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Looking at the remaining schedules for teams in the hunt for the playoffs, if the Vikings win out (haha I know right?) they stand a great chance of either winning the wildcard or possibly the division. The reason being, a lot of the teams in the hunt (I excluded teams that have no chance of getting to 10 wins) still have games against each other.

Vikings: 7-6
Colts
@Packers
Bears

Win out and the Vikings will be at 10-6

Lions: 9-4
@Giants L
@Cowboys L
Packers L

The Lions would then finish at 9-7 and nothing past this part matters because the Vikings would win the division.

*Note: Packers aren't included because for this scenario the Vikings would have to beat them in week 16 which then would prevent the Packers from reaching 10 wins.

Cowboys: 11-1
Not even worth posting their remaining schedule (all of their remaining games are against other teams "in the hunt"). I have them finishing at 14-2 and the first seed in the NFC.

Giants: 9-4
Lions W
@Eagles L
@Redskins W

Final: 11-5

Redskins: 7-5-1
Panthers W
@Bears W
Giants L

Redskins end the season at 9-6-1.

The only team from the West that matters are the Seahawks. They're the only one that can get over 10 wins. I have them finishing the season at 12-3-1 and the number two seed.

Falcons: 8-5
49ers W
@Panthers W
Saints W

Falcons win the South with an 11-5 record and secure the number 3 seed.

Bucs: 8-5
@Cowboys L
@Saints L
Panthers W

Bucs finish at 9-7

Under these conditions the playoffs would look like this:
1) Cowboys
2) Seahawks
3) Falcons
4) Vikings
5) Giants
6) Redskins

However, if the Lions manage to pull off one more win and everything else stays the same the playoffs would look like this:
1) Cowboys
2) Seahawks
3) Falcons
4) Lions
5) Giants
6) Vikings

Basically, what I'm saying is there's still a lot of football to play and the Vikings are still in it.

*Edit 1: Updated records after this weeks games. Removed Eagles and Saints, neither of them can reach 10 wins at this point, and under this scenario the Vikings would be at 10. Changed Lions last game against the Packers to a loss so show how Vikings can win division.

*Note 1: As of 4DEC16 there are 5 teams fighting for the 2 wildcard slots (assuming only teams with a chance of getting to 10 wins are fighting). Vikings are on the outside looking in.

*Edit 2: Updated with results from 11DEC16 early games.

*Edit 3: Updated with results from 11DEC16 late games.

*Edit 4: Updated with 11DEC16 night game. Made changes to how final standings would look.

Yeah they are definitely still in it but they have a razor thin margin of error and have to figure out how to put more points on the board. AP could probably help out right about now.

The Packers will win out while the Lions and Vikings finish 8-8.

Iron Lion wrote:The Packers will win out while the Lions and Vikings finish 8-8.

I think going in to week 16 game between GB and Minny will look something like this.

Vikings 8-6

Packers 8-6 or 7-7 (Extra loss would not affect this specific scenario, believe it or not.)

Lions 8- 7


Week 16 between the Packers and Vikings will be with the season on the line, the loser will be taken from playoff contention.

Mean while, if the winner was the Packers, they would go on to have a division showdown with the Lions for the NFCN title. A win for Det would mean the Lions would claim the title on home wins if the Packers had only 6 losses to that point (As the division and conference records would be tied at this point) or if the Packers had a 7th loss (Which could not come to the Vikings, because that would end the GB season.), the Lions would clinch on a superior record. While a Packers win would give them NFCN.

A week 16 Vikings win against the Packers however, would end GBs playoff contention, and the Vikings could then clinch the division in week 17 with either a win against the Bears, OR a Lions loss.

Jordysghost wrote: I think going in to week 16 game between GB and Minny will look something like this.

Vikings 8-6

Packers 8-6 or 7-7 (Extra loss would not affect this specific scenario, believe it or not.)

Lions 8- 7


Week 16 between the Packers and Vikings will be with the season on the line, the loser will be taken from playoff contention.

Mean while, if the winner was the Packers, they would go on to have a division showdown with the Lions for the NFCN title. A win for Det would mean the Lions would claim the title on home wins if the Packers had only 6 losses to that point (As the division and conference records would be tied at this point) or if the Packers had a 7th loss (Which could not come to the Vikings, because that would end the GB season.), the Lions would clinch on a superior record. While a Packers win would give them NFCN.

