NFL week 18 results & play-off standings: Full wildcard weekend schedule after Steelers egde out Ravens

The road to the Super Bowl will go through Denver and Seattle after the Broncos beat the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday to finish as top seed in the AFC, while the Seahawks won the NFC on Saturday.

Both of those sides now get next week off to rest and recover while the remaining 12 teams fight it out in the wildcard round.

AFC Seedings

The New England Patriots won on Sunday but had to settle for second spot with Denver owning the tiebreaker and they will host the Chargers, who rested their starters, next week in Foxborough.

The Jacksonville Jaguars won to ensure they beat the Houston Texans to the AFC South title – but both sides are red-hot as they enter the play-offs having won nine and eight games in a row respectively.

Reigning MVP Josh Allen only played one snap on Sunday but will lead the Buffalo Bills as narrow favourites in Jacksonville next week, with the Texans and their league-leading defence favourites to beat the Steelers in Pittsburgh.

NFC Seedings

Seattle have made the Super Bowl all three previous times they’ve finished as top seed so will fancy their chances, but it’s a strong NFC challenge ahead of them.

Caleb Williams almost led another Chicago Bears comeback on Sunday but they lost 19-16 at home to the Detroit Lions.

The Bears will face fierce rivals the Green Bay Packers next week. It’s the oldest and most-played rivalry in the NFL but this will be just the third play-off meeting between the two, following on from 2010 and 1941.

Defending champions Philadelphia decided to rest most of their starters in their loss to the Washington Commanders, but the Eagles will be at full strength against the San Francisco 49ers.

Matthew Stafford pressed his MVP claims with three second-half touchdowns and four in total as the Los Angeles Rams pinched fifth spot from the 49ers, resulting in what looks a much better tie at the Carolina Panthers rather than Philadelphia.