With 256 games already in the books, we head to the final 16 games of the regular season. A couple of weeks ago, I wrote an article about the most important games remaining. In it, I left out the Week 18 games because we didn’t know which ones would be important. The final game of the 2025 NFL season, Ravens at Steelers, could’ve been a meaningless one if the Steelers had won last Sunday. Now it’s a high-stakes game with the winner going to the playoffs.
Some games could impact playoff seeding, and others can change the top of the 2026 NFL Draft. Most will change basically nothing. With four divisions and both #1 seeds up for grabs, the final week of the 2025 regular season can be a very fun one.
#16 – Green Bay Packers @ Minnesota Vikings
The Packers are locked as the seventh seed. The Vikings have been out of the playoffs for almost a month. Packers’ HC Matt LaFleur is likely resting his starters, and he already named Clayton Tune as the starter on Sunday. With a 4-0 run, the Vikings can’t crack into the top 10 of the Draft. This game won’t change anything in the season.
#15 – New York Jets @ Buffalo Bills
Sep 14, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Buffalo Bills running back Ray Davis (22) rushes the ball against the New York Jets during the second half at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images
Strength of schedule has the Jets out of the race for the 1st pick in the Draft. With the Patriots winning the division, the Bills will likely rest their starters and treat this as a bye week. The Bills still can clinch the 5th seed, but resting their players may be a higher priority than that. There’s not much to say about the game; it’ll probably be the Bills’ backups against the Jets.
#14 – Arizona Cardinals @ Los Angeles Rams
Dec 7, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Rams defensive end Kobie Turner (91) against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Similar to the previous game, Sean McVay may opt to rest his players. Back-to-back losses, including a surprising one to the Falcons, slowed down the Rams’ momentum and knocked them out of the division race. Being the 5th or 6th seed can be a lot different in the NFC, as your opponent will be the Panthers/Bucs or Eagles/Bears. But, similar to the Bills, having your players as healthy as possible can be more important than your seed.
#13 – Cleveland Browns @ Cincinnati Bengals
Dec 28, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett (95) looks to sack in the first quarter against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Huntington Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-Imagn Images
The only reason this game is not ranked last is that Myles Garrett can break the sack record. Both teams have been out of the playoffs for some time now. The Browns could finish with a top 5 pick, but this is the most this game can influence. To be honest, the only reason to watch this game is to see Myles Garrett make history.
#12 – Washington Commanders @ Philadelphia Eagles
Dec 20, 2025; Landover, Maryland, USA; Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham (55) celebrates after defeating the Washington Commanders at Northwest Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
The Eagles are another team likely resting its starters. After they faced each other in last year’s NFC Championship, many (myself included) believed they’d fight for the division as well. But the Commanders had an underwhelming and injury-riddled season. They may finish with a top 5 pick, but this is another game with nothing on the line. Yes, the Eagles may finish with the 2nd seed in the NFC, but that’s it.
#11 – Miami Dolphins @ New England Patriots
Dec 28, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) runs on a keeper against New York Jets linebacker Jamien Sherwood (44) during the second quarter of the game at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images
This game and the next one are very similar to me. There’s a possibility that the Patriots play for the #1 seed, but it’s out of their hands. It probably won’t be a great game either. Mike Vrabel may decide to pull some of his starters if the Broncos have a big lead (the games will be simultaneous) to give his players some rest.
#10 – Detroit Lions @ Chicago Bears
Sep 14, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson and Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell hug after the game at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images
The Bears won’t be playing for the first seed, but they are fighting the Eagles for the #2 in the NFC. And being the second seed is the difference between facing the Packers or the Rams/whoever loses the 49ers-Seahawks game. And even if the Packers are division rivals and these games are always tricky, I’d rather play them than one of the best teams in the NFL. Losing to the Vikings on Christmas knocked the Lions out of the playoffs, but we know that Dan Campbell will try to beat the Bears regardless. This can be one of the best games on Sunday afternoon.
#9 – Dallas Cowboys @ New York Giants
Sep 14, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys place kicker Brandon Aubrey (17) makes a game-winning field goal against the New York Giants during overtime at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images
I probably put this game way too high. But I fully believe the vibes in this game will be fun. The Cowboys have been in some crazy games this season. Between a 40-40 tie with the Packers, a 24-21 win against the Eagles, a 31-28 win against the Chiefs, and a 44-30 loss to the Lions, most games have been fun to watch. Their first game, all the way back in Week 2, was a 40-37 Cowboys win in overtime.
The Giants have also been in some very entertaining games. Apart from the game against the Cowboys, they beat the Eagles 34-17, and lost in overtime to the Lions in Detroit, in a game that Jameis Winston had a crazy touchdown catch. It may not change much in the 2025 NFL world, but this should be a very fun game.
#8 – Kansas City Chiefs @ Las Vegas Raiders
Oct 19, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Jerry Tillery (99) recovers a fumble by Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Kenny Pickett (15) during the fourth quarter of the game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images
The only reason this game isn’t lower on the list is its impact on the long-term future of the league. There’s a 99% chance that Fernando Mendoza will be the first player selected in the Draft. If the Raiders lose to the Chiefs, the first overall pick is theirs. However, if they win on Sunday, it’ll depend on the Giants’ game. The G-Men have found their QB, so if the first pick goes to New York, they’re very likely trading down to someone who wants to pick ahead of the Raiders. And this alone can drastically change the landscape of the league in the short-term. The Raiders are unlikely to win on Sunday, but with the Chiefs playing with their third-string QB, anything is possible.
