NFL storylines to follow in Week 18

The last week of the NFL regular season brings plenty of intrigue.

From the Raiders and Chargers squaring off in an epic winner-takes-all, loser-goes-home showdown at Allegiant Stadium to Ben Roethlisberger likely playing the last game of his career to Russell Wilson potentially suiting up for the final time with the Seattle Seahawks, it’s shaping up as a monumental final Sunday of the regular season.

Here are four storylines to follow:

Steelers (8-7-1) at Ravens (8-8)

There is still a slim chance one of these teams can back-door their way into the playoffs. The Steelers need a win on Sunday, a loss by the Indianapolis Colts against the Jacksonville Jaguars and for the Raiders and Chargers to end up in anything but a tie.

Meanwhile, the Ravens get in with a win over the Steelers, a loss by the Miami Dolphins against the New England Patriots and losses by the Colts and Chargers. Those are long shots to be sure.

Don’t be surprised if Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger turns back the clock with a big performance against a heated AFC North rival.

Seahawks (6-10) at Cardinals (11–5)

The Cardinals righted their ship a little bit with a road win over the Dallas Cowboys last week. In doing so, they snapped the three-game losing streak that cost them control of the NFL West. The win gives them a puncher’s chance to win the division title, which would require a victory over the Seahawks and a loss by the Los Angeles Rams to the San Francisco 49ers.

The Seahawks are playing for pride. Quarterback Russell Wilson, the long-time face of their franchise, could be on the move next offseason. It might also be the last Seattle hurrah for Pete Carroll, who some are speculating could be on another team’s sideline next season.

Patriots (10-6) at Dolphins (8-8)

The Patriots go into the final week with a wide range of playoff opportunities that range from landing the AFC’s top seed — and the first-week bye that comes with it — to falling all the way to the seventh and last spot.

To claim the top spot, the Patriots need a win over the Dolphins and a Buffalo Bills loss to the New York Jets, a Kansas City Chiefs loss to the Denver Broncos and a Tennessee Titans loss to Houston Texans.

A loss to the Dolphins, coupled with a Raiders win over the Chargers and a Colts win over the Jaguars, sends the Patriots reeling all the way to the seventh seed. That would mean a first-round trip to play either the Titans or Chiefs.

49ers (9-7) at Rams (12-4)

The Rams can clinch the NFC West and secure the second seed in the NFC playoffs with a win over the 49ers on Sunday. They can still claim the second seed with a loss, but that would require losses by the Cardinals, Cowboys and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The clearest path to the second spot, and with it the guarantee of at least two home playoff games if they prevail in the first round, is beating the 49ers, of course.

The 49ers also have a playoff spot they can grab. Doing so requires them beating the Rams or the New Orleans Saints losing to the Atlanta Falcons. So the Rams can expect a highly motivated rival to take the field at SoFi Stadium.