With three games remaining in the 2021 NFL season coming into Week 16, the Minnesota Vikings basically controlled their own destiny regarding whether or not they would reach the postseason. While holding onto the seventh and final playoff spot in the NFC, winning out would have resulted in Vikings securing a spot in the playoffs.
Unfortunately for the Vikings, the start of that three-game stretch with a “win out” mindset backfired last in Week 16 in Minneapolis against the Los Angeles Rams, with Los Angeles pulling out a 30-23 victory over Minnesota to drop the purple and gold below .500 at 7-8 overall.
The Vikings currently have a 13 percent chance of reaching the postseason according to FiveThirtyEight following the Week 16 Monday Night Football game. Minnesota will no doubt have to win out over the final two weeks and will need additional help to reach the playoffs. Things are not looking great for the Vikings heading into Week 17, but there is still technically a chance for them to extend their year beyond the regular season.
For Minnesota Vikings To Reach the Playoffs Here Is What Needs to Happen
Win Out
After the Vikings Week 16 loss, winning out is now even more imperative than it was heading into Week 16. If they win out they put themselves in a spot to make the playoffs. But if they lose either one of the two final games, those postseason dreams will officially come to a halt.
Winning out will not be an easy task by any means, however, with Minnesota hitting the road to face the Green Bay Packers in Week 17 on Sunday Night Football and wrapping up the year at home against the Chicago Bears in Week 18. Those are two opponents that are typically tough games annually for the Vikings. With that said, if Minnesota does indeed win their final two games of the regular season they will finish with a record of 9-8. And if that occurs, FiveThirtyEight projects that the Vikings would then have a 65 percent chance of reaching the playoffs, which isn’t bad but still isn’t that great of odds to hold.
That means Minnesota is not only going to have to win out, but it will also need some help from other teams currently in the hunt for the Wild Card positions in the NFC.
Get Some Help
If the Vikings do win out, there are some additional things that will need to take place in order for the Vikings to reach the playoffs.
After Week 16, there are two playoff spots available in the NFC. Currently, the two teams claiming those positions are the San Francisco 49ers (8-7) and the Philadelphia Eagles (8-7). Both of those teams control their own destiny regarding making the playoffs.
Other teams in the hunt still include the Vikings, New Orleans Saints (7-8), Atlanta Falcons (7-8) and Washington Football Team (6-9). For Minnesota, it would obviously need one or both of the 49ers and Eagles to lose one of their final two games to get back even with them record-wise. It also would not hurt to have the Saints and Falcons drop a game or two along the way. Washington is a very long shot of getting back into the postseason picture, so they are not too much of a worry for the Vikings as of now.
[pickup_prop id=”3867″]
Here are the remaining schedules for all of the teams in the hunt for the final two NFC Wild Card positions:
San Francisco 49ers (8-7)
- Week 17 versus Houston Texans
- Week 18 at Rams
Philadelphia Eagles (8-7)
- Week 17 at Washington
- Week 18 vs. Dallas Cowboys
Minnesota Vikings (7-8)
- Week 17 at Packers
- Week 18 versus Bears
New Orleans Saints (7-8)
- Week 17 versus Carolina Panthers
- Week 18 at Falcons
Atlanta Falcons (7-8)
- Week 17 at Buffalo Bills
- Week 18 versus New Orleans Saints
Washington Football Team (6-9)
- Week 17 versus Eagles
- Week 18 at New York Giants
The likelihood of other teams helping out Minnesota over the final two weeks of the regular season is not looking terribly great right now, and the Vikings still ultimately have to win on the road in Green Bay in Week 17 and at home against Chicago in Week 18. The odds are not looking great for Minnesota, but there is still a chance, which is all the Vikings and their fans can hope for at this point.
Main Photo
