There are just eight weeks left in the 2025 NFL regular season. Just eight (and in some cases seven for teams yet to have their bye) more games for teams to make up enough ground to finish as a top-seven team in their respective conference. The playoff picture is already beginning to take form, but there is still plenty of time for teams to turn their seasons around and bump these playoff favorites right out of the picture.

It’s impossible to watch every game. Trust me, I try because it’s my job to know everything happening across the league, but you just can’t do it. RedZone’s the best way to go, but sometimes it just doesn’t get the job done. So today, we’ll be going over the 10 most impactful games remaining on the NFL schedule, so you can carve out the time to watch every snap from these games, which will be crucial to forming the playoff picture.

For this exercise, I’ve gone through and laid out how I think the end of the season will play out for some playoff contenders. In the AFC, outside of Kansas City, I don’t foresee anyone challenging the seven teams already in the playoff picture. The same goes for the NFC. I don’t predict Carolina, Minnesota, or anyone else save San Francisco and maybe Dallas posing a real threat to anyone already in the NFC playoff picture, so their games are not included in this list.

Here’s a look at the full NFL playoff picture.

Honorable Mentions

• Week 15: Detroit Lions at Los Angeles Rams
• Week 14: Pittsburgh Steelers at Baltimore Ravens
• Week 11: Kansas City Chiefs at Denver Broncos
• Week 11: Seattle Seahawks at Los Angeles Rams

10. Week 14: Indianapolis Colts at Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jacksonville Jaguars are still in the playoff hunt despite some poor form recently, but this will be a massive game for the current 7-seed in the AFC. The Jags should be able to win at least two of their next three against the Los Angeles Chargers, Arizona Cardinals, and Tennessee Titans, but their schedule gets incredibly tough from there.

The Jaguars should walk into this game with a 7-6 record. With tough games against Denver and Indianapolis coming up after this matchup, this becomes a must-win game for the Jags. If they are able to knock off the Colts, they’ll be 8-6, and with the Jets and Titans still on the schedule as well, they should finish with 10 wins and squeak into the playoffs.

Beating the Colts once is almost a must for the Jags, and I believe Week 14 is their best opportunity to do so. They’ll be at home, and Indy will be coming off two tough games against Houston and Kansas City. I believe the Jags’ season will come down to this game. Win, and they’re in. Lose, and they’ll just miss out on the playoffs in Liam Coen’s first year.

9. Week 17: Chicago Bears at San Francisco 49ers

From afar, this might not be the most intriguing matchup, but looking at the playoff picture, this could end up deciding one of the final playoff spots in the NFC. Both teams are on the outside looking in on their division, and if the five and six seed go to the second-place teams in the NFC North and NFC West, like we expect, these two could be battling for that final spot.

Right now, the Chicago Bears are 6-3 and the San Francisco 49ers are 6-4. They’ve been on two very different trajectories, with Chicago winning six of their last seven and San Fran losing three of their last five. With Brock Purdy likely returning sometime soon, there’s a very good chance these two are sitting at the same win total when they clash in Week 17.

Right now, I think I’d give the edge to San Francisco in this game. I think the Bears have been pretty lucky and could easily be 3-6 instead of 6-3, but they’re winning, and that’s all that matters right now. It should be a very entertaining and impactful game.

8. Week 15: Indianapolis Colts at Seattle Seahawks

It’s not often that cross-conference matchups have such a big impact on playoff seeding, but this game could have huge playoff implications.

The Seattle Seahawks (No. 2) and Indianapolis Colts (No. 1) are both in the battle for the top overall seed in their respective conference. Both have two losses on their record, and looking at their schedules, there’s a real chance both teams are undefeated up until this game (Indy plays Kansas City and Seattle plays Los Angeles before then, but they’re good enough to win those games). Even if they both drop a game before then, this will still have massive seeding implications.

Someone has to lose this game, and whoever it is could end up falling out of contention for the top overall seed in their conference. I’d give the edge to Seattle right now because I think they have a good enough defense to limit what Indy can do on the ground, but this should be a very entertaining and close matchup.

7. Week 13: Kansas City Chiefs at Dallas Cowboys

Two of the biggest brands in the NFL clash on Thanksgiving Day. The Dallas Cowboys will be looking to keep their slim playoff hopes alive, while the Kansas City Chiefs will hope to keep the AFC West title hopes alive.

The Cowboys are 3-5-1, but have one of the best offenses in the league, so they’ll be in every game they play for the rest of the year. Plus, they just made big additions to their defense in Logan Wilson and Quinnen Williams, which should immediately help them on that side of the ball.

The Chiefs are 5-4 after a disappointing start, but it’s Kansas City. Everyone knows they’re going to get into the playoffs; it’s just a matter of how. Can they erase a three-game deficit to the Denver Broncos, whom they play two more times this year, or will they be on the road for the entire playoffs as a Wild Card team?

There’s a real chance the Cowboys are 5-5-1 (all they’ll have to do is upset Philly, which doesn’t seem that tall of a task after MNF) and the Chiefs are 5-6. If that’s the case, this game will essentially eliminate one of them from playoff contention. If the Chiefs do manage to come in at 6-5 after a win over Denver or Indy, then this game would help keep their AFC West hopes alive.

Huge playoff implications for two of the biggest teams in the league. Just what the NFL wants on Thanksgiving.

6. Week 12: Indianapolis Colts at Kansas City Chiefs

We are less than two weeks away from one of the biggest matchups of the entire season. The Colts will travel to Kansas City to face the Chiefs in a game that could have massive playoff implications.

