The final stretch of the 2025 NFL regular season has arrived, and Week 17 is packed with high-stakes drama that will define the postseason landscape. With several teams securing their playoff tickets after Saturday's games, Sunday's action on December 28th promises to deliver clarity on division championships, crucial seeding, and the remaining open berths. While only a handful of playoff spots are still up for grabs, intense battles for seeding and division supremacy are wide open, setting the stage for a thrilling Sunday of football.
Current Playoff Picture: AFC and NFC Standings
As Sunday dawns, the playoff scenarios in both conferences have come into sharp focus. In the AFC, the Denver Broncos have already clinched the West and currently hold the coveted No. 1 seed. The New England Patriots are leading the chase in the East, while the Jacksonville Jaguars top the South. The Pittsburgh Steelers have a clear path to wrap up the North title today. The wild card picture features strong contenders like the Buffalo Bills, among others who solidified their positions over the weekend.
Over in the NFC, the Seattle Seahawks sit atop the West and have a chance to claim the conference's top spot. The Chicago Bears have already secured the North, and a fierce fight is underway in the South, where the Carolina Panthers are in contention for the crown. Sunday's direct clashes between contenders are poised to lock in further clarity for the playoff bracket.
Key Teams and Their Clinching Scenarios
Several franchises control their destiny or need specific results to achieve their goals today. The Denver Broncos can clinch the AFC's No. 1 seed and the accompanying home-field advantage and first-round bye if they get a combination of results: a Patriots loss, plus a Bills loss or tie, and a Jaguars loss or tie. This would be the ultimate reward for their strong campaign.
The New England Patriots can lock up the AFC East title with a victory paired with a Bills loss or tie, or with a tie combined with a Bills loss. This would mark their first division crown in several years. Meanwhile, the Pittsburgh Steelers have the simplest path: they secure the AFC North with either a win or a tie today, thanks to tiebreakers, eliminating any last-week drama.
In the NFC, the Seattle Seahawks aim for dominance. They can clinch both the NFC West and the conference's No. 1 seed with a win, combined with a Rams loss or tie, and an unlikely tie in the Sunday night game between the 49ers and Bears. For the Carolina Panthers, winning the NFC South is possible with a victory and a Buccaneers loss or tie, or a tie and a Buccaneers loss, which would also reshape the wildcard scene.
Full Week 17 Sunday Schedule
The action unfolds across three time windows on Sunday, December 28th. The early afternoon games (1:00 PM ET) feature pivotal matchups including Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Miami Dolphins, Pittsburgh Steelers at Cleveland Browns, and New England Patriots at New York Jets. The late afternoon window (starting at 4:05 PM ET) has games like New York Giants at Las Vegas Raiders and a crucial clash between the Philadelphia Eagles and Buffalo Bills at 4:25 PM ET. The week concludes with Sunday Night Football at 8:20 PM ET, where the Chicago Bears visit the San Francisco 49ers in a game with significant playoff implications for other teams.
The outcomes of these games will finalise the playoff field and set the stage for a highly competitive NFL postseason, where every seed and home-field advantage could prove decisive.
