Dec 8, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson (7) and Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson (18) greet each other after the game at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images.
The Minnesota Vikings defeated the Atlanta Falcons last weekend, thanks to a dominant 4th Quarter that sent Kirk Cousins and his team home dissatisfied.
Kevin O’Connell’s team has an 11-2 record and needs one more win or a Seattle Seahawks loss on Sunday night to reach the playoffs.
For Minnesota to miss the postseason, it would have to finish the season 0-4 and have the Rams win out, which just doesn’t seem too likely. So, these are the Vikings’ likeliest playoff opponents in the Wildcard Round (if one assumes they don’t pass the Detroit Lions and win the NFC North), ranked in ascending order (No. 1 = easiest or best matchup).
The Arizona Cardinals still have a path to win the NFC West, but it’s unlikely, generally speaking, because the Cardinals lost last Sunday.
That puts the Rams (8-6) at the bottom of this list — and tops per opponent difficulty — still alive for the division and hosting a home playoff game.
Los Angeles is a game back of the next team on the list and obviously must catch Seattle to win the NFC West. If it does that and finishes in the No. 5 seed, the Vikings would perhaps be on the menu.
The Rams represent the gravest challenge to Minnesota’s Round 1 hopes because when they’re on, they can beat anyone in the league. The Week 14 Buffalo Bills can tell you all about it.
The Seahawks have defeated the San Francisco 49ers, Arizona Cardinals, New York Jets, and Arizona Cardinals in the last four weeks, dubs that have done wonders for their playoff probability.
If the postseason kicked off today, Seattle, the No. 3 seed through 14 weeks, would host Green Bay.
The Vikings play the Seahawks at Lumen Field in Week 16, a potential playoff preview, which is a trend on this list.
Fans are paranoid about Seattle because the purple team hasn’t won in that city since 2006. Five straight losses.
Although the Falcons have dropped the Buccaneers twice, Tampa Bay is one game up on Atlanta in the win column.
Tampa Bay has climbed around the bad tiebreaker after the Falcons’ recent losses, and if the Buccaneers stay one win head of the Falcons, a Buccaneers-Vikings matchup in January is dripping with inevitably.
This is the Buccaneers’ remaining schedule:
Tampa is a fairly balanced team, and if it’s on its A-game, the Buccaneers actually beat Minnesota.
Pondering the Falcons in the postseason is a bit comical as of Monday, December 9th — they’ve lost four straight, and the quarterback is reeling.
Still, Atlanta has the NFL’s easiest remaining schedule:
If Cousins and Co. find a way to rebound, the NFC South winner will likely host Minnesota on Wildcard Weekend.
Minnesota already defeated Atlanta — somewhat handily after a sweet 4th Quarter showing — and can do it again in January. Book it.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the purple team, with 4-7 episodes per week. His MIN obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL.
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.