Nfl S Week 18 To Feature Ravens Steelers 49ers Seahawks In Upi

Bonisiwe Shabane

-Dec 31, 2025, 7:39 AM

nfl s week 18 to feature ravens steelers 49ers seahawks in upi

Dec. 29 (UPI) -- The NFL moved the Baltimore Ravens-Pittsburgh Steelers Week 18 finale, which will decide the AFC North champion, into primetime, the league announced. The matchup between the division rivals kick off at 8:20 p.m. EST Sunday in Pittsburgh and air on NBC. The winner will not only claim the division title, but also clinch the AFC's final playoff berth. But Steelers (9-7) and Ravens (8-8) fans won't be alone is catching winner-take-all action.

The Week 18 slate will start with a matchup between the Carolina Panthers (8-8) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-9) at 4:30 p.m. Saturday in Tampa, Fla. That game, which will determine the winner of the NFC South and second-to-last spot in the NFL's 14-team playoff field, will air on ESPN and ABC. A meeting between the Seattle Seahawks (13-3) and San Francisco 49ers (12-4) will follow at 8 p.m. on the same networks. That NFC West matchup will determine the division winner and the top seed in the NFC.

Every year, the NFL waits as long as possible before releasing the Week 18 schedule and that announcement finally came on Sunday night. The final week of the NFL season will kick off on Saturday with a doubleheader and then close out on Sunday night with the Ravens and Steelers battling in Pittsburgh. That will be the 272nd and final game of the 2025 season and the winner will clinch the AFC North title along with the final playoff spot in the AFC. The Steelers and Ravens met back in Week 14 with Pittsburgh topping Baltimore, 27-22. The biggest game of the weekend will arguably be happening on Saturday with the Seahawks hitting the road to face the 49ers in a massive NFC West showdown. There will be a lot on the line in that game with the winner taking home the NFC West title and the No.

1 overall seed in the NFC. That means the winner will get a bye in the opening round of the playoffs while the loser will be forced to hit the road for the wild card round. In the early game on Saturday, the Buccaneers will be hosting the Panthers in a game that could decide the NFC South. If the Panthers win, they'll clinch the division title. However, the same can't be said for Tampa Bay. If the Bucs win, they'll also need the Falcons to lose to the Saints on Sunday to clinch the division (A Bucs win combined with a Falcons win would create a three-way tie at...

The No. 1 seed in the AFC will be decided on Sunday. The Broncos will be hosting the Chargers at 4:25 p.m. ET on CBS and if they win that game, they'll clinch the top seed. However, if the Broncos lose, the Patriots could sneak in and steal the top seed by beating the Dolphins. The Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers will meet in Week 18 with the AFC North title at stake.

Scott Taetsch / Getty Images Week 18 of the NFL season surely will not be a relaxing end to a grueling regular season. Far from it. Four division titles are still up for grabs, with at least two — and possibly three — to be decided in winner-take-all matchups. The two conferences’ No. 1 seeds and the playoff byes that come with them remain in play.

And, yes, even the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft is in question. That left the league with tough decisions for how it would configure the Week 18 schedule, including which game would be featured in the coveted “Sunday Night Football” finale on NBC. However, the league didn’t have to wait for the conclusion of Monday night’s game between the Los Angeles Rams and Atlanta Falcons to make its selections. The 2025 NFL regular season will end in the Steel City. The NFL on Sunday night announced its full Week 18 schedule for Saturday, Jan.

3, and Sunday, Jan. 4, and the regular season will come to a close in Pittsburgh. The Baltimore Ravens (8-8) and Pittsburgh Steelers (9-7) will square off for the AFC North title and the conference's No. 4 seed in the playoffs on Sunday Night Football. Week 18 action kicks off with a Saturday doubleheader, however, which features the Carolina Panthers at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at 4:30 p.m. ET on ESPN/ABC, and the Seattle Seahawks at the San Francisco 49ers at 8 p.m.

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Sign up today! The NFL announced the Week 18 slate on Sunday night after the 49ers beat the Bears, which means Seahawks vs. 49ers next week will be for the No. 1 seed in the NFC. Week 18 will see the final two playoff spots decided. The AFC North champion will be crowned when the Steelers host the Ravens.

In the NFC South, the Panthers can win the division with a win over the Buccaneers in Tampa, while the Buccaneers need a win on Saturday and a Falcons' loss in Week 18. Here's the schedule for the final week of the regular season, including which games you can watch on FOX: Carolina Panthers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers This game will likely decide the NFC South. If the Falcons win their final regular season game, Carolina would still win the division with a loss, causing a three-way tie at 8-9. The NFL's Week 18 schedule is finally here.

The penultimate week of regular-season action clarified which few pieces of the playoff puzzle still have to fall in place. With that coming into focus, the league was able to determine a setup for every team's finale. The Carolina Panthers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers will meet on Saturday afternoon to determine the likely winner of the NFC South (barring the Atlanta Falcons winning out). Then, the Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers will clash Saturday night with the NFC's No. 1 seed on the line. The Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers will close out the season on Sunday night to decide the AFC North title.

Here's a look at the NFL Week 18 schedule with times and dates for all 16 showdowns: Week 17 of the NFL season is almost in the books, and a majority of the playoff picture has already been decided. However, with the final week of the regular season still on the calendar, a few key matchups remain that could help finalize playoff seedings for various teams. But with the flexible schedule that the final week offers. As a result, fans had to wait a bit longer before the official schedule was released. However, now that the schedule is available, here’s everything you need to know about Week 18.

Sunday Night Football (8:20 p.m. ET on NBC) Twelve of the 14 teams in the playoff field have already clinched a playoff berth. However, the seeding still remains in flux in both conferences. With 10 teams registering 11 or more wins, the road to the postseason has been grueling. But in the final week, two playoff spots still remain up for grabs.

After the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Carolina Panthers, and the Pittsburgh Steelers all lost, two key matchups are going to decide the divisions in both conferences. Following the San Francisco 49ers "Sunday Night Football" victory over the Chicago Bears, game information for Week 18 is officially set. The NFC West title and the conference's No. 1 seed will be decided on Saturday night in Santa Clara when the 49ers host the Seattle Seahawks at Levi's® Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 5 p.m. PT on January 3, with the primetime matchup airing nationally on ABC and ESPN.

With both teams winning their Week 17 contests, the regular-season finale now becomes a winner-take-all contest. The winning team will claim the NFC West title along with the conference's top seed, securing a first-round bye and home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs. The losing team will still advance to the postseason as a Wild Card. In the event of a tie, Seattle would take the division title. The Seahawks vs. 49ers matchup will be one of two Saturday games in Week 18, alongside an afternoon contest between the Carolina Panthers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers that will determine the NFC South champion.

The weekend's other standalone game features the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers battling for the AFC North title on Sunday night. Saturday's primetime game at Levi's® Stadium will also mark a historic first for the 49ers. San Francisco will debut its new Rivalries uniform on the field for the first time this season. Fans are encouraged to wear black to match the moment.

Nfl S Week 18 To Feature Ravens Steelers 49ers Seahawks In Upi

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