Ending on a high note
For a change, there's a lot at stake in the NFL season's final weekend.
Associated Press photo
By now, no matter which holidays you observe, the wrapping paper has been trashed, the boxes broken down and many of the gifts have been returned or forgotten.
If you’re an NFL fan, though, there are still a few presents left to open.
The season’s final week can be overwhelmingly meaningless and tedious, with thousands of empty seats in most stadiums. Playoff teams rest star players or go overboard to help them reach statistical records or milestones. Coaches of non-contending squads are already looking over their shoulders, expecting a pink slip on Black Monday.
All of those things will happen this weekend. But through strategy or dumb luck, the NFL also essentially offers three winner-take-all games, a week before the playoffs officially start.
On Saturday afternoon, the NFC South title is on the line when Carolina (8-8) visits Tampa Bay (7-9). The Panthers can clinch the dubious prize (and a home playoff game) with a win, while the Buccaneers need to win and hope the surging Atlanta Falcons (7-9) either lose to or tie New Orleans (6-10) on Sunday.
Saturday evening brings a game with much higher stakes. Seattle (13-3) visits San Francisco (12-4), with the winner earning the NFC West title, the conference’s top seed and a first-round playoff bye. It’s not all bad for the loser, which will get the No. 5 seed and a first-round game at the NFC South champion, which is as close to a bye as a wild-card team can ask for.
Then on Sunday night, the Baltimore Ravens (8-8) visit the Pittsburgh Steelers (9-7) with the AFC North championship at stake in addition to the bad blood that always flows through this meeting of bitter rivals.
You can fault the NFL for a lot of things: ignoring concussions, enabling bad behavior by owners, gouging fans at every opportunity. But a few years back, the league stumbled on a winning idea: make every season finale a division game and withhold those starting times until the penultimate weekend.
That gives the networks a chance to highlight the few games with actual significance. And this year, ABC lucked into a pair of Saturday contests worth watching — even if one includes a Buccaneers team that has lost seven of its last eight against the Panthers, who have alternated wins and losses since October.
Fortunately, that game is the afternoon warmup for the weekend’s main event, the Seahawks at the 49ers. Those of us on the East coast likely haven’t seen as much of those two teams as we should have, but we’ll get a chance on Saturday night.
In a season that has seen New England and Denver regain their old glory, the 49ers might be the best story of all. Despite a plague of injuries to stars like Fred Warner, Nick Bosa, Brock Purdy and Brandon Aiyuk, they managed to tread water until the schedule eased up a bit after Halloween. Now, they’ve won six straight, scoring at least 37 points in four of those games. Purdy is healthy, and there’s hope Warner may return from his broken ankle for the playoffs.
To get the top seed, they’ll need to complete a season sweep of the Seahawks, who also have won six straight. Seattle boasts the NFL’s second-ranked scoring defense (18.1) and arguably its best receiver in Jaxon Smith-Ngiba (113 catches, 1,709 yards, 10 touchdowns). Get your popcorn ready.
And save some for Sunday night, when coaches Mike Tomlin and John Harbaugh clash for the 40th (and possibly final?) time. As usual, there will be respect, animosity and consequences.
After a 1-5 start, the Ravens are somehow still alive, thanks to an improved defense and 1,459 rushing yards from the ageless Derrick Henry. It would help Harbaugh’s chances if Lamar Jackson can return from the back injury that forced him to miss last week’s win at Green Bay.
Remarkably, Jackson has been less reliable than Pittsburgh’s Aaron Rodgers, who has managed to start all but one game at age 42. He looked his age in last week’s loss to Buffalo, but was sharp in a 27-22 win over the Ravens in early December and lives for this kind of high-stakes game. Still, DK Metcalf’s suspension for striking a Detroit Lions fan two weeks ago looms large.
There will be plenty of forgettable games elsewhere around the NFL on the season’s final weekend, but every true fan should resolve to watch these three meaningful contests.
NFL WEEK 18 POWER RANKINGS
1. Seahawks (13-3) Ground production is peaking as the playoffs approach.
2. Patriots (13-3) They went 8-0 on the road, a good sign if they don’t get top seed.
3. 49ers (12-4) Earning top seed vs. all odds might earn Shanahan coach honor.
4. Broncos (13-3) They’ll need to end 0-3 skid vs. Chargers to earn AFC’s top seed.
5. Jaguars (12-4) They need only to beat the lowly Titans to claim AFC South title.
6. Eagles (11-5) Even if they rest starters, they’ll be favored vs. Commanders.
7. Bears (11-5) Close losses cost them a shot at top seed, but they’re dangerous.
8. Bills (11-5) Loss to Eagles made their playoff journey quite a bit more difficult.
9. Rams (11-5) Hopes for top seed, MVP for Stafford vanished in two-game skid.
10. Texans (11-5) If Stroud plays mistake-free, they’re a nightmare playoff foe.
11. Chargers (11-5) Beating Broncos would give them a favorable playoff matchup.
12. Packers (9-6-1) Limping into playoffs with QB injuries, porous run defense.
13. Steelers (9-7) They blew a golden chance and now must beat Ravens to qualify.
14. Ravens (8-8) Getting Jackson back for Steelers showdown would be huge.
15. Vikings (8-8) Seeking winning record and 1,000 receiving yards for Jefferson.
16. Panthers (8-8) Need a better effort in finale than they showed vs. Seattle.
17. Lions (8-8) All that’s left in finale is pride and finishing with a winning record.
18. Buccaneers (7-9) Winning a weak division could salvage disappointing season.
19. Falcons (7-9) Surge came too late, but it should preserve Morris’ job security.
20. Cowboys (7-8-1) Prescott has motivation to play in a meaningless finale.
21. Colts (8-8) With playoffs out of reach, why not start Leonard at QB in finale?
22. Dolphins (7-9) It could have been much worse, but major changes are coming.
23. Saints (6-10) Four-game win streak is longest since Drew Brees was the QB.
24. Chiefs (6-10) Reid says he’s coming back, but things will look different in ’26.
25. Bengals (6-10) Defense will need an upgrade, but it shined against Cardinals.
26. Browns (4-12) Sanders gave front office something to think about vs. Steelers.
27. Commanders (4-12) With three sacks vs. Dallas, Newton was rare bright spot.
28. Titans (3-13) After collapse vs. Saints, they haven’t won back to back since ’21.
29. Cardinals (3-13) Tight end McBride has been a bright spot in dreadful season.
30. Giants (3-13) Still have outside shot at No. 1 pick despite beating Raiders.
31. Jets (3-13) They’re just the fifth team with four straight losses by 23 or more.
32. Raiders (2-14) Their season finale vs. the hobbled Chiefs is must-miss TV.