The Colts are 8-2 and the 1-seed in the AFC. The Chiefs are 5-4, and if they lose to Denver this week like I expect, they will be sitting at .500 entering this crucial game. Indy will be coming off a bye as well, so even though this is a road game for them, they have the upper hand.

A win for Indy will put them in firm control of the AFC. It will prove that they’re very much a Super Bowl contender and cement them as the team to beat in the AFC. For the Chiefs, a loss here would be catastrophic. Depending on the outcome in Denver the week before, they could fall below .500 with just six games left. They would virtually be eliminated from AFC West contention and would have to scratch and claw to secure a Wild Card spot.

This is a massive matchup for both teams. If Indy can find a way to win this, they could basically knock Kansas City out of the playoffs. But if Kansas City wins, it could give them the momentum they need to possibly snatch the AFC West crown from Denver and LA.

5. Week 13: Green Bay Packers at Detroit Lions

It’s a shame that the last matchup between the two favorites for the NFC North crown is Week 13 and not later. But there’s nothing we can do about it, and this should still be a massive game.

The Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers have both been a bit up and down this season, but I don’t believe in the Bears, so I ultimately think the division will come down to these two teams. Looking at their respective schedules, there’s a very real chance the Packers enter this game at 7-3-1 (wins over Giants and Vikings over next two) and the Lions enter at 7-4 (win over Giants, loss to Eagles). The winner of this game would not take over the lead in the NFC North, but would give themselves a massive leg up on the other if there is a tiebreaker at the end of the year.

The loser of this game should still make the playoffs, but instead of hosting one, maybe two games, they’ll likely be on the road throughout the playoffs. And if we know anything about the NFL, home-field advantage is massive in the postseason.

4. Week 17: Denver Broncos at Kansas City Chiefs

I do expect Kansas City to lose their next two games, but after their game against Indy, they should be able to rattle off four wins over Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, and Tennessee. That puts them at 9-6 heading into a massive Week 17 showdown against the Broncos.

I expect Denver to have a one-game lead in the AFC West at this point, so a win here could wrap up the division for them. But more importantly, a win would take Kansas City’s destiny out of their hands. At 9-7, they’d need to beat the Raiders in Week 18 and hope Jacksonville and/or the loser of Baltimore/Pittsburgh doesn’t have a tiebreaker over them.

It could be a three-way battle for the final one or two spots in the AFC unless the Chiefs can come out and win this game. If they can beat Denver and move to 10-6, they’ll be able to control their own destiny and lock up a playoff spot with a win over the Raiders in Week 18.

Could the Chiefs really miss the playoffs? Yes, that is a real possibility, and this game may end up being the final nail in the coffin.

3. Week 18: Los Angeles Chargers at Denver Broncos

The Chargers and Broncos are 7-3 and 8-2, respectively. Looking at their remaining schedules, I expect the Chargers to enter this game at 11-5 and the Broncos to enter at 12-4. What makes this game so interesting is the fact that the Chargers beat Denver earlier in the year, meaning if they were to win again and both teams had a 12-5 record heading into the playoffs, the Chargers would hold the head-to-head tiebreaker, and therefore take the division.

The AFC West will be one of the biggest dominoes in the playoffs. The winner of this division could very well be the 1-seed in the AFC, though I do think the Colts’ easy schedule gives them a clear path to the No. 1 seed. Even if it’s not for the 1-seed, there’s a massive difference between the 2-seed and the 5-seed. The 2-seed gives you home-field advantage through the first two rounds (and the AFC Championship if the 1-seed falls early), while the 5-seed will likely have to travel for every playoff game.

These two squads match up very well, so if things go as I think they will and they enter this game within a game of each other, this will decide who wins the division and therefore gets to host at least one (probably two) playoff game.

2. Week 18: Baltimore Ravens at Pittsburgh Steelers

For many of the same reasons as the Chargers and Broncos, the Ravens and Steelers’ Week 18 matchup is going to be massive. The Ravens are surging and the Steelers are slipping, and somehow they’re only one game apart. I went through and looked at both of their remaining schedules, and after picking each game, I have both of these squads entering this Week 18 showdown with a 9-7 record.

Everything will be up for grabs in this game. The winner will win the AFC North and likely lock down the 4-seed in the AFC, while the other will be out of the playoffs. I don’t believe 9-8 will be enough to slide into the 7-seed, so this is virtually a playoff game for both teams.

The Chargers/Broncos game might have more entertainment factor, but it’s hard not to put a win-or-go-home game above it. One team will be delighted, the other will be devastated. And the fact that these two teams absolutely hate each other makes it even better.

1. Week 16: Los Angeles Rams at Seattle Seahawks

I think this is a pretty easy pick. The Rams and Seahawks will not only be fighting for the NFC West title in Week 16, but also the 1-seed in the NFC.

These two have been on a collision course since the season started. Everyone knew the Rams would be good, but the Seahawks weren’t expected to be one of the best teams in the league. Well, here we are, and while these two are set to meet in Week 11 (which will also be massive), their Week 16 game should be the bigger of the two.

By my count, both the Rams and Seahawks will be 11-3 entering this game. I believe the Rams will win the first matchup, giving them the tiebreaker in the division, but if the Seahawks are able to pull out their Week 16 matchup, they would take control of the division and the NFC as a whole. On the other hand, if LA were to win this, they’d have the tiebreaker over Seattle and a one-game lead, making it very difficult for them not to win the NFC West.

This is a massive, massive game that will not only determine who wins the most competitive division in the NFL, but the 1-seed in the NFC.