 2024 season, and it promises to be an absolute cracker.

PREDICTION: The Lions offense does just enough to take home their second straight division title, the first time they’ve gone back-to-back in their division since they won three in a row between 1952-1954.

***

WORTH A WATCH

Sometimes there are fixtures that just stand out on a schedule, whether it’s your favourite team(s), a rematch or a plain old revenge game…

Cleveland Browns (3-13) @ Baltimore Ravens (11-5)

The Ravens, already safely in possession of a postseason berth, can lock up the AFC North and a home playoff game with a win over Cleveland on Saturday. Baltimore have gotten hot at exactly the right time, winning each of their last three games, while title rivals Pittsburgh have dropped their last three. Lamar Jackson has probably played the best football of his career in 2024, which is impressive when you consider that he is a two-time MVP. Jackson has always been a dynamic rushing threat, with at least 750 rushing yards in six straight seasons, but he has grown as a passer in 2024, with 39 touchdown passes and a league-leading 121.6 passer rating, thanks in no small part to his 8.9 yards per attempt — also a league high. It looks like it should be a breeze for the Ravens as they take on a Browns side that could possibly earn the first overall pick in 2025 with a loss this week, but Jackson has lost five regular season games to the Browns in his career — tied for the most losses against a single team alongside the Steelers — and Kevin Stefanski and his team have already beaten the Ravens once this season. A lot has changed since that Week 8 game however, and the injury-ravaged Browns will need an awful lot to go their way if they are to end a disappointing season on a high.

PREDICTION: The Ravens romp to victory over the hapless Browns, and Jackson gets one step closer to a third MVP award.

Cincinnati Bengals (8-8) @ Pittsburgh Steelers (10-6)

One of the more fascinating games on the Week 18 slate is the second Saturday game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Pittsburgh Steelers, although some of the allure rests on the result of the earlier Ravens-Browns clash. The Steelers have dropped to 10-6 with three straight losses, knocking them off the top of the division standings, but they can still win the title if the Ravens lose to the Browns. Of course, the Steelers still need to take care of business against the Bengals — and they may be clutching at straws if they expect the Browns to overcome the Ravens. On top of that, the Steelers have a hungry Bengals team in front of them that offensively are as hot as any team in the NFL at present. The Bengals have won four in a row thanks to the stellar play of quarterback Joe Burrow, who has passed for at least 275 yards and three touchdowns in seven straight games. The Bengals’ early season woes, particularly on defense, have left them hoping for a postseason berth rather than enjoying the prospect of one, but a win over the Steelers on Saturday, plus losses for the Broncos and the Dolphins, would see Cincy sneak in as the #7 seed.

PREDICTION: The Bengals do their bit to keep their season alive, while the Steelers limp into the playoffs with four straight defeats.

***

ALSO ON

Carolina Panthers (4-12) @ Atlanta Falcons (8-8)

Can Bryce Young lead his side to a morale-boosting victory to close out a disappointing campaign, or will Michael Penix do enough to lead his side to victory — and, potentially, a division title?

Washington Commanders (11-5) @ Dallas Cowboys (7-9)

The Commanders could boost their playoff seeding with a win over their hated division rivals, but will Cooper Rush (or Trey Lance… or Will Grier) spoil Dan Quinn’s return to Big D?

Chicago Bears (4-12) @ Green Bay Packers (11-5)

Can the Bears end a disappointing season with victory over their old rivals after ten straight regular season defeats, or will the Packers prolong the Bears’ misery as they look to improve their own playoff seeding?

Jacksonville Jaguars (4-12) @ Indianapolis Colts (7-9)

In what could be the last game in charge for Doug Pedersen, can the Jaguars send him into Black Monday with a second straight victory to close the campaign, or will the Colts give their fans some small cheer to take into the offseason?

Buffalo Bills (13-3) @ New England Patriots (3-13)

Josh Allen will keep his Iron Man streak alive for at least a few plays, but can the Bills’ second string condemn the Patriots to defeat and potentially put the storied franchise on the clock for the first time in three decades?

New York Giants (3-13) @ Philadelphia Eagles (12-3)

The Eagles have opted not to give Saquon Barkley a chance to break the single-season rushing record, so will resting their starters give the Giants a chance to ruin their 2025 draft position?

New Orleans Saints (5-11) @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-7)

Can Baker Mayfield feed Mike Evans another 1,000-yard season while also earning the Bucs a division title, or can ‘The Rizzler’ spoil their party in his last audition for the Saints head coaching gig?

Houston Texans (9-7) @ Tennessee Titans (3-13)

The old team from Houston welcomes the current occupants, but can the Texans find some form before the playoffs, or will the Titans merely add to the misery?

San Francisco 49ers (6-10) @ Arizona Cardinals (7-9)

Which team will take bragging rights into a long offseason, and can Kyler Murray and Marvin Harrison deliver a performance to build on in 2025?

Kansas City Chiefs (15-1) @ Denver Broncos (9-7)

Will Carson Wentz put up a fight against a Broncos team still scrapping for their postseason lives, or will the Broncos playoff drought stretch into another season?

Los Angeles Chargers (10-6) @ Las Vegas Raiders (4-12)

Can the Raiders do enough to keep Antonio Pierce in a job for another year against a Chargers team that has already booked their playoff ticket?

Seattle Seahawks (9-7) @ Los Angeles Rams (10-6)

Can the Seahawks’ misfiring offense outlast the Rams’ misfiring offense, or will Sean McVay do enough to outwit Mike MacDonald and avoid ‘strength of victory’ becoming a talking point in the destiny of the NFC West title?

Miami Dolphins (8-8) @ New York Jets (4-12)

The Dolphins could keep their slim playoff hopes alive by inflicting a final miserable blow on the 2024 Jets, who may or may not have Aaron Rodgers under center for what could be the final appearance of more than just a tumultuous campaign.