Week 18 Schedule

The NFL holds back the Week 18 schedule in order to “cherry pick” the most intriguing games for the prime slots. As a result of that selective process, the Minnesota Vikings will host the Green Bay Packers in Sunday’s early window. The league determined that the most important game on the schedule wasn’t worthy of one of the prime slots. Those went to games with postseason implications. Starting with the most important game of the week, perhaps the season, here’s the Week 18 schedule. 

NFL Week 18 Schedule

(All times PT)

Sunday, January 4, 2026 10 AM 

Green Bay Packers @ Minnesota Vikings

The rest of the games:

Saturday, January 3, 2026 1:30 PM

Carolina Panthers @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Saturday, January 3, 2026 5:00 PM

Seattle Seahawks @ San Francisco 49ers

Sunday, January 4, 2026 10 AM

New Orleans Saints @ Atlanta Falcons

Cleveland Browns @ Cincinnati Bengals

Dallas Cowboys @ New York Giants

Tennessee Titans @ Jacksonville Jaguars

Indianapolis Colts @ Houston Texans

Sunday, January 4, 2026 1:25 PM

New York Jets @ Buffalo Bills

Detroit Lions @ Chicago Bears

Los Angeles Chargers @ Denver Broncos

Kansas City Chiefs @ Las Vegas Raiders

Arizona Cardinals @ Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins @ New England Patriots 

Washington Commanders @ Philadelphia Eagles

Sunday, January 4, 2025 5:20 PM

Baltimore Ravens @ Pittsburgh Steelers

***

Confirmed playoff participants:

NFC

Seattle Seahawks

Chicago Bears

Philadelphia Eagles

San Francisco 49ers

Los Angeles Rams

Green Bay Packers

AFC

Denver Broncos

New England Patriots

Jacksonville Jaguars

Houston Texans

Los Angeles Chargers

Buffalo Bills

Only two of the 14 playoff spots are still up for grabs. 

Still in the chase:

Carolina Panthers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Pittsburgh Steelers

Baltimore Ravens

Games with Playoff Implications:

Carolina Panthers @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Who wants to win the NFC South?

Does anyone want to win the NFC South? If the Buccaneers win, they’ll enter the playoffs with a losing record. The fun thing about this NFC South division title chase is the fact that the Atlanta Falcons, at 6-9, can still factor into it. They play the Los Angeles Rams tonight in the final game of Week 17. If the Falcons win out, they’d finish at 8-9. That and a Buccaneers win over the Panthers would create a three-way tie for the NFC South title. In that scenario, the Panthers would take the title with a better round-robin record among the three teams. 

Seattle Seahawks @ San Francisco 49ers - This is for the #1 seed and the NFC West title.

Tennessee Titans @ Jacksonville Jaguars - Win, and the Jaguars are AFC South champs.

With Patriots and Broncos losses, the Jaguars would grab the #1 seed with a win.

Indianapolis Colts @ Houston Texans - A win and a Jaguars loss and the Texans are AFC South champs.

Los Angeles Chargers @ Denver Broncos - Win and the Broncos get the AFC’s #1 seed. The Chargers are secure as a wild card team.

Miami Dolphins @ New England Patriots - A win and a Broncos loss and the Patriots are the #1 seed. 

Baltimore Ravens @ Pittsburgh Steelers - The winner wins the AFC North. 

A Way, Way, Way Too Early Minnesota Vikings Mock Draft

I’m not sure if I’ve ever done a mock draft in December. I’ve always thought mock drafts before the order is set is a ridiculous waste of time. The Minnesota Vikings being eliminated from the playoffs and playing on Christmas gave me way too much time before the bulk of the Week 17 games are played today. I’m still basking in the glorious play of the Vikings defense against the Detroit Lions but I’ve also been thinking about potential additions from the 2026 NFL Draft. December is way too early for that. I’ve done it anyways. Here’s a way, way, way too early Minnesota Vikings Mock Draft.

1. Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU

2. Jadarian Price, RB, Notre Dame

3. Connor Lew, C, Auburn

3. Darrell Jackson Jr., DT, Florida State

4. Jacob Rodriguez, LB, Texas Tech

The draft order is an unknown. The Vikings work in free agency is an unknown. There are so many unknowns right now. In December, I feel like the Vikings biggest needs moving forward are a boundary corner, a center, a run stopper on the defensive line, and a running back. The first four picks address each of those positions. Unless Ohio State safety Caleb Downs or Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love miraculously fall, I really like cornerback in the first round. The Vikings likely draft slot should put them in position to select LSU’s Mansoor Delane or Clemson’s Avieon Terrell. Either would complete a solid corner trio with Byron Murphy Jr. and Isaiah Rodgers. There are a few interesting centers in this draft. Auburn’s Connor Lew, Florida’s Jake Slaughter, Iowa’s Logan Jones, and Oregon’s Iapani Laloulu probably intrigue me the most. In order to secure one of them, the Vikings might need to use their second round pick. A running back and a defensive tackle could be the choices with the two third round picks. Texas Tech’s Jacob Rodriguez was a terrific college linebacker. I’m not sure if he’s an NFL linebacker. At worst, he’s a key special teams player. At best, he’s all-hustle, super efficient, glue player, and fan favorite. 

In December, I like the above draft. I think Mansoor Delane and Connor Lew would be immediate starters. Jadarian Price and Darrell Jackson Jr. would have early rotational roles. Jacob Rodriguez? Who knows? 

Minnesota Vikings Week 17 Superlatives

The Minnesota Vikings crushed the playoff dreams of the Detroit Lions on Christmas Day in a 23-10 win. It was a beautiful thing. The Vikings offense wasn’t beautiful. Far from it. The Vikings defense was the difference in this beautiful game. This season hasn’t been great but the team is ending it strong. The defeat of the Lions was the fourth consecutive win. Here are some of the players that made the beautiful win possible. 

Offensive Player of the Game

Jordan Addison, WR

With undrafted rookie Max Brosmer getting the start over J.J. McCarthy, the Vikings offense wasn’t good. 16 of the 23 points were set up by defensive takeaways. The first of those takeaways gave the offense the ball at the 16-yard line. Five plays later, Aaron Jones Sr scored on a one-yard plunge. The Vikings turned three other takeaways into three long field goals. The remaining points came from the lone, big offensive play. With 4:39 remaining in the game, Vikings head coach decided to use a little misdirection to attack a Lions defense that had been suffocating a limited Vikings offense the previous 55 minutes. Jordan Addison took a jet sweep 65 yards for a game-sealing touchdown. That bumped the score to 20-10. With the way the Vikings defense was playing and less than four minutes to play, there was no way the Lions could erase a two-score deficit. The Vikings made one offensive play the entire game and Addison made it count. 

Defensive Player of the Game

All of Them

The Lions entered the game with only eight turnovers in the previous 15 games. They left this game with 14 turnovers on the season. The Vikings defense took the ball from the Lions offense six times. Byron Murphy Jr. had an interception. Harrison Smith had an interception in a remarkable performance. Andrew Van Ginkel also had a great, versatile performance. He also recovered two fumbles. Murphy recovered a fumble. Jalen Redmond also recovered a fumble. The Vikings pass rush sacked Jared Goff five times. It felt like much more as the Lions quarterback was in serious jeopardy on nearly every drop back. With the offense doing so little, the Vikings needed an outstanding performance from their defense. They got it. And then some. 

Special Teams Player of the Game

Will Reichard, K

Punter Ryan Wright’s outstanding season has been in the long shadow of Will Reichard’s unprecedented season. He was perfect again against the Lions. He was perfect on two extra points. He was perfect on three field goals. All three of his field goals were from over 40 yards. Two were from over 50 yards. The two 50+ field goals gave him 11 on the season. That’s a franchise record. 

There isn’t another kicker in the league that I’d take over Will Reichard. 

Vikings - Lions

On Christmas Day, the Minnesota Vikings wrecked the playoff dreams of the Detroit Lions. It was a two-score 23-10 win. The Lions have given the Vikings fits in recent years. This win completed a season sweep.

This game was remarkable. Other than a late, singular play, the Vikings offense was terrible. With second-year quarterback J.J. McCarthy out with a hairline fracture somewhere in his passing hand, undrafted rookie Max Brosmer got the start. Much like his start against the Seattle Seahawks, Brosmer looked overwhelmed by the complexity of NFL defenses. Factoring in the yards lost on seven sacks, the Vikings netted three passing yards for the game. Three! Against the Seahawks, Brosmer threw four interceptions. Against the Lions, he threw zero. That was key. If the Vikings gave the ball back to the Lions on their terms, they should be fine. That’s because the defense had their back. 

