What a week we had in the NFL. Three head-to-head showdowns with division titles on the line, all coming down to the wire with wild and dramatic finishes. It's what Week 16 in December is supposed to be all about.

Huge wins by the Seattle Seahawks, Chicago Bears and Carolina Panthers put them in the lead in their respective divisions, the NFC West, NFC North and NFC South. They are the front-runners now, but there's still a lot to be decided in the final two weeks of the season.

Here's what we know so far. Let's take a look by seed, and what lies ahead for each team.

1. Seattle Seahawks (12-3)

How they're in: First place in NFC West, best overall record in NFC.
What the division looks like: Seattle has a one-game lead in what is unquestionably the game's best division. They are 12-3, with the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams just a game behind at 11-4. Everything is still up for grabs.
Who's left on the schedule: Dec. 28 — Seattle at Carolina, 1 p.m. ET. Jan. 3/4 — Seattle at San Francisco, TBA
Prognosis: Seattle's 16-point comeback against the Rams last Thursday might rank right up there as the game of the year, at least for two days. They control their own destiny now with their 12-3 mark, but the schedule is still daunting. The Seahawks have won five straight and nine of 10, but they finish with two tough road games. Can they close it out and secure the first-round bye that comes with the No. 1 seed? There's a ton of value to it. 

2. Chicago Bears (11-4)

How they're in: First place in NFC North, second-best overall record in NFC.
What the division looks like: Chicago's dramatic win over Green Bay last weekend gave them a 1.5-game lead with two games to go. But it's still not over. The Bears have clinched a playoff spot now, but certainly want to win the division — and they're still holding out for the No. 1 seed.
Who's left on the schedule: Dec. 28 — Chicago at San Francisco, 8:20 p.m. ET. Jan. 3/4 — Detroit at Chicago, TBA.
Prognosis: The Bears keep finding a way to win close games, and they are 11-2 since losing their first two games. No one is playing better than San Francisco, so that one's going to be tough. It will likely all come down to that season finale with Detroit, Ben Johnson's former team. It might help a bit if the Lions are eliminated before then.

3. Philadelphia Eagles (10-5)

How they're in: First place in NFC East, third-best record among division leaders in NFC.
What the division looks like: Philadelphia clinched the NFC East last week, and became the first team in the division to go back-to-back since 2004.
Who's left on the schedule: Dec. 28 — Philadelphia at Buffalo, 4:25 p.m. ET. Jan. 3/4 — Washington at Philadelphia, TBA.
Prognosis: The Eagles are almost a lock for the three seed, but they can move up to No. 2 with some help. Winning the NFC East came easy with the Cowboys and Commanders falling apart late. They won the Super Bowl a year ago, but don't look like the same team in 2025, especially on offense. They've struggled to run the ball, even with Saquon Barkley. Quarterback Jalen Hurts has been up and down, as well. 

4. Carolina Panthers (8-7)

How they're in: First place in NFC South, fourth-best record among division leaders in NFC.
What the division looks like: Carolina beat Tampa Bay last weekend to grab the lead in the NFC South, but they've got a tough schedule remaining. They can clinch the division this weekend with a win and a Buccaneers loss, and if not, it all comes down to that final weekend. If they can clinch, it'll be their first division title since 2015.  
Who's left on the schedule: Dec. 28 — Seattle at Carolina, 1 p.m. ET. Jan. 3/4 — Carolina at Tampa Bay, TBA.
Prognosis: Carolina wasn't supposed to be a playoff team, but they've had some big wins the past few months, and none bigger than beating Tampa Bay last weekend. It's probable they will have to do it again in Week 18, this time in Tampa. They are big Dolphins fans this weekend. If they can find a way to beat Seattle and the Bucs lose, the division belongs to them.

5. San Francisco 49ers (11-4)

How they're in: Top wild-card, winning the tiebreaker over the Los Angeles Rams
What the division looks like: They need to beat Seattle in the final week to still win the division, and possibly get that No. 1 seed. They also have to beat Chicago Sunday night for that to happen, because it pushes the Bears behind them, too. 
Who's left on the schedule: Dec. 28 — Chicago at San Francisco, 8:20 p.m. ET. Jan. 3/4 — Seattle at San Francisco, TBA.
Prognosis: For the 49ers to pull this off, they need two big wins against two teams that have been as hot as they have been. It won't be easy, but San Francisco proved Monday night against the Colts that their offense looks practically unstoppable right now. They haven't punted since the end of November. 

6. Los Angeles Rams (11-4)

How they're in: Second wild-card, losing the tiebreaker to San Francisco.  
What the division looks like: The Rams still have a shot with two wins and some help. They need both Seattle and San Francisco to lose to win the division   
Who's left on the schedule: Dec. 29 (Mon.) — Los Angeles Rams at Atlanta, 8:15 p.m. ET. Jan. 3/4 — Arizona at Los Angeles Rams, TBA.
Prognosis: The Rams had total control of their own destiny before blowing that big lead to Seattle last Thursday. They've secured a playoff spot, but need help to win the division. To me, this is still the team that no one wants to play in the playoffs.

7. Green Bay Packers (9-5-1)

How they're in: Third wild-card.
What the division looks like: They are 1.5 games behind Chicago, but it's not over yet. The Packers need to win twice, and hope the Bears lose.
Who's left on the schedule: Dec. 27 (Sat.) — Baltimore at Green Bay, 8 p.m. ET. Jan. 3/4 — Green Bay at Minnesota, TBA.
Prognosis: The Packers, much like the Rams, had the division in their hands but let it slip away in that thrilling loss to the Bears. They're a long shot to still win the division — they need two wins and two Bears losses — but their playoff hopes look good. Win a game or the Lions lose one, and it's all over.

NFC teams still in the hunt

* Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-8): Despite being a game behind Carolina, the Buccaneers still control their own fate. They need to beat Miami and Carolina to finish 9-8, and would win the tiebreaker against Carolina to claim their fifth-straight NFC South title. Some still consider the Bucs the favorite to win the division.
* Detroit Lions (8-7): The Lions are still in the hunt, but they need a lot of help, too. They need to win twice, and hope the Packers lose twice as well. They've also got no one to blame but them themselves for their precarious position. They've lost three of four, and could have won any or all of them.

NFC teams eliminated

Minnesota Vikings — 7-8
Dallas Cowboys — 6-8-1
Atlanta Falcons — 6-9
New Orleans Saints — 5-10
Washington Commanders — 4-11
Arizona Cardinals — 3-12
New York Giants — 2-13