ES 
NFL Previews 
MLB Previews 
NBA Previews 
NHL Previews 
Soccer Previews 
Table of Contents
NFL Picks: Your Weekly Winning Edge
Handicapping Membership
Week 18 is the final week of the 2024-25 NFL regular season. It also marks the turning of our calendars as the season heads into a new month and a new year.
Week 18 is a unique one as there are a few different mechanics at play for the final regular season games. First, the NFL will have flex scheduling in order to move the most important game of the week to its Sunday Night Football slot.
Second, there are no Thursday Night Football games or Monday Night Football games. All 32 NFL teams will play on Sunday, January 5, 2025.
Third, all 16 games will be divisional matchups, which may or may not have a final impact on all eight NFL divisions. We’ll breakdown the games of each division and project whether or not these Week 18 matchups will have an impact.
With that in mind, the full slate of NFL Week 18 Odds is not available as of yet. This means that there’s still plenty of time to examine our NFL betting analysis for information and predictions on players, Weekly matchups, Divisions, Conferences, and the 2025 Super Bowl.
NFL Week 18 Odds
NFL Week 18 odds are not available as of yet. Check back as we get closer to the start of December and the NFL odds for this week become available.
NFL Week 18 Schedule
| Date | Time (ET) | Road Team | Home Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sunday, Jan. 5 | TBD | Carolina Panthers | Atlanta Falcons |
| Sunday, Jan. 5 | TBD | Washington Commanders | Dallas Cowboys |
| Sunday, Jan. 5 | TBD | Kansas City Chiefs | Denver Broncos |
| Sunday, Jan. 5 | TBD | Minnesota Vikings | Detroit Lions |
| Sunday, Jan. 5 | TBD | Chicago Bears | Green Bay Packers |
| Sunday, Jan. 5 | TBD | Houston Texans | Tennessee Titans |
| Sunday, Jan. 5 | TBD | Jacksonville Jaguars | Indianapolis Colts |
| Sunday, Jan. 5 | TBD | Los Angeles Chargers | Las Vegas Raiders |
| Sunday, Jan. 5 | TBD | Seattle Seahawks | Los Angeles Rams |
| Sunday, Jan. 5 | TBD | Buffalo Bills | New England Patriots |
| Sunday, Jan. 5 | TBD | Miami Dolphins | New York Jets |
| Sunday, Jan. 5 | TBD | New York Giants | Philadelphia Eagles |
| Sunday, Jan. 5 | TBD | San Francisco 49ers | Arizona Cardinals |
| Sunday, Jan. 5 | TBD | Cincinnati Bengals | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| Sunday, Jan. 5 | TBD | New Orleans Saints | Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
| Sunday, Jan. 5 | TBD | Cleveland Browns | Baltimore Ravens |
Key NFL Week 18 Games
With Week 18 of the NFL season featuring most of the NFL teams, there are a few key Week 18 games that stand out from the rest:
AFC East
The final week of the season could decide which team wins the AFC East. For the Buffalo Bills, it’s basically a Bye Week as they face the New England Patriots who will most likely have one of the worst records in the NFL. For the Bills, if they have already locked up at least a Wild Card spot, then this would be a great time to rest players.
With that said, the main Week 18 game for this division is the Miami Dolphins at New York Jets. These two teams are expected to contend for the AFC East title and an AFC Wild Card spot. The winner of this game could capture at least one of those two prizes. The loser might just be out of the Playoffs altogether.
AFC West
The AFC West will have long been decided before Week 18. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if this division was locked up by Week 15. The Kansas City Chiefs will run away with the division. They should go at least 5-1, if not 6-0. They play the Denver Broncos in Week 18, which could be a chance for the Chiefs to rest their starters.
The Los Angeles Chargers and Las Vegas Raiders will meet in the final week. Although this game will be intense, both teams will most likely have been eliminated from making the Playoffs by Week 17. These final AFC West games will have no bearing on the AFC Playoffs.
AFC North
Now, this is the division that could still have plenty to play for. Additionally, these AFC North games could still have a big impact on the AFC Playoffs.
The Cincinnati Bengals and Pittsburgh Steelers will meet in the Steel City for what should be a Playoff eliminator. The Bengals and Steelers will both be battling for an AFC Wild Card spot. The Bengals could be in contention for the AFC North division, but most oddsmakers think the Ravens will win it.
The Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens will rekindle their rivalry in the final week of the season. If the Browns have a winning record by then, they could be in the hunt for a Wild Card spot. The Ravens would love to prevent their rivals from making the postseason.
If the AFC North title hasn’t been locked up by Week 18, then Baltimore and Cincy have plenty to play for. The Ravens are expected to win the division, the Bengals to win the Wild Card spot and for both the Browns and Steelers to be eliminated from the postseason with Week 18 losses. Don’t be surprised if the NFL flexes one of these AFC North games to SNF.
