The Minnesota Vikings are still sitting on a 6-1 record, but they’re no longer the top team in the NFC playoff picture. After Sunday’s shakeup, the San Francisco 49ers moved into the No. 1 spot, and the difference between the two clubs is coming down to Strength of Victory.
That’s where the 49ers have the edge. After record, head-to-head percentage, NFC record and common games - with common games only counting once a team has four of them - the next step is strength of victory.
San Francisco’s wins have come against the Rams, Dolphins, Cardinals, Broncos, Seahawks and Commanders. Minnesota’s list includes the Packers, Bears, Buccaneers, Dolphins, Saints and Colts.
The 49ers’ opponents have simply been a little better.
That leaves San Francisco at No. 1 and Minnesota at No. 2 in the NFC standings after Week 8.
The rest of the top of the bracket is crowded, too. The New York Giants sit third at 4-2-1, followed by the Carolina Panthers at 3-4.
In the NFC North, the Lions are fifth at 5-2 with a 2-0 mark in the division, while the Bears are also 5-2 but 0-2 in the NFC North. Green Bay is right behind at 5-3, and Seattle checks in at 8th at 4-3.
The middle of the NFC is where things get messy. At 3-5, the Falcons, Buccaneers, Cardinals and Cowboys are all tangled up in tiebreakers, and the order gets sorted by a chain of results.
Tampa Bay gets the first break because the Buccaneers beat Atlanta, which gives them the edge in that one-on-one matchup. From there, Tampa Bay, Arizona and Dallas are grouped together, and the Buccaneers come out on top because they are 3-2 in the NFC while the Cardinals are 2-4.
That puts Tampa Bay at No. 10.
Atlanta then lands in a three-way tiebreaker with Arizona and Dallas. The Falcons are 3-3 in the NFC, better than the Cardinals and Cowboys at 2-4, so they come out as the No. 11 seed.
Arizona and Dallas are left to settle it head-to-head, and the Cardinals beat the Cowboys. That gives Arizona the No. 12 spot and Dallas No. 13.
Below them, the Saints are 14th at 2-5, the Eagles are 15th at 2-5 with a 1-4 NFC record, and Washington is 16th at 1-4-1.
The NFC North standings still show Minnesota on top at 6-1, with Detroit second at 5-2, Chicago third at 5-2, and Green Bay fourth at 5-3.
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OConnell also had injury updates to sort through as Minnesota tries to steady itself in the week ahead, with Christian Darrisaw and Theo Jackson both dealing with issues that could affect the lineup. Amid the noise, Blake Cashman has drawn strong internal praise for the way he has handled leadership and defensive communication, a useful reminder that the Vikings are still looking for stability on both sides of the ball. [Read more 🡒]
Vikings Late-Game Tactic Got Sniffed Out At The Worst Time
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P.J. Fleck Sounds Off After Gophers Let Signature Win Slip Away
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The late stages had all the drama of a breakthrough moment, with the Gophers answering the challenge and forcing the Hoosiers into a tense finish. Fleck also turned his attention to quarterback Drake Lindsey and the bigger picture for Minnesota, making clear the program still has room to grow if it wants to turn near-misses against top-tier competition into the kind of win that sticks. [Read more 🡒]