The final week of the NFL Season is upon us. There was no Thursday night game, and there’s no game on Monday. Just two Saturday tilts and a full lineup Sunday to wrap up the season! Below is the five games on the Week 18 slate I’m most excited to see, plus my picks for the final week of the regular season.

Saturday Games:

Carolina Panthers (8-8) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-9)
About: It all comes down to this for the NFC South. It makes sense the Saturday doubleheader has big playoff implications. That starts with this game, which is a winner takes all shot at the playoffs. The Buccaneers have faded hard, but they could still win the division again. The Panthers, meanwhile, have been the upstarts all year. Could Bryce Young punch his ticket. The first battle went down to the wire and I suspect this will, too.

Seattle Seahawks (13-3) at San Francisco 49ers (12-4)
About: This is the other Saturday tilt, and it’s a doozy. This is a winner takes all matchup, too. Whoever wins gets the NFC West Crown, the No. 1 seed in the NFC, and a bye week. For the 49ers, a win could mean they would have homefield all the way through the Super Bowl. For Sam Darnold, this is a shot at redemption after missing out in the same situation in 2024. This could be one of the best games of the week.

Sunday Early Games:

Green Bay Packers (9-6-1) at Minnesota Vikings (8-8)
About: This game doesn’t have playoff stakes. The Vikings are out, and the Packers are locked into the No. 7 seed. But the Packers have been on a swoon, losing three straight games. That’s likely not how they want to roll into the playoffs. The Vikings, meanwhile, have a chance to beat a division rival and finish the season above .500. That would be quite an accomplishment. This one should still be competitive.

Sunday Late Games:

Los Angeles Chargers (11-5) at Denver Broncos (13-3)
About: The Broncos have already won the AFC West. The Chargers have already made the playoffs. So, there aren’t huge stakes for both teams. In fact, the Chargers are planning to sit starters on Sunday. But the Broncos, with a win, earn the top seed in the AFC and could finish with the league’s best record. So, yeah, the Broncos will be playing hard. And this has some big stakes.

Sunday Night Football:

Baltimore Ravens (8-8) at Pittsburgh Steelers (9-7)
About: The NFL week begins and ends with a winner takes all matchup for the final playoff spot in each conference. The field is all set in the AFC except for the AFC North winner. The Steelers merely need to win and they are in. The Ravens face the same challenge. Pittsburgh beat Baltimore in Baltimore earlier this season. Can the Ravens return the favor? This should be a fun way to end the NFL Season.

NFL Picks, Week 18:

Buccaneers Over Panthers
49ers Over Seahawks
Falcons Over Saints
Bengals Over Browns
Packers Over Vikings
Cowboys Over Giants
Jaguars Over Titans
Texans Over Colts
Bills Over Jets
Bears Over Lions
Broncos Over Chargers
Chiefs Over Raiders
Rams Over Cardinals
Patriots Over Dolphins
Eagles Over Commanders
Ravens Over Steelers

Last Week: 8-8
Season: 161-94

Matthew Fox is a graduate of the Radio, Television and Film program at Biola University, and a giant nerd. He spends his free time watching movies, TV, and obsessing about football. He is a member of the FSWA. You can find him @knighthawk7734 on Twitter and as co-host of the Fantasy Football Roundtable Podcast.