Viktor
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- Mar 19, 2019
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There is still work to be done, but the Vikings have put themselves in prime position for a playoff spot heading into the bye week.
Minnesota currently resides in second place in the NFC North with an 8-3 record, and the Vikings would be a Wild Card team if the season ended today.
ESPN writer Bill Barnwell recently took a deep dive into the NFC playoff picture, which he called a “beautifully muddled mess” because of how many strong teams are bunched together.
But the Vikings are clearly in the discussion, as ESPN has their playoff chances at 92.9 percent.
Barnwell wrote that while Minnesota’s come-from-behind win over Denver was crucial for their playoff odds, he noted that the Vikings will need to see some improvement from their pass defense if they want to be able to make a deep playoff run.
Barnwell wrote:
They rank 30th in QBR allowed on deep passes at a staggering 97.0, with only the Raiders and Bengals worse.
This isn't a hallmark of the [Mike] Zimmer defense. In 2018, the Vikings were eighth in QBR allowed against deep passes. Xavier Rhodes & Co. were 13th in 2017 and first in 2016. Minnesota has cornerbacks with a track record of at least some success. Those corners have been a disaster this season, and if Harrison Smith's hamstring injury costs him time, things are only going to get worse.
It's good to see the Vikings win a game in which Dalvin Cook was bottled up, given that the star halfback finished with only 26 rushing yards on 11 carries. It basically locks them into a playoff berth, either via the Wild Card or by winning the North.
After the bye, though, they travel to Seattle to face a quarterback who has been torching defenses downfield in Wilson. They might get to face Lions quarterback Jeff Driskel in lieu of Matthew Stafford in Week 14, but the following week the Vikings will see Philip Rivers, who throws downfield as often as any quarterback in football, before a critical rematch with the Packers. Zimmer has to hope that the week of rest does something to heal his struggling corners for the run-in and the playoffs that follow.
If the season ended today, the Vikings would play at the Saints (8-2), who have the highest playoff percentage at the moment at 99.1 percent.
The 49ers (9-1), who have a playoff percentage of 95.8, would be the No. 1 seed and have a first-round bye.
Green Bay (95.5 playoff percentage) would be the No. 2 seed, while Dallas (71 percent) would be the No. 4 seed. Seattle (84.2 percent) would be the first Wild Card team ahead of the Vikings.
Barnwell also mentioned the Rams (18.5 percent) Eagles (41 percent) as potential playoff teams in the NFC.
The Vikings can rest up this week and watch plenty of marquee games across the conference.
Seattle plays at Philadelphia, New Orleans hosts Carolina and Dallas is at New England in Week 12. San Francisco hosts Green Bay on Sunday Night Football.