Week 18 schedule: Vikings-Lions on SNF for top NFC seed
A huge divisional matchup between the Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings at Ford Field will feature as Week 18's Sunday Night Football game Jan. 5.
The winner of the highly anticipated contest will clinch the NFC North title and the conference's No. 1 seed, while the loser will advance to the playoffs as the 5-seed.
The Vikings became the first NFC team to win 14 games in 2024 after defeating the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, and the 13-2 Lions can tie Minnesota's record if they beat the San Francisco 49ers on Monday.
Both Detroit and Minnesota boast a top-10 unit on offense and defense. The Lions - who defeated the Vikings 31-29 in October - own the NFL's highest-scoring offense, while Minnesota leads the league with 22 defensive interceptions in 2024. The NFC's 1-seed has reached the Super Bowl in each of the last two seasons.
The NFL also announced its full schedule for Week 18. A pair of AFC North matchups will kick off next week's slate, as the Cleveland Browns visit the Baltimore Ravens and the Pittsburgh Steelers play the Cincinnati Bengals on Saturday.
The rest of the slate will conclude Sunday with the Lions-Vikings matchup headlining the day.
Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025
| Game | Time (ET) | TV |
|---|---|---|
| Browns at Ravens | 4:30 p.m. | ESPN |
| Bengals at Steelers | 8 p.m. | ESPN |
Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025
| Game | Time (ET) | TV |
|---|---|---|
| Panthers @ Falcons | 1 p.m. | CBS |
| Commanders @ Cowboys | 1 p.m. | Fox |
| Bears @ Packers | 1 p.m. | Fox |
| Jaguars @ Colts | 1 p.m. | Fox |
| Bills @ Patriots | 1 p.m. | CBS |
| Giants @ Eagles | 1 p.m. | CBS |
| Saints @ Buccaneers | 1 p.m. | Fox |
| Texans @ Titans | 1 p.m. | CBS |
| 49ers @ Cardinals | 4:25 p.m. | Fox |
| Chiefs @ Broncos | 4:25 p.m. | CBS |
| Chargers @ Raiders | 4:25 p.m. | CBS |
| Seahawks @ Rams | 4:25 p.m. | Fox |
| Dolphins @ Jets | 4:25 p.m. | Fox |
| Vikings @ Lions | 8:20 p.m. | NBC |
Here's what's at stake for each team heading into Week 18.