Here's how the NFL playoff picture looks with Week 18 underway:
x – clinched berth
y – clinched division
z – clinched first-round bye and home-field advantage
* – includes NFL provision
Follow every game: Latest NFL Scores and Schedules
AFC
yz* – 1. Kansas City Chiefs (14-3), AFC West champions: They're among several teams in the conference impacted by the NFL's decision Thursday night to cancel Week 17's Bills-Bengals game in the aftermath of Buffalo S Damar Hamlin's on-field collapse and subsequent hospitalization. Kansas City did secure the No. 1 seed by crushing the Las Vegas Raiders on Saturday, however the Chiefs are only guaranteed to remain at Arrowhead Stadium throughout January if the Bills lose Sunday. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and his competition committee laid out some recommendations – approved by league clubs Friday – that would potentially shift the AFC championship game to a neutral site since the Bills would have had a chance at the No. 1 seed by winning their scrapped Week 17 contest yet ultimately may face the Chiefs with a Super Bowl 57 berth at stake.
y* – 2. Buffalo Bills (12-3), AFC East champions: They won at Kansas City in Week 6 and seemingly earned the head-to-head tiebreaker, so Goodell's solution ensures Hamlin's collapse won't send the Bills to Kansas City for a third consecutive postseason if they keep pace with K.C. – meaning Buffalo must win Sunday. Remaining schedule: vs. Patriots
DAMAR HAMLIN UPDATE:Bills player shows significant improvement, asks about MNF game
NFL HOT SEAT 2023:Seven head coaches who could be in jeopardy as 'Black Monday' nears
WEEK 18 POWER RANKINGS:Eagles finally surrender top spot after second consecutive loss
y* – 3. Cincinnati Bengals (11-4), AFC North champions: The cancellation of their game with Buffalo gives reigning AFC champs consecutive division crowns ... with a twist. If Cincinnati does not defeat Baltimore – meaning a Ravens season sweep – and the Chargers win, the site of a Bengals-Ravens wild-card game (at Baltimore or at Cincinnati) would be determined by a coin flip. The rationale for this is that the Ravens' path to the AFC North crown was wiped out by the cancellation of the Bills-Bengals game. Kansas City's win Saturday voided the possibility of a neutral-site Chiefs-Bengals AFC championship game. Remaining schedule: vs. Ravens
4. Jacksonville Jaguars (8-8), AFC South leaders: The division title will be determined against Tennessee this Saturday night. However the Jags can still snag the AFC's final wild card with a loss – but that would also require the Jets, Bills and Browns to win Sunday. Remaining schedule: vs. Titans
x – 5. Los Angeles Chargers (10-6), wild card No. 1: Playoff participants for the first time in four years, all that's left to be determined is which divisional champion the Bolts will visit in opening round. Now fifth in the conference because their record in AFC games is better than Baltimore's, LA won't be seeded worse than sixth. A win at Denver invites the possibility of a Bengals-Ravens wild-card game and site determined by coin flip, though the Bolts have little incentive to play their key players in Week 18. Remaining schedule: at Broncos
x* – 6. Baltimore Ravens (10-6), wild card No. 2: They can no longer win the AFC North due to the cancellation of the Bills-Bengals game. But they can get a wild-card game home at M&T Bank Stadium against the Bengals by winning at Cincinnati on Sunday and then winning a coin flip if the Chargers also win. Ravens hit the road against the AFC South champion with a win plus Bolts loss. Remaining schedule: at Bengals
7. New England Patriots (8-8), wild card No. 3: Not only staved off elimination by beating Miami in Week 17, Pats will now advance to postseason by winning in Western New York this Sunday. They can also advance with a loss if the Dolphins and Steelers lose and the Jags win or tie. Remaining schedule: at Bills
8. Miami Dolphins (8-8), out of playoff field: Five-game slide, QB Tua Tagovailoa's latest concussion and backup Teddy Bridgewater's hand injury leave their postseason hopes in severe jeopardy. However a win coupled with a New England loss will advance Miami. Remaining schedule: vs. Jets
9. Pittsburgh Steelers (8-8), out of playoff field: If they beat Cleveland – and Pats and Dolphins both lose – then Pittsburgh will qualify as AFC's final wild card. Remaining schedule: vs. Browns
Note: The New York Jets (7-9) are currently in 10th place overall in the AFC but have been eliminated from playoff contention.
