ClutchPoints
Week 17 crystallized the late push for the NFL Playoffs. Now Week 18 plans to hit the final crescendo. Games like the Baltimore Ravens at Pittsburgh Steelers and Carolina Panthers versus Tampa Bay Buccaneers will determine final seeds.
But when can fans tune into those matchups?
The league immediately announced the final week lineup after the conclusion of the epic San Francisco 49ers win over the Chicago Bears. The Niners will get a primetime game as one of the division deciding contests on deck. S.F. gets a short week to prepare for the Seattle Seahawks — scheduled for Saturday in front of ABC/ESPN for 8 p.m. ET.
But between the Steelers-Ravens and Panthers-Bucs, which one earned the final flex game?
The NFC South battle will start Saturday’s action. Raymond James Stadium will kick off the crucial weekend festivities at 4:30 p.m. ET. Steelers versus Ravens earns the Sunday Night Football slot to determine the last AFC playoff team.
Important to note that Carolina at Tampa Bay isn’t a winner-take-all scenario as of Sunday night.
The Atlanta Falcons still present a caveat. Atlanta winning out beginning on Monday Nigh Football against the Los Angeles Rams complicates the division picture there.
The Falcons can go after a potential three-way tie at the top for the first time since the AFC West in 2011. Except Carolina wins the tiebreaker scenario even if the Panthers fall to the Bucs. However, a Falcons loss to L.A. creates the win-and-in setup for Panthers at Bucs.
Baltimore at Pittsburgh is already a control your destiny game. Both teams need to simply win to get into the AFC postseason. The winner there locks in the fourth seed and a home game. The Steelers will be under immense pressure after their letdown loss to Cleveland. Baltimore, meanwhile, can pursue its third straight division title.
The post When are Steelers-Ravens, Panthers-Buccaneers Week 18 NFL matchups? appeared first on ClutchPoints.