The Lions entered this Week 17 game with only eight turnovers on the season. They left the game with 14. The Vikings defense took the ball away from the Lions six times. Max Brosmer had a rough game for a variety of reasons. His own inexperience was a big one. So was missing his starting left tackle, starting right tackle, starting center, and starting tight end. Jared Goff had a rough game for one simple reason. The Vikings Brian Flores-led defense swarmed and confused Goff for 60 minutes. He lost three fumbles. He threw two interceptions. He was sacked five times. It wasn’t just the Lions explosive passing game that the Vikings throttled. They throttled the Lions run game as well. Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery are one of the league’s best running back duos. They combined for 66 rush yards on 17 carries. That’s an average of only 2.4 yards/carry. The only time the Lions offense dented the Vikings defense was a long, grueling 19-play, 80-yard touchdown drive in the second quarter. While the drive was ultimately successful for the Lions, the Vikings really made it difficult. Goff converted a third-and-16 with a 28-yard pass to Isaac TeSlaa, a third-and-nine with a 13-yard pass to Amon-Ra St. Brown, and a third-and-15 with a 23-yard pass to St. Brown. Credit Goff and the Lions for converting three third-and longs and a third-and-short. Those desperate conversions got them to the Vikings 12-yard line. From that point on the field, it took the Lions eight plays to finally get into the end zone. Eight plays to travel 12 yards. The Lions had to convert two fourth downs. It was an impressive drive by the Lions offense. The 80 yards was more than a quarter of their 231 total yards. It was also an impressive effort by the Vikings defense as none of those yards came easy. 

Because the Vikings offense had such difficulty moving the ball and sustaining possession, a one-score lead was always a precarious thing. The first touchdown was set up by the first takeaway by the defense. The offense only had to move the ball 16 yards for a short Aaron Jones Sr. run. Three long field goals were also set up by takeaways. 16 points were the result of great defense. After the Lions cut the Vikings precarious lead to 13-10 with 4:39 left in the game, the offense finally made a play. It was a beauty. With Max Brosmer struggling and the Lions swarming the offensive line and crushing the pocket, Kevin O’Connell called upon a little misdirection. Jordan Addison took a jet sweep handoff, left to right. 65 yards later, he dove into the end zone. In a blink, thanks to a singular offensive play, the Vikings finally had a two-score lead at 20-10. In a game dominated by defense, an offensive play ended the slim playoff dreams of the Lions.

The Minnesota Vikings have a long, strong history of great defenses. Through those years, there have been many great performances. Perhaps it’s a recency thing, this performance of the Vikings defense against an explosive Lions on Christmas Day was one of the greatest. They took away the run game. They swarmed Jared Goff. They never let him get comfortable in the pocket. The Vikings took the ball away six times from an offense that had only given it away eight times in 15 games. The explosive Lions offense had less than a handful of chunk plays. Most of those came on that long, second quarter dive. This was a remarkable game and the Vikings defense was incredible. 

This was the Vikings fourth consecutive win. It’s been a frustrating season. Little has gone as hoped. Despite that, the Vikings are ending it strong. Next up, is the final game of the season. A home against the Green Bay Packers. A win will give the Vikings a winning record at 9-8. Hopefully, J.J. McCarthy returns for that game. The Vikings must get Justin Jefferson to 1000 yards. He needs 53 yards. 

Flea Flicker Week 17 Predictions

Week 16 kicks off on Christmas Day. The NFL decided to jam the day with three games. I start with the most important of the day and the week.

Detroit Lions @ Minnesota Vikings

Pick: Vikings

The Vikings mess up the playoff dreams of the Lions.

Dallas Cowboys @ Washington Commanders

Pick: Cowboys

The Commanders have already packed in the season. 

Denver Broncos @ Kansas City Chiefs

Pick: Broncos

Patrick Mahomes and Gardner Minshew suffered knee injuries in back-to-back weeks. Without either quarterback, the Broncos should cruise to an easy win.