A week 16 Vikings win against the Packers however, would end GBs playoff contention, and the Vikings could then clinch the division in week 17 with either a win against the Bears, OR a Lions loss.

In your scenario, the next tiebreaker for division champion is common games (home wins are not a thing and I have no idea where you heard that). As we share all but 2 common games, we need only look at the following:

Lions beat Rams
Packers lost to Falcons
Lions at Saints (assumed loss)
Seahawks at Packers (assumed win)

The tiebreaker then goes to strength of victory. I've looked at it, it's close, and the Packers are currently ahead (assuming the Packers start winning, of course). However, if the Texans start losing and the Colts start winning, this tiebreaker will be ours given your presumed win against the Texans and the fact that the Lions beat the Colts, the Lions lost to the Texans, and the Packers lost to the Colts.

Iron Lion wrote: In your scenario, the next tiebreaker for division champion is common games (home wins are not a thing and I have no idea where you heard that). As we share all but 2 common games, we need only look at the following:

Lions beat Rams
Packers lost to Falcons
Lions at Saints (assumed loss)
Seahawks at Packers (assumed win)

The tiebreaker then goes to strength of victory. I've looked at it, it's close, and the Packers are currently ahead (assuming the Packers start winning, of course). However, if the Texans start losing and the Colts start winning, this tiebreaker will be ours given your presumed win against the Texans and the fact that the Lions beat the Colts, the Lions lost to the Texans, and the Packers lost to the Colts.

Not sure why I thought that.

I didnt assume the Squawks as a win, btw, the scenario took into account a possible loss to them.

Jordysghost wrote: Not sure why I thought that.

I didnt assume the Squawks as a win, btw, the scenario took into account a possible loss to them.

In order for us to even discuss a tiebreaker scenario, the Packers must win out except lose in Detroit. If you win that game it's a sweep and there's nothing to discuss. Also I'm not entertaining the possibility of the Bears winning in Detroit. This puts the Lions at 8-7 heading into the game and the Packers need to be at 9-6 for the conversation to be interesting. If they're 8-7 there's no tiebreaker, just winner take all.

Iron Lion wrote: In order for us to even discuss a tiebreaker scenario, the Packers must win out except lose in Detroit. If you win that game it's a sweep and there's nothing to discuss. Also I'm not entertaining the possibility of the Bears winning in Detroit. This puts the Lions at 8-7 heading into the game and the Packers need to be at 9-6 for the conversation to be interesting. If they're 8-7 there's no tiebreaker, just winner take all.

Yea, I am aware of that.

Vikes will finish 8-8 or 7-9. They will lose both road games, SHOULD beat the bears at home, and the Indy game at home is a coin flip.

they are simply not a good football team right now.

I've pretty much figured out the pattern the NFL likes to use. Vikings win their next two, but lose to the packers to knock them out of the division.
The packers win the next three, and Detroit loses to Dallas, and maybe New York, setting up a prime time Green Bay/Detroit showdown for the division. Minnesota will not get a wild card at 9 and 7 since their losses were to NFC teams.

joe h wrote:I've pretty much figured out the pattern the NFL likes to use. Vikings win their next two, but lose to the packers to knock them out of the division.
The packers win the next three, and Detroit loses to Dallas, and maybe New York, setting up a prime time Green Bay/Detroit showdown for the division. Minnesota will not get a wild card at 9 and 7 since their losses were to NFC teams.

Yea, im sure if that happened, it would be because it is the 'Pattern the NFL likes to use'.

Start this scenario over.

Lions beat the Saints easily, now 8-4.

J. Kapp 11 wrote:Start this scenario over.

Lions beat the Saints easily, now 8-4.

Gotta hand it to the Lions. They're getting the job done.

Simplest route for the Vikings in the playoffs is they win out. IF that happens, the Bucs would need to lose two and the Skins one. That is assuming the Lions take the division.

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The #Vikings are effectively three games out of first with four games remaining. pic.twitter.com/XOIMU4sUUG

There's a chance the #Vikings could be eliminated from the NFC North race as soon as next Sunday.