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Five Things to Watch this Weekend (Week 18)

January 2, 2026

Here are our top 5 story lines to follow heading into the weekend:

1. Panthers vs. Bucs

Who would’ve thought that it would be Bryce Young and the Panthers challenging for the NFC South? After all the benchings, struggles, fans calling for BY to get out of town, they now have a legitimate opportunity to snatch the division from Tampa Bay. Carolina has been steadily improving (with some very impressive wins) while Tampa Bay has all but completely fallen apart. Despite the horrible second half, the Bucs have an outside shot of getting into the post season. They’ll need to beat Carolina but also need the Falcons to lose to New Orleans. That’s how bad things have gotten. Tampa Bay has been so putrid that even the Falcons have caught up to them now and Baker and the boys will need assistance even if they do manage to defeat the Panthers. Look for the boys in blue to deliver the final nail in the coffin to the Bucs.

2. Seahawks vs. 49ers

This is the one everyone will be watching. Winner take all, the division and the one seed in the NFC. Seattle has been the team to watch all season long. What Darnold has done with JSN and the rest of the pass catchers while the defense has transformed into one of the best in the league is nothing short of amazing. All the while, San Francisco kind of (seemingly) putzed around losing big name player after big name player to injury. Purdy missed time, Kittle missed time, it feels like half their defense has been gone. Yet, they just kept on stacking wins while the rest of the country gave all their attention to the Seahawks and Rams. This is without a doubt the game of the week.

3. Lions vs. Bears

Alright, nothing is really on the line with this one. The Lions are eliminated. Ben Johnson has taken the North after just one season of being the head man in charge in Chicago. But, the Lions laid a 50 point bomb on the Bears in week 2. I wouldn’t say this game is meaningless, as I’d imagine there’s some unfinished business between the two head coaches and ole Ben wants some revenge on his former organization. Granted, the Bears are kind of beat up and have already taken the division. They have much more to play for after this week but I’d imagine we’re going to see some hard nosed football, some really fun play designs, and Chicago make a huge statement while the Lions continue to tumble.

4. Ravens vs. Steelers

The battle for the AFC North. Pittsburgh inexplicably lost to Cleveland last week setting up a showdown for the division in week 18. Aaron Rodgers has looked completely cooked the last few years but seemed to find a second wind once the season started. He continues to show flashes of his old self, and with a win over the Ravens, we’ll get to see him in the post season one last time. Baltimore is planning to bring back Lamar Jackson for the showdown despite the recent back injury. After sitting out last week, most signs are pointing to him starting this week. Jackson has been slowed down by injuries for a majority of the season. Even prior to this recent back thing, he just hasn’t looked like himself athletically. If he’s still slowed down, that will only play to the Steelers advantage as they attempt to lock down the division at home.

5. Broncos vs. Chargers

Denver is looking to secure the one seed in the AFC and can do so with a victory of the Chargers. The Broncos last had the one seed back in 2015 when they won the Super Bowl. Though the matchups have been close, the Broncos haven’t defeated LA since 2023. Payton will be looking to pick up a big win, secure the top seed, and get his team out of their healthy. Speaking of health, Justin Herbert has been playing with a gigantic tape job on his hand for weeks. Every time he gets hit, you wonder how this kid can keep getting up. He’s one tough quarterback, perhaps the toughest the league has to offer, and his team will need everything he has to offer. A loss to Denver will drop them in the playoff seeding, meaning they’ll more than likely draw a top contender like New England in the first round.

Keith, Author

Keith runs youth flag football leagues by day, and by night he hosts the podcast and writes articles with the confidence of a man who’s been rushing quarterbacks since dial-up. A longtime flag football DE and lifelong Falcons fan, he’s no stranger to heartbreak and enjoys watching the bears get slaughtered each week. Equal parts coach, critic, and chaos, Keith calls it like he sees it… even if it hurts.