NFL Open Thread

Here are your divisional scenarios:

• The Eagles wrapped up the NFC East last week and outcomes of this weekend’s games have already determined the AFC West and NFC North. Four of the remaining divisions could be determined by Monday, with only the AFC South guaranteed to go down to Week 18.
• In the NFC North, the Chicago Bears (11-4) pulled off the dramatic turnaround from last in 2024 to first place this season. A thrilling overtime victory over Green Bay last put the Bears in the driver’s seat of the division and secured the Bears’ first postseason berth since 2020 before the Packers’ loss on Saturday — their third straight — clinched the division title for Chicago.
• The Bears now face a stiff test this Sunday as they head west to play the San Francisco 49ers (11-4) — winners of five straight — as they look to stay in the mix for the No. 1 seed.
• In the NFC South, a team once viewed as the most unlikely of division winners — the Panthers (8-7) — has a chance to take the division. It would require a win over visiting Seattle (12-3) and a Tampa Bay loss to Miami. The Panthers, who haven’t won their division in 10 years, are 7-point home underdogs.
• However, they did go into Green Bay and upset the Packers in Week 9 and then knocked off the heavily favored Los Angeles Rams at home in Week 13, so anything is possible.
• The NFC West ranks among the most hotly contested divisions with the Seahawks, Rams and 49ers all jockeying for position. However, Seattle could clinch with a win plus losses or ties by both L.A. and San Francisco, or with a Seahawks tie and losses by the Rams and 49ers.
• Over in the AFC, the Steelers (9-6) head to Cleveland (3-12), where they hope to extend their win streak to four games and clinch the North for the first time since 2020.
• Meanwhile, the Jaguars (winners of six straight and owners of an 11-4 record) head to Indianapolis, where they will try to complete the season sweep and position themselves for the AFC South crown. A season after going 4-13, the Jaguars and first-year coach Liam Coen can’t win the division yet, thanks to Houston’s win on Saturday, but with the Colts and the Titans as their final two opponents, the schedule is in Jacksonville’s favor.
• In the AFC West, the Denver Broncos held a healthy lead for much of the second half of the season and wrapped up their first division title since 2015 when the Chargers lost on Saturday. And in the AFC East, despite their loss to the Buffalo Bills two weeks ago, the Patriots can clinch their division with a win over the New York Jets and a Bills loss or tie to the Eagles. If the Patriots were to tie New York, New England would need Buffalo to lose to seal the deal.

Meanwhile, the Raiders and Giants are probably playing for the #1 pick, and Vegas is really taking it seriously by putting their two best players on IR. Whether that will be enough against the Giants is an open question.