Inside The Vikings

NFC Standings: Vikings Still in Good Position to Make Playoffs Despite Loss

The Vikings control their own destiny when it comes to securing a wild card spot.
Will Ragatz|
NFC Standings: Vikings Still in Good Position to Make Playoffs Despite Loss
NFC Standings: Vikings Still in Good Position to Make Playoffs Despite Loss

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Minnesota Vikings

Despite seeing their five-game losing streak come to an end against the Broncos on Sunday night, the Vikings remain in a good position to secure a wild card spot in the NFC playoffs over the final seven weeks of the regular season.

A win in Denver would've put the Vikings' projected playoff odds above 90 percent. But as things stand, they're still in the 77-78 percent range according to both ESPN and DVOA.

The Lions' comeback win over the Bears and the Vikings' frustrating loss to the Broncos increased Detroit's lead in the NFC North to 2.5 games (8-2 vs. 6-5). The race isn't over — the two teams still have to play twice in Weeks 16 and 18 — but the Lions' projected chance to win the division is in the 87-92 range, per those two sites.

Here's the Vikings' remaining schedule:

  • vs. CHI (3-8)
  • BYE
  • at LV (5-6)
  • at CIN (5-5)
  • vs. DET (8-2)
  • vs. GB (4-6)
  • at DET (8-2)

And here's the Lions':

  • vs. GB (4-6)
  • at NO (5-5)
  • at CHI (3-8)
  • vs. DEN (5-5)
  • at MIN (6-5)
  • at DAL (7-3)
  • vs. MIN (6-5)

The Vikings have a realistic chance to win their next three games and get to 9-5 heading into the first matchup. If they do that and the Lions are 11-3 or worse, the Vikings will control their destiny. It's a longshot, but all Minnesota can do is focus on winning each week and hope the Lions drop a game or two in their next four.

The more likely path to the playoffs for the Vikings is as a wild card team. At 6-5, they're 1.5 games up for the seventh seed on a pack of four teams sitting at 4-6.

Among those four teams, the Vikings have beaten the Packers and Falcons and lost to the Buccaneers. They still have one more game coming up against Green Bay. Both the Packers and Buccaneers have fairly easy remaining schedules, so any additional slip-ups from the Vikings could make things interesting.

All things considered, the Vikings are still in a great spot to secure a wild card berth. But they'd be well-suited to win at least two of their next three against the Bears, Raiders, and Joe Burrow-less Bengals to prevent things from getting tight.

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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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