Note: if you purchase something through one of our affiliate links, Schneps Media may earn a commission.

Sep 15, 2024; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) throws against the Cleveland Browns in the fourth quarter at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Reper-Imagn Images

We’ve reached the end of the regular season where half of the teams in the NFL have been eliminated from playoff contention, including the New York Giants and the New York Jets. Three divisions are still up for grabs entering the last weekend of regular season competition: the AFC North, the NFC South, and the AFC South. Three of those six teams in action are going to hibernate for the rest of winter following today’s action, so get ready for an epic final weekend to kickstart the 2026 calendar year. 

Last week, San Francisco’s heroics spoiled a return to the undefeated column with a 42-38 win over Chicago to drop the record to 2-1 on the weekend as Houston and Jacksonville took care of the wins. The overall record for our series is 32 wins and 19 losses, a 62% winning percentage which includes 12 one-score losses on the season. Let’s try to finish things out on a high note by picking the divisional winners from head-to-head battles in Week 18. 

Carolina Panthers (at Tampa Bay Buccaneers) 

Every cell in my being screams that this is the perfect situation for Baker Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to plunder the postseason spot from the Carolina Panthers at home in Week 17. But the scrappy black cats from Carolina have played tough all year, even if they have finished the season alternating wins and losses over the last few weekends. 

The good thing for Carolina is they arrived in Tampa Bay on the heels of a 27-10 loss to the Seattle Seahawks in Week 17. The weekend before that, the Panthers dispatched the Buccaneers, 23-20, at home to claim a massive division win. Now with all of the cards on the table, can Carolina win the most important game of the season against the four-time defending champions from South Florida? 

According to ESPN Analytics, the Buccaneers are slim home favorites with a 62% chance of victory on Saturday. 

Jacksonville Jaguars (at Tennessee Titans) 

 Trevor Lawrence and the Jacksonville Jaguars have been rolling towards the playoffs with seven straight wins as they chase down another AFC South title. Jacksonville’s star now needs to get past the most recent first overall selection (Cam Ward) as the Jaguars chase a postseason entry. Recent history is on the cats side as Jacksonville stunned Tennessee in the final regular season game in the 2022 season to claim its second divisional title in franchise history.

Lawrence has performed spectacularly this season. The 26-year-old signal caller has completed 605 of his tosses for 3,752 passing yards and 26 touchdowns (to 12 interceptions) as he’s led Jacksonville to the cusp of another playoff appearance. The Titans shouldn’t pose much of a problem for the Jaguars, but Jacksonville would be wise to put Tennessee away early in this one (before checking on the scoreboard hoping to see Indianapolis over Houston). 

Jacksonville is a heavy favorite with a 76% chance to win this AFC South battle, according to ESPN. 

Baltimore Ravens (at Pittsburgh Steelers) 

Lamar Jackson has nearly brought the Baltimore Ravens back from the dead when he returned from injury earlier this season. However, the star QB is dealing with a “significant back contusion” which occurred in Baltimore’s  Week 16 loss to the New England Patriots. There is nothing left (this season) to save his health for, so Jackson will strap on the pads and tough it out against Aaron Rodgers and the Pittsburgh Steelers with a postseason appearance on the line. 

Pittsburgh has been solid for most of the season despite enduring a six week stretch with a 2-4 record late October and early November. The veteran QB (and his coach much-discussed Mike Tomlin) have survived the bumpy, mid-season storm to position themselves to claim the division before last weekend’s loss to the Cleveland Browns. Can Rodgers and his crew shake off the disappointment of letting the division slip through their fingers last weekend? 

Short answer – nope. Baltimore completes the fairy tale and rides into the playoffs with a massive road victory to claim the AFC North in the final game of the 2025 regular season. 

Per ESPN, Baltimore is favored with a 58% chance of victory on Sunday night. 

Avoid: Dallas Cowboys (at New York Giants) 

The Dallas Cowboys and  the New York Giants matchup at MetLife Stadium to complete the 2025 regular season. The Cowboys are still attempting to recover from trading star linebacker Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers ahead of the season, while the Giants started the season hot before injuries slowly stripped away the talent from the roster. 

A win in this matchup is way more detrimental for Big Blue given New York’s 3-13 record positions the club for a potential top 5 draft pick in the 2026 NFL Draft (based upon other results from Week 18). Dallas’ record (7-8-1) currently positions them in the middle of the draft order this summer. 

The Giants are currently listed as the home favorite with a 51% chance to win this NFC East battle… but keep an eye on the lines as this number could swing in Dallas’ favor ahead of kickoff in the early afternoon window on Sunday. 

For more on the Giants and the NFL, visit AMNY.com.

Sports betting content is for entertainment purposes only. Gambling carries financial risk. Only wager what you can afford to lose and ensure you meet legal age restrictions and location requirements. If you or someone you know is struggling, please reach out to 1-877-846-7369 or TEXT 467369 (HOPENY).