The Vikings have had a rough, injury-riddled 2023 NFL season to drop from 13-4 NFC North champions in 2022 to 7-9 ahead of the '23 finale. Minnesota still has a slim chance, however, of returning to the playoffs as a sub-.500 team.
Here's breaking down what needs to happen for the Vikings to qualify for the NFC tournament:
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Vikings playoff picture 2024
The Vikings are the No. 10 team in the NFC. They are looking up at the No. 9 Saints, No. 8 Seahawks, and No. 7 Packers, all one game ahead in the standings at 8-8. Minnesota has a less than five percent chance of making the playoffs in its current position.
How the Vikings can clinch an NFC wild-card berth in Week 18
Here are the only two ways the Vikings can get into the playoffs. They need a similar series of events to play out, starting with taking care of their own business.
1. The Vikings beat the Lions, the Packers lose, the Seahawks lose, and the Buccaneers lose
In this scenario, the Vikings, Packers, Seahawks, and Buccaneers all end up at 8-9. That four-way tie favors the Vikings to get the No. 7 seed with either the Saints or Falcons winning the NFC South.
Minnesota would finish with a 7-5 conference record, while Green Bay, Seattle, and Tampa Bay would all be 6-6, giving Minnesota the clear tiebreaker.
2. The Vikings beat the Lions, the Packers lose, the Seahawks lose, and the Saints lose
Everything is the same here, except the Buccaneers win the NFC South and the Saints join the Vikings, Packers, and Seahawks at 8-9. The Saints would hold a 5-7 conference record, so once again, the Vikings take that tiebreaker and sneak into the playoffs as the last wild-card.
