Jockeying for the Playoffs

[PrplChilPill]

16 minutes ago, Uncle Buck said:

So much Vikings negativity here.  As far as I'm concerned, this Vikings squad is capable of beating any other team in the NFC, even on the road. 

Capable is different than likely......but I agree, they could. I don't think they will win four post season games in a row this year, though. The D just isn't quite good enough this year. And the O is hard to judge, as they've dialed it back in games where they get early leads.....

[Uncle Buck]

 

 

 

1

27 minutes ago, PrplChilPill said:

Capable is different than likely......but I agree, they could. I don't think they will win four post season games in a row this year, though. The D just isn't quite good enough this year. And the O is hard to judge