The 2025 NFL regular season reaches its thrilling conclusion this Sunday, delivering high-stakes drama across the league. Divisional titles hang in the balance, the coveted No. 1 seeds in both conferences remain up for grabs, and individual award races could see final twists. With Saturday’s action already setting the stage—the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeating the Carolina Panthers and the Seattle Seahawks clinching the NFC West and the conference’s top seed with a 13-3 win over the San Francisco 49ers—Sunday’s 14-game slate promises even more excitement.
AFC No. 1 Seed: A Wide-Open Race
In a season that saw the Kansas City Chiefs’ usual dominance fade, the battle for the AFC’s top seed is remarkably open. Three surprising contenders—the Denver Broncos, New England Patriots, and Jacksonville Jaguars—are in the mix for the first-round bye and home-field advantage.
The Broncos (13-3) hold the clearest path: a win over a short-handed Los Angeles Chargers team (resting stars like Justin Herbert) secures the No. 1 seed for Denver for the first time since 2015. The Patriots (also 13-3) need a victory against the Miami Dolphins plus a Broncos loss. The Jaguars (12-4) must beat the Tennessee Titans and hope both Denver and New England stumble.
With Denver not resting starters, Bo Nix and company are heavy favorites to claim the top spot.
AFC South Title on the Line
The Jaguars have multiple incentives in their matchup with the Titans. A win gives them a 5-1 divisional record and their first AFC South crown in three years—a remarkable turnaround after last season’s 4-13 disaster under new coach Liam Coen and GM James Gladstone.
Hot on their heels are the Houston Texans, winners of eight straight, who can steal the division with a victory over the Indianapolis Colts and a Jaguars loss. Houston has already clinched a playoff berth for the third straight year, the longest streak in franchise history.
Draft Order and the No. 1 Pick
While some teams fight for playoffs, others are positioning for the 2026 draft. The Las Vegas Raiders can lock up the No. 1 overall pick with a loss to the Chiefs, capping a deeply disappointing season that started with promise under Pete Carroll but devolved into 14 losses in 15 games.
Several teams sit at 3-13, but strength-of-schedule tiebreakers leave only the Raiders and New York Giants truly in contention for the top selection.
Final Push for Individual Awards
Week 18 offers one last chance for stars to solidify their award cases. The MVP race appears to be between Patriots QB Drake Maye and Rams veteran Matthew Stafford, with Maye’s recent heroics— including a division-clinching five-TD performance—potentially giving him the edge.
San Francisco’s Christian McCaffrey deserves mention with his 2,126 all-purpose yards and 17 touchdowns, keeping the 49ers afloat amid injuries, though quarterbacks typically dominate MVP voting. He could claim Offensive Player of the Year instead.
Coach of the Year is tight: Mike Vrabel’s turnaround in New England stands out, but Kyle Shanahan’s injury-ravaged 49ers remain competitive. Myles Garrett is the favorite for Defensive Player of the Year as he chases the single-season sack record.
Black Monday Looms
The dreaded day after the regular season could bring significant changes. The Giants and Titans must decide on their interim coaches, while other franchises face tough calls: Will Pete Carroll get another shot in Las Vegas? Can Todd Bowles survive Tampa’s collapse? What about Kevin Stefanski in Cleveland, Jonathan Gannon in Arizona, or even John Harbaugh or Mike Tomlin after the Baltimore-Pittsburgh showdown?
As the season ends, the NFL’s carousel is poised to spin.
