NFL Week 18 schedule update: Rams-Seahawks on FOX, Lions-Packers on ‘Sunday Night Football’

The NFL’s Week 18 schedule has been released, and there will NOT be any simultaneous kickoff for the Seattle Seahawks and Green Bay Packers games.

As expected, the Seahawks’ home finale against the Los Angeles Rams will be at 1:25 PM PT on FOX. However, the Packers’ home game against the Detroit Lions has been moved to NBC’s ‘Sunday Night Football’ at 5:15 PM PT.

What does this mean? The Seahawks can directly impact the Lions’ playoff chances before kickoff. A Seattle win over the Rams means that the Lions are out of postseason contention, and only the Packers can clinch a playoff spot. If the Seahawks lose, then suddenly Lions-Packers is a play-in game and the winner is in the postseason, or Detroit advances with a tie.

Dan Campbell says Detroit is going to play for the win whether they’re in the playoff hunt or not, but you never know how the players will respond if they know before kickoff that their season is over.

It undoubtedly screws the Seahawks over to be put in this predicament, especially since these scenarios have historically been grounds to have simultaneous kickoffs. Oh well, ratings win in the end and it is more likely than not that we will not know Seattle’s postseason situation until about 8 PM PT.