The San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks have already punched their tickets to the postseason, but now both teams have their sights set on the NFC West title and No. 1 seed in the conference.
The winner of their crucial Week 18 showdown will secure both spots, while the loser will finish in a wild-card spot. In the event of a tie, the Seahawks will, of course, win the division and No. 1 seed thanks to a superior record.
With that out of the way, here's a look at the possible wild-card outcomes for the 49ers and Seahawks if they lose or tie this winner-take-all contest.
Possible wild-card outcomes for Seahawks
It's simple for the Seahawks.
A loss will drop them into the No. 5 seed in the NFC and they can't fall any further than that, even if the Los Angeles Rams win on Sunday. That's because Seattle would still have the superior record by one game.
The winner of the Week 18 game between the Carolina Panthers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers would face the Seahawks in the first round of the postseason if they finish in the No. 5 spot.
That game will be played right before 49ers-Seahawks.
Possible wild-card outcomes for 49ers
Unlike the Seahawks, the 49ers have two possible wild-card outcomes if they lose.
If the Rams win following a San Fran loss, the 49ers will finish in the No. 6 seed. But if the Rams lose to the Arizona Cardinals, or if San Francisco ties Seattle, the Niners will finish in the No. 5 seed.
The Niners' possible first-round opponents in the No. 5 seed include the Panthers and Bucs. The No. 6 seed would mean a matchup with either the Philadelphia Eagles or Chicago Bears.
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