Inside The Vikings

The Vikings' Playoff Odds Keep Climbing and Climbing

A month after being 1-4, the Vikings are in a great position to reach the postseason.
Will Ragatz|
The Vikings' Playoff Odds Keep Climbing and Climbing
The Vikings' Playoff Odds Keep Climbing and Climbing

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Minnesota Vikings

Roughly a month ago, the Vikings were 1-4. Now, despite starting a different quarterback in each of their past three games, they're riding the longest active winning streak in the NFL and in a great position to reach the postseason for the second year in a row.

"The sky was never falling to those guys in that locker room," Kevin O'Connell said after the Vikings' win over the Saints on Sunday. "I can remember vividly, standing in front of them the Monday after we (started) 0-3, and I can remember the message was I felt all of us together working forward to accomplish something special was one of the greatest opportunities we would have, professionally."

At 6-4, the Vikings are 1.5 games clear of the Buccaneers in the race for the seventh seed in the NFC. They're also right behind the Seahawks and Cowboys, who are fifth and sixth, and only 1.5 games behind the Lions in the NFC North — with both of those matchups still to come.

With each win during this streak, the Vikings' playoff odds continue to grow and grow. ESPN's Football Power Index gives them an 85.7 percent chance to make the postseason. DVOA is slightly lower, at 77.9 percent. PFF has the Vikings at around 87 percent, which would jump to 93 or so with a win over the Broncos on Sunday.

At this point, it would take a somewhat serious collapse for the Vikings not to make it. They've got a head coach who deserves serious coach of the year consideration, a quarterback in Josh Dobbs playing at a very high level, and a Brian Flores-led defense that has been phenomenal. Justin Jefferson's eventual return will only add to the star power that's all over this roster.

Also working in the Vikings' favor is that FPI ranks their remaining strength of schedule as the league's 26th-toughest. Their next three games are against the 4-5 Broncos, the 3-7 Bears, and the 5-5 Raiders. There's also a home game against the 3-6 Packers mixed in with tough matchups against the 5-4 Bengals and 7-2 Lions (twice).

If the Vikings keep doing what they've been doing and take things one game at a time, they'll have a shot to not only make the playoffs, but wind up with a decent seed.

"I'm of the belief that we can continue to go out and write our own story," O'Connell said. "And we're holding the pen. There's a lot of challenges out in front of us. We gotta laser our focus like we've done each opportunity, each day, each meeting, each walkthrough, each practice. And when you do it the way these guys have, and you've got the leadership we do, my expectation is things will continue to b, what we've been."

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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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