11. Tennessee Titans (7-9), out of playoff field: They essentially treated their Week 17 loss to Dallas like a preseason game given it's Saturday's matchup at Jacksonville that will determine AFC South crown. The Titans are eliminated by a loss or tie. Remaining schedule: at Jaguars
MIKE FREEMAN:Damar Hamlin's story has pierced our tribalism and our hardening cynicism
JARRETT BELL:Nothing has prepared Bills, NFL for trauma that lingers from Hamlin's collapse
NATE DAVIS:Bengals and their fans show 'Football is Family' after Hamlin's collapse
NFC
x – 1. Philadelphia Eagles (13-3), NFC East leaders: They're 0-for-2 without injured QB Jalen Hurts, failing twice to wrap up NFC's No. 1 seed, and may be without him again Sunday. But Philly can still clinch home field and a first-round bye by beating a wild-card Giants team ticketed for the sixth seed and with little reason not to rest its prominent players. Remaining schedule: vs. Giants
y – 2. San Francisco 49ers (12-4), NFC West champions: They have a chance at the NFC's top spot thanks to their 9-2 record in intraconference games. Niners will need a win Sunday coupled with a Philadelphia loss to overtake the Eagles. Remaining schedule: vs. Cardinals
y – 3. Minnesota Vikings (12-4), NFC North champions: Their embarrassing Week 17 loss at Green Bay took Vikes out of running for No. 1 seed. The best they can do is getting back to No. 2 by beating Chicago coupled with a Niners defeat. Remaining schedule: at Bears
y – 4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-8), NFC South champions: Back-to-back division champs for the first time in team history, Bucs are locked into fourth seed yet apparently plan to play QB Tom Brady and other starters Sunday. Their game means little other than an opportunity to continue sharpening an inconsistent offense and finishing the regular season above .500. Remaining schedule: at Falcons
x – 5. Dallas Cowboys (12-4), wild card No. 1: If they win and Eagles don't, America's Team swoops to the NFC East throne. In addition, the Cowboys have a path to the No. 1 seed if they beat Washington while Philadelphia and San Francisco both stumble Sunday. Remaining schedule: at Commanders
x – 6. New York Giants (9-6-1), wild card No. 2: Big Blue is back in postseason for the first time since 2016. Now Giants wait to see who finishes third and hosts them in wild-card round. Remaining schedule: at Eagles
7. Seattle Seahawks (8-8), wild card No. 3: They may currently be slotted seventh, courtesy of their 48-45 Week 4 win at Detroit, but 'Hawks don't control their postseason fortunes. They advance with a win and loss by Green Bay. Remaining schedule: vs. Rams
8. Detroit Lions (8-8), out of playoff field: They need a win at Green Bay and a Seahawks defeat to reach postseason for the first time in six years. They have the longest odds of the NFC teams vying for the final conference berth ... and may also be club whoever finishes second would least want to host. Remaining schedule: at Packers
9. Green Bay Packers (8-8), out of playoff field: They've gotten plenty of outside assistance past few weeks, but biggest aid has come internally courtesy of their four-game winning streak. If they beat Detroit, Pack will be in the playoffs for the fourth time in four years under coach Matt LaFleur because their record in NFC games would be 7-5 – better than the Seahawks, whom Green Bay didn't play in 2022. Remaining schedule: vs. Lions
***
Follow USA TODAY Sports' Nate Davis on Twitter @ByNateDavis.