AFC South
Like the AFC West, the AFC South division should be locked up by Week 18. I don’t see the Tennessee Titans, Jacksonville Jaguars, or Indianapolis Colts making the postseason.
The Houston Texans should have this division wrapped up, which means they will be resting key starters in their Week 18 matchup against the Titans. The Colts vs. Jaguars game will be nothing more than a matchup where the divisional rivals play for pride.
NFC East
Coming into the season, the NFC East is expected to be a two-team race between the Dallas Cowboys and the Philadelphia Eagles. In Week 18, both teams could be resting starters as the division could be decided by then.
The Cowboys and Eagles play against each other in Week 17, which should decide which team has the top spot in the NFC East. The game will be in Philly, so the edge goes to the Eagles.
The New York Giants and Washington Commanders would love to play spoilers in Week 18, but that might not even be possible.
If the Eagles and Cowboys have locked in Playoff spots, one for the division and one for the Wild Card, then they both will be resting starters in Week 18 because neither will win the #1 seed in the NFC and the first-round bye.
The only way any of these Week 18 NFC East games matter, is if the Cowboys vs. Eagles loser from Week 17 is still fighting for a Wild Card spot. Neither scenario is expected to occur as pundits believe that both teams will be in the postseason.
NFC West
The NFC West really comes down to the San Francisco 49ers and everyone else. They’re clearly the team to beat and should dominate their division like Houston and Kansas City will dominate the AFC South and AFC West respectively. The 49ers are the odds-on favorite to capture the division as they’re the best team.
The only what that San Francisco plays hard in Week 18 is if they are still competing for the #1 seed in the NFC. In that scenario, you have to feel bad for the Arizona Cardinals. The latter will be long eliminated from the postseason and nothing to really play for.
The Seattle Seahawks vs. Los Angeles Rams might have some Wild Card implications as the Rams could still be competing for a Playoff spot. With that said, both of these teams are expected to finish a few wins behind the 49ers in the division. And, with so many teams contending for an NFC Wild Card spot, only one of these two NFC West teams has any hope of making the postseason. Right now, the Rams are expected to have a better record than the Seahawks.
NFC North
The NFC North is like its AFC counterpart in the sense that you could have at least three teams fighting for Playoff spots. At this point of the season, the Detroit Lions should have wrapped up the divisional crown. If not, they have the easiest chance to do so in Week 18 as they will play the lowly Minnesota Vikings.
The other NFC North battle pits the Chicago Bears against the Green Bay Packers. This means that the NFL’s oldest rivalry could possibly have a Wild Card spot on the line.
If the Rams and Cowboys or Eagles take up two of the NFC Wild Card spots, that means the Bears-Packers winner could get the third and final Wild Card entry. The loser could be out of the Playoffs altogether. It’s also possible that the Bears don’t live up to the preseason Caleb Williams hype and their Playoff chances have already been crushed before Week 18.
NFC South
Of all the divisions in the NFL, this is the least exciting one. In fact, most pundits believe that the Atlanta Falcons will cruise to the divisional title and the other teams will fall short of the Playoffs. In the case of Carolina Panthers, they could be playing for the #1 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, which means they will be tanking their game against the Falcons. It also means Atlanta can rest their starters for the Playoffs.
The game between the New Orleans Saints and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers has a very small chance of having any impact on the NFC Playoffs. The only scenario where this is possible, is if one of these two teams are mathematically alive in the Wild Card race but need help to get in.
Ultimately, the NFC South should be relatively quiet in the final week of the 2024-25 NFL regular season.
NFL Week 18 Predictions
As we get closer to the Week 18 of the 2024-25 NFL season, we will provide a variety of free NFL picks designed to help you make well-informed and strategic decisions. Our experts carefully analyze these NFL picks, leveraging the latest data, trends, and insider insights. Here are some of the categories that we’ll cover with our NFL Week 18 predictions:
- Best Pick Against the Spread (ATS): Our ATS pick highlights the best bet for teams expected to cover the point spread, providing valuable insights into which matchups offer the most potential for a profitable wager.
- Best Moneyline Pick: For those who prefer betting on outright winners, our moneyline pick offers a top selection based on a comprehensive analysis of team performance, player statistics, and other critical factors.
- Best Total Pick: Our total pick focuses on the over/under, helping you identify games where the total points scored will likely go over or under the set line. Detailed statistical models and game scenarios back this pick.
- Best Player Prop: Dive into individual player performances with our best player prop pick. Whether it’s passing yards, touchdowns, or receptions, we pinpoint standout player prop bets that offer excellent value.
- Best Team Prop: Explore team-centric bets with our best team prop pick. These can include total team points, turnovers, or specific team milestones, providing a broader range of betting opportunities.
NFL Week 18 Best Bets
In addition to breaking down the featured games of the week, we’ll also provide you with our best NFL Week 18 bets. You can place individual wagers on these NFL best bets or you can combine them for a potential NFL Week 18 parlay.
