Inside The Vikings

NFC Standings, Playoff Picture Update: What are Vikings' Postseason Odds?

The Vikings scored three points on Sunday and saw their playoff odds go way up. Go figure.
Will Ragatz|
NFC Standings, Playoff Picture Update: What are Vikings' Postseason Odds?
NFC Standings, Playoff Picture Update: What are Vikings' Postseason Odds?

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Minnesota Vikings

Only in the wacky 2023 season could the Vikings score three points in a game and see their playoff odds go way up.

Not only did the Vikings pull off an ugly, improbable win over the Raiders on Sunday to get to 7-6, there were plenty of other results that went in their favor in Week 14.

  • The Lions (9-4) lost to the Bears
  • The Packers (6-7) lost to the Giants
  • The Rams (6-7) lost to the Ravens
  • The Seahawks (6-7) lost to the 49ers
  • The Falcons (6-7) lost the Buccaneers (also 6-7)

There were five NFC teams sitting at 6-6 coming into the weekend and only the Vikings won out of that group. Despite scoring three points. Go figure.

The Vikings are still in the sixth seed, with five teams lurking one game behind them. Here's what the playoff picture looks like heading into Week 15:

The Vikings' 6-3 conference record and head-to-head victories over the Falcons, Packers, and Saints are points in their favor when it comes to potential tiebreaker scenarios (they still play Green Bay one more time).

Coming into Week 14, the Vikings' playoff odds had fallen to roughly 50 percent. Now they're back up to 67.1 percent (ESPN's FPI) or 69.6 percent (DVOA), depending on which site you look at. 

The Vikings also aren't totally out of the NFC North hunt, thanks to the Lions' loss to the Bears. They're two games back of Detroit and will play them twice in the final three weeks of the season. FPI and DVOA give the Vikings a 16-17 percent chance to win the division. Unlikely, of course, but not impossible. The Vikings also play at Cincinnati and vs. Green Bay, while the Lions will host the Broncos this weekend and travel to play the red-hot Cowboys in Week 17.

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Will Ragatz
WILL RAGATZ

Will Ragatz is a senior writer for Vikings On SI, who also covers the Twins, Timberwolves, Gophers, and other Minnesota teams. He is a credentialed Minnesota Vikings beat reporter, covering the team extensively at practices, games and throughout the NFL draft and free agency period. Ragatz attended Northwestern University, where he studied at the prestigious Medill School of Journalism. During his time as a student, he covered Northwestern Wildcats football and basketball for SB Nation’s Inside NU, eventually serving as co-editor-in-chief in his junior year. In the fall of 2018, Will interned in Sports Illustrated’s newsroom in New York City, where he wrote articles on Major League Baseball, college football, and college basketball for SI.com.

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