There’s 1 Thing at Stake for Vikings This Weekend
Dustin Baker
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Unless Justin Jefferson hitting the 2,000-yard mark is of the utmost importance to you, there’s really one thing at stake for the Minnesota Vikings this weekend against the New York Giants.
And that’s playoff positioning. In theory, the Philadelphia Eagles could lose their next three games — let’s be frank; it’s unlikely — enabling the Vikings to grab the NFC’s No. 1 seed. More realistically, though, retaining the NFC’s No. 2 seed is at stake versus the Giants.
Oddly, that’s about it. Thanks to Minnesota’s gargantuan comeback against the Indianapolis Colts last Saturday, plus the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ unforeseen choke job versus the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday, the Vikings can finish no worse than the No. 3 seed. Kevin O’Connell’s group could lose the next three games to the Giants, Packers, and Bears — and still waltz into the postseason as owners of the three-spot.
However, the San Francisco 49ers are lurking in the No. 3 seed at the moment and only need one win, combined with a Vikings loss, to nobble the two-seed. If Minnesota and San Franciso finish with the same record, it’s probably advantage 49ers because of the NFC conference-game tiebreaker.
There’s 1 Thing at Stake for Vikings This Weekend
So, the Vikings have a vested interest — and that may be about it in terms of “reasons to play for” — on Saturday against the Giants. The loss could hand the 49ers the No. 2 seed, with little optimism that San Francisco would fumble it back to Minnesota.
This is the 49ers remaining schedule, a team presumably chomping at the bit for the Vikings to lose just one more time:
- vs. Washington Commanders
- at Las Vegas Raiders
- vs. Arizona Cardinals
Does that docket seem daunting? It shouldn’t. Per Power Ranking Gurus, the 49ers remaining schedule is the sixth-easiest in the NFL, meaning the Vikings must keep winning if they desire the No. 2 seed. Here’s the Vikings agenda:
- vs. New York Giants
- at Green Bay Packers
- at Chicago Bears
If the Vikings finish 2-1 while the 49ers hit 3-0 between now and January 8th, San Franciso wins the No. 2 seed. The only way for Minnesota to guarantee the two-seed is to win out — or hope the 49ers are sitting on a loss or two. With the way San Francisco has played since trading for Christian McCaffrey, losing isn’t its modus operandi.
Keeping hold of the No. 2 seed is vital because it would solidify a second home game in the postseason if Minnesota takes care of business on Wildcard Weekend. Falling to the No. 3 seed opens the door for the Vikings to hit the road during the Divisional Round. And if you’ve monitored Vikings football for the last 40 years, you’ll understand and remember that the franchise is not gangbusters in away playoff games.
Finally, if you don’t care about the No. 2 + No. 3 seed debate and trust the Vikings to win “wherever,” then, yes, pull up a seat and monitor Justin Jefferson’s quest for 2,000 yards. He needs 377 yards during the next three weeks to achieve the unprecedented feat. That’s a 125.6 per contest — a very Jeffersonian statline.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sal Spice. His Viking fandom dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ and The Doors (the band).
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