NFL Week 18 bold predictions: Bijan Robinson makes history, Lions punk Ben Johnson again

Bold projections for the last week of the 2025 NFL season, including history being made on Sunday

It's been a weird NFL season in 2025. 

An NFL-record four teams with 11 or more losses in 2024 have already clinched playoff spots in 2025, and the Carolina Panthers could run that number up to five in Week 18. An NFL-record three teams with new coaches inheriting 12-plus loss teams have already clinched playoff spots, and if the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Atlanta Falcons win in Week 18, the 2025 NFC South will be the sixth division in NFL history to have a three-way tie for its best record.

What other craziness could happen during a Week 18 NFL weekend full of season-altering playoff implications? Let's take a look with five bold predictions to close out the 2025 regular season. 

Bijan Robinson goes off for 260 yards from scrimmage to set NFL single-season record

Pro Bowl running back Bijan Robinson toasted the playoff-bound Los Angeles Rams to the tune of 229 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns, including a career-high 195 yards rushing and a rushing touchdown on 22 carries, in the Atlanta Falcons' 27-24 upset win on "Monday Night Football" last week. 

Robinson is now up to 2,255 yards from scrimmage this season, the most in Falcons history, and he's also now 255 yards from scrimmage away from breaking the NFL single-season record of 2,509 set by Tennessee Titans running back Chris Johnson in 2009. In his last game of the season against the New Orleans Saints, Atlanta's archrival, Robinson produces another game for the ages with 260 yards from scrimmage to break Johnson's record. 

Detroit Lions upset NFC North champion Chicago Bears by double digits

The Detroit Lions, who are 8-8 and eliminated from postseason contention, have nothing to play for entering Week 18 at the NFC North champion Chicago Bears. They're fresh off a gut-wrenching 23-10 loss at the Minnesota Vikings on Christmas in which they committed six turnovers to officially kill their playoff hopes. That's about as hard of a face plant an NFL team can have.

However, the Lions will come into Chicago to face a Bears squad that can lock up the NFC's No. 2 seed with a win and beat them by double digits. Detroit coach Dan Campbell will motivate his Lions squad with spite and the drive to stick it to former offensive coordinator Ben Johnson with a double-digit Lions victory. All the way back in Week 2 when Johnson and Bears quarterback Caleb Williams were still working to get on the same page, the Lions humiliated the Bears with a 52-21 victory. Detroit also spoiled the Green Bay Packers' 2022 Week 18 finale at Lambeau Field to keep them out of the playoffs, and will punk the Bears at Soldier Field in an effort to block them from the NFC's No. 2 seed. 

Chargers backup QB Trey Lance totals multiple TD vs. Broncos defense

The Denver Broncos (13-3) can clinch the AFC's No. 1 seed, which comes with a first-round bye and home-field advantage throughout the postseason, with a win against the Los Angeles Chargers without starting quarterback Justin Herbert. The Chargers are resting him for the playoffs and starting backup Trey Lance at quarterback in his place. 

Despite the Chargers' lackluster offensive line play and Lance starting for the first time since Week 18 last season with the Dallas Cowboys, he'll produce multiple touchdowns. Kansas City Chiefs third-string quarterback Chris Oladokun was able to total a passing touchdown and 66 yards passing while completing 13 of his 22 passes in a narrow 20-13 loss on Christmas in Week 17 -- his first career NFL start. Lance, a former top five pick, one-ups that performance against Denver's top five defense in Week 18 with multiple touchdowns.

NFL Week 18 picks: Our experts face off on Panthers at Buccaneers, Seahawks vs. 49ers and more

Jordan Dajani

Seahawks sack 49ers QB Brock Purdy multiple times

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy is on fire. During the team's six-game winning streak, which coincides with his return from a turf toe injury, Purdy leads the NFL in passer rating (111.5), first-down rate (48%) and success rate (56%). A whopping 48% of his throws are going for a first down this season, which is the highest by any quarterback in the last 35 seasons. Purdy also became the seventh quarterback in NFL history with at least five total touchdowns in consecutive games. 

One of the driving factors in his success of late is his sack avoidance: just 8% of pressures against Purdy result in sacks, the lowest rate of any QB in NFL this season, per CBS Sports Research. The Seahawks defense is generating the NFL's ninth-best quarterback pressure rate (39.8%) and has racked up the eighth-most sacks (44) in the league. What makes them difficult to block is their pass rush is a multifaceted unit without a clear alpha: Defensive tackles Leonard Williams and Byron Murphy II co-lead the team in sacks (7.0 each) with edge rushers DeMarcus Lawrence  and Uchenna Nwosu right behind them (6.0 each). 

In Week 18, the Seahawks become just the second team this season to sack Purdy at least twice in a game in 2025. 

Jets intercept Bills QB Josh Allen

The New York Jets don't have any interceptions in the 2025 NFL season. That's right: zero, zilch, nada -- no interceptions. The Jets' 16 consecutive games without a defensive interception is the longest in NFL history. New York is the only team with fewer than six interceptions as a team this season, and is threatening the record for the fewest interceptions by a defense in NFL history. That number is currently two by the 2018 San Francisco 49ers.

The Jets will get their first one in their regular-season finale against Buffalo Bills 2024 NFL MVP quarterback Josh Allen. Allen typically cooks the Jets as he has multiple total touchdowns in each of his last five home games against the Jets. However, Allen has cooled recently with 392 yards passing and no passing touchdowns in the last two games. He did produce two rushing touchdowns in Week 17 against the Philadelphia Eagles, but he airmailed a wide-open Khalil Shakir in the back of the end zone on what should have been the game-winning two-point conversion. 

One erratic throw could give the Jets the interception they've been starved for this season.