Just three weeks remain in the NFL season! The race for the postseason keeps getting tighter and tighter as several teams secured their playoff spots this week. Four of the seven berths in the NFC have been locked up, and two more have been clinched in the AFC. Who’s trending in the right direction for those final few spots? And who needs to turn things around before winner-take-all time? Here’s a look at the updated movement using insights from SI Tickets reservations.
Jaguars keep rising
Is anyone in the NFL as hot as the Jaguars right now?
Fresh off a win over the division-leading Titans, the Jags pulled off an overtime thriller to sneak past the Cowboys and move closer to the top spot in the AFC South. For a second straight week, Trevor Lawrence balled out, throwing four touchdown passes and outdueling Dak Prescott to help lead Jacksonville back from a 27–10 third-quarter deficit and send the game to overtime. Then, in the extra period, Rayshawn Jenkins intercepted Prescott and returned the ball 52 yards for a game-winning touchdown that sealed a season-changing victory for Jacksonville. On SI Tickets, the Jags’ divisional-round ticket reservation prices went up 157% after the win, and their Super Bowl prices climbed 156%.
The win, combined with the Titans’ loss to the Chargers, leaves Jacksonville just one game out of the top spot in the AFC South. A Week 18 clash between the two teams looms large, but before then, Jacksonville will take on the Jets and Texans, while the Titans still have the Texans and Cowboys left on the schedule.
A big swing in the AFC North
The race between the Bengals and Ravens at the top of the AFC North has been fascinating to watch play out all season, but Cincinnati grabbed the upper hand in Week 15. With Lamar Jackson sidelined, the Ravens’ offense couldn’t break through against the Browns, mustering just three points in a 13–3 defeat. The next day, the Bengals rallied from a 17–0 deficit behind a second-half master class from Joe Burrow to give themselves a one-game lead in the division.
Like in the AFC South, a Week 18 showdown between the two top contenders may end up being decisive. But there’s no doubt the Ravens have the more favorable schedule leading into that game, with home tilts against the Falcons and Steelers compared to the Bengals’ road trip to take on the Patriots before hosting the Bills. Still, taking that one-game lead swung things in a major way for the Bengals, whose divisional-round reservation price climbed 39%, while the Ravens’ dropped 33%.
Packers hanging around
The Packers’ path to the playoffs remains a narrow one, but Aaron Rodgers led Green Bay to a second straight victory to keep those faint hopes alive on Monday Night Football. The Packers are now 6–8 and, for the first time all season, have scored 20 or more points in three straight games. But is there enough time for the Pack to gain ground and sneak into the playoffs?
Right now, Green Bay sits a game and a half out of the last wild-card spot in the NFC and has a tough closing schedule ahead. First, it’ll hit the road to take on the Dolphins, then come home to host the Vikings before closing the season with a home matchup against the surging Lions. Without a collapse from the Commanders, the Packers likely need to win out to get into the playoffs. Still, that’s more hope than Pack fans likely had this time two weeks ago, which is why that Rams win led to a 134% increase in Packers Super Bowl ticket reservation prices from a week ago.
Concern for the Cowboys?
For the second straight week, Dallas has played less-than-stellar football, particularly defensively. After conceding 23 points against the lowly Texans (the most Houston had scored in a game since Week 4), the Cowboys got torched by Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars this week. While both teams are playing better football as of late, it’s still a somewhat concerning sign heading down the stretch to see the Dallas defense fall off this much. Perhaps that’s why the postseason ticket reservation market fell significantly this week for the Cowboys, including a 76% drop in divisional-round reservation prices.
As they battle for seeding, the Cowboys face three potential playoff teams in the final three weeks. First, they’ll get an Eagles offense that could be without star QB Jalen Hurts, but still is one of the best units in football, then have to deal with Derrick Henry and the Titans before a Week 18 clash with the Commanders—getting back momentum before the playoffs feels critical.
Dolphins’ margin for error shrinking
Miami’s surge to near the top of the AFC upon Tua Tagovailoa’s return was one of the best stories of the NFL season. But after three straight losses, the path to the playoffs has gotten murkier, though losses by their division rival Jets and Patriots did help soften the blow.
It was a bounce-back performance for the Miami offense Saturday, scoring 29 points and amassing more than 400 yards of offense despite the cold weather in Buffalo. That was promising, particularly given how much Tagovailoa had struggled against the 49ers and Chargers. Still, a field goal as time expired by Tyler Bass sunk the Dolphins’ hopes of sweeping the season series against Buffalo. That led to a 28% drop in the team’s divisional-round reservation prices on SI Tickets.
