The Eagles Loss Means The Vikings are Now Tied for First Overall in the NFL
K. Joudry
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For quite a while, the Philadelphia Eagles have had sole possession of the league’s top spot. A loss to the Commanders on Monday Night Football means things are a touch more crowded up top. The Vikings are now tied with the Eagles for first overall.
Before getting ahead of ourselves, it’s worth noting that finding oneself in the top spot after Week 10 isn’t the ultimate goal. In fact, it wouldn’t even be accurate to say that finishing the regular season with the best record is the main objective. Rather, finishing the regular season with a strong record is simply a means to an end.
Indeed, the primary goal for the Vikings (and the Eagles) is to snag the Super Bowl. It’s a lofty, unlikely goal. The NFL features 32 teams, creating an ultra-competitive environment. I don’t need to tell Minnesota fans about how difficult it is to get a Lombardi. The team has been around since 1961 and has yet to get to the peak.
A major part of the reason why both the Eagles and Vikings will desire their conference’s top spot is that comes with a bye week. Finishing as the best team means there is an extra week of rest and an automatic ticket to the postseason’s second round. Plus, there is home-field advantage until the Super Bowl.
Minnesota has been playing well, but things won’t be easy. They’ll play the Cowboys next, a team that features a fantastic defense. It’ll be more difficult to slow them down if Christian Darrisaw isn’t available.
They’ll then need to play on Thanksgiving against Bill Belichick’s Patriots. The remaining schedule features games against the Giants, Jets, and the entire NFC North. So, Minnesota can’t just complacently stroll through the rest of their season. Nay, they’ll need to keep their urgency high.
During the current win streak, the Vikings have benefited from their top players doing great things. Justin Jefferson has already surpassed 1000 receiving yards. Kirk Cousins has piled up 5 game-winning drives and he’s playing tremendous football. Za’Darius Smith is up to 9.5 sacks and Danielle Hunter has climbed to 6. Patrick Peterson is a CB1, which he proved in the most recent game with two massive interceptions. There are many others to consider.
The Eagles are a good team, so the Vikings should expect them to bounce back. The good thing, though, is that Minnesota has put itself in the position to compete for the top spot. After 10 weeks, that’s the best-case scenario.
The opportunity is there. It’s up to Minnesota to seize it.
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