Playoff Seeding Implications Raise the Stakes Of Vikings-Packers

What's on the line on Monday night?

Monday night's Vikings-Packers showdown has mostly been billed as a big game in spite of its playoff implications, not because of them.

Because the Packers hold the tiebreaker and the Vikings dropped winnable games in Kansas City and Seattle, a battle for the division title never materialized. Even if the Vikings win, it would take a miracle (aka a Lions win over the Packers in Week 17) for them to win the NFC North. So the stakes are minimal on that front.

The Vikings figured to be mostly stuck with the sixth seed, and the Packers seemed to be out of the running for the NFC's top seed. There were seeding implications at stake, but they weren't overly exciting.

Then the Seahawks lost to the Cardinals on Sunday in a shocking upset. And things changed.

Now the Vikings control their own destiny with regards to moving from the sixth seed to the fifth. If they win out and the Packers handle the Lions, the Vikings are the five. That could mean opening the playoffs against the Eagles, not the Saints or Seahawks.

Considering the struggles of the Vikings secondary and the overall talent levels of those teams, Philly is the obvious desirable matchup.

For the Packers, the Seahawks' loss gave them a clear path to a first-round bye. If they win out, they've got a bye. If they win out and the Seahawks beat the 49ers in Week 17, they're the No. 1 seed in the NFC. If they lose to the Vikings, they're basically assured of not having a bye, unless the Saints were to lose to the woeful Panthers.

The Seahawks' stunning loss has changed the outlook for each of these teams, adding some serious intrigue to Monday night's game. This should be fun.