#7 – New Orleans Saints @ Atlanta Falcons
Nov 23, 2025; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Atlanta Falcons safety Xavier Watts (31) makes the interception in front of teammate cornerback Mike Hughes (21) and New Orleans Saints wide receiver Chris Olave (12) during the second half at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images
This game may be too high. There’s a chance it’s just a protocol game between two teams who will pick in the bottom of the top 10. Well, not the Falcons because they traded their pick, but you get the point. The reason this game is at 7th is that, if the Bucs beat the Panthers on Saturday, a Falcons win would give the division to the Panthers. And I think it’d be really funny. If the Panthers win, then this game is in the same tier as Vikings-Packers and Browns-Bengals.
#6 – Indianapolis Colts @ Houston Texans
Nov 30, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor (28) rushes the ball during a game against the Houston Texans at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Grace Hollars-USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images
When the Texans started their comeback, I thought this would be the deciding game in the AFC South. But the Colts went on a seven-game losing-streak, partially because of some bad injury luck. Winners of eight straight games, the Texans are still in contention for the division, but a bad start means that they need the 3-win Titans to beat the Jaguars in Jacksonville. The 2025 Houston Texans are proof that September games are just as important as December ones.
#5 – Los Angeles Chargers @ Denver Broncos
Sep 21, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Chargers kicker Cameron Dicker (11) hits the winning field goal as time ran out to defeat the Denver Broncos 23-20 at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
The Broncos will be playing for the #1 seed in the AFC. The Chargers are fighting for a better seed in the playoffs. There’s a real chance this won’t be the last time they play each other this season. The Chargers won their previous matchup with a last-second field goal. With the Chargers losing to the Texans last week, they also lost the chance to fight for the AFC West. But they still have the chance to knock the Broncos off the first seed. The Broncos will rely on their menacing defense once more to try and secure the ever-important bye week and home-field advantage.
#4 – Tennessee Titans @ Jacksonville Jaguars
Dec 28, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Jarrian Jones (22) celebrates with his teammates after making an interception during a game against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mykal McEldowney-USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images
The Jaguars easily beat them when they first met in 2025. Sweeping the Titans would mean they win the AFC South and will have a home playoff game. Liam Cohen is a Coach of the Year candidate and did a phenomenal job with this team in his first year. Trevor Lawrence looks better, and the defense is great against the run. A talented QB who is confident, and a defense that can put teams in third-and-long, is not something I’d be eager to face in the playoffs.
#3 – Carolina Panthers @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Dec 21, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers safety Lathan Ransom (22) celebrates with cornerback Chau Smith-Wade (26) and linebacker Nic Scourton (11) and safety Nick Scott (21) after intercepting the ball to seal the victory in the fourth quarter as Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans (13) looks on at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images
After not facing each other all season, they will play twice in 13 days. Their first game came down to the wire, with rookie Lathan Ransom securing a game-winning interception in the final moments. A Panthers win would give them their first division title since 2015 and their first playoff berth since 2017. The Bucs can win the division for the 5th year straight, but, as we saw earlier, they’d need help from the Saints. No one believed this would happen when the Bucs were 6-2, but here we are.
#2 – Baltimore Ravens @ Pittsburgh Steelers
Dec 7, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry (22) runs with the ball against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the second half at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-Imagn Images
A bitter rivalry. A winner takes it all scenario. The winner is the 2025 AFC North champion. The loser is out of the playoffs. Alex Highsmith closed the game in their first clash, sacking Lamar Jackson as time expired. These teams are no strangers to a high-pressure match. This game can also deeply impact one of the franchises. Lose this game, and the feeling that your team is stuck gets stronger.
Either the Ravens will miss the playoffs, and the desire for a head coach change will grow bigger. It’d be another year without a Super Bowl run from a team expected to contend for championships. Or the Steelers will again have a 9-8 season that didn’t accomplish much, if anything. This game can not only impact the 2025 season but also fundamentally change one of the teams involved in both the short and long-term.
#1 – Seattle Seahawks @ San Francisco 49ers
Sep 7, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (13) celebrates after throwing a touchdown pass against the Seattle Seahawks during the fourth quarter at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images
One year ago, the Sam Darnold-led Minnesota Vikings played an away game with the division and the #1 seed on the line. Now, the Sam Darnold-led Seattle Seahawks will play an away game with the division and the #1 seed on the line. I honestly don’t know why this wasn’t the season finale. It’s a great rivalry, and they have been two of the best teams in the league this season. When they faced each other in the last game of the season in 2019, we were treated to an instant classic.
The 49ers’ defense came in clutch in their Week 1 clash, forcing a fumble on Darnold with 42 seconds left in the game. This proved to be an extremely crucial play, as this game is the reason why the 49ers still have a chance. If the Seahawks managed to come back in that game, they would be division champions already. It came down to a 4th down tackle inches away from the endzone in 2019. Hopefully, we have the same type of game on Saturday.
