The Vikings had a chance to climb back into first place on Sunday, but the rest of the NFC didn’t hand them any favors.
San Francisco took care of business by shellacking the Raiders and held onto the top spot in the conference, leaving Minnesota to chase from behind. That means the Vikings now need a win on Monday night just to keep pace with the 49ers.
It wasn’t just the NFC West that tightened the screws. The Packers and Lions both won their games, and the Bears added another victory on Sunday night.
That matters in more than one way: it impacts the NFC North race, and it also shapes the entire wild card picture. Right now, four NFC North teams are sitting in playoff position.
Elsewhere, the Seahawks, Rams and Cowboys all won as well, which only turned up the heat on everyone fighting for a spot.
Here’s how the NFC playoff picture looked after Sunday Night Football:
- San Francisco 49ers (7-1)
- Minnesota Vikings (6-1) Monday Night Football
- New York Giants (5-2-1)
- Carolina Panthers (3-5, 1-1 NFCS)
- Chicago Bears (7-2)
- Detroit Lions (6-2)
- Green Bay Packers (6-3)
- Seattle Seahawks (5-4, 2-1 NFCW)
- Los Angeles Rams (5-4, 0-2 NFCW)
- Dallas Cowboys (4-5)
- New Orleans Saints (3-5)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-6, win over ATL, 3-3 NFC)
- Atlanta Falcons (3-6, loss to TB, 3-3 NFC)
- Arizona Cardinals (3-6, 2-5 NFC)
- Washington Commanders (2-5-1)
- Philadelphia Eagles (2-7)
If Minnesota loses, the slide is immediate. The Vikings would drop behind the Bears in the NFC North, land in a tie with the Lions at 6-2, and because of Minnesota’s loss to Detroit, the Lions would move ahead of them too. A defeat would send the Vikings from second in the NFC all the way down to sixth.
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