When the NFL set the schedule in the spring, they probably dreamed of much better Christmas Day matchups. Serves the league right for forcing six teams to play on a short week in late December.

Houston Texans @ Los Angeles Chargers

Pick: Chargers

The Chargers edge the surging Texans.

Baltimore Ravens @ Green Bay Packers

Pick: Packers

This is a must-win for the Packers.

Arizona Cardinals @ Cincinnati Bengals

Pick: Bengals

The Bengals are a bit better than the Cardinals.

Pittsburgh Steelers @ Cleveland Browns

Pick: Steelers

The Steelers continue to luck into an easy division title.

New Orleans Saints @ Tennessee Titans

Pick: Saints

Somehow, the Saints are on a three-game win streak.

Jacksonville Jaguars @ Indianapolis Colts

Pick: Jaguars

The Jaguars are playing well. The Colts are, at best, playing plucky.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Miami Dolphins

Pick: Buccaneers

The Buccaneers need this win.

New England Patriots @ New York Jets

Pick: Patriots

The Patriots roll.

Seattle Seahawks @ Carolina Panthers

Pick: Panthers 

The Panthers stun the Seahawks.

New York Giants @ Las Vegas Raiders

Pick: Giants

After being severely rattled by the Vikings defense, Jaxson Dart gets a break against the Raiders.

Philadelphia Eagles @ Buffalo Bills

Pick: Bills

It’s a battle of two puzzling teams. The home team wins.

Chicago Bears @ San Francisco 49ers

Pick: 49ers

The surprising 49ers continue to surprise.

Los Angeles Rams @ Atlanta Falcons

Pick: Rams

The Rams handle the pesky Falcons. 

Detroit Lions All - Time My - Time Team

The Minnesota Vikings host the Detroit Lions tomorrow on Christmas Day. In advance of Vikings games I’ve been selecting All-Time teams of that week’s opponent. The Vikings play division foes twice. This game is the second game against the Lions. To avoid doing something I’ve already done here’s something different. This is an All-Time Detroit Lions team made up of players that played during my time as a Vikings fan. 

Offense

Quarterback

Matthew Stafford

Running Back

Barry Sanders

Fullback

Dexter Bussey

Wide Receivers

Calvin Johnson

Herman Moore

Tight End

Charlie Sanders

Offensive Tackles

Lomas Brown

Penei Sewell

Offensive Guards

Rob Sims

Bob Kowalkowski

Center

Frank Ragnow

Defense

Defensive Ends

Al “Bubba” Baker

Robert Porcher

Defensive Tackles

Doug English

Ndamukong Suh

Linebackers

Mike Cofer

Chris Spielman

DeAndre Levy

Cornerbacks

Lem Barney

Darius Slay

Safeties

Bennie Blades

Glover Quinn

Special Teams

Kicker 

Matt Prater

Punter

Sam Martin

Kick Returner

Mel Gray

Minnesota Vikings Week 16 Superlatives

The Minnesota Vikings edged the New York Gaints on Sunday by the score of 16-13. The win was highlighted by an excellent performance from the defense. The offense did just enough. The offense would’ve done more than just enough if quarterback J.J. McCarthy hadn’t left the game at the end of the first half with a hand injury. He was playing well before the play that ultimately ended his day. Here are some of the players that made the win possible. 

Offensive Players of the Game

Justin Jefferson, WR

Justin Jefferson got more of an opportunity against the Gaints than he’s had for weeks.

6 catches

85 yards

A couple of his catches were of the spectacular variety. If J.J. McCarthy hadn’t left the game with a hand injury, it’s likely that Jefferson finishes well over 100 yards. 

Aaron Jones Sr., RB

Aaron Jones Sr. didn’t break 100 yards either but every one of his 85 rushing yards felt so important. While fighting through a couple injuries, he had a clutch game.

Defensive Players of the Game

All of Them

Granted, this was the Giants offense but the Vikings defense dominated. The Giants got a few too many yards rushing early in the game but the proper corrections were made. The Giants offense could do nothing. Rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart looked lost for four quarters.

Special Teams Player of the Game

Will Reichard, K

Will Reichard takes Special Teams Player of the Game again. He was perfect on all four of his kicks. Perfect again. Will “The Thrill” has been outstanding all season. He kicked three field goals and an extra point against the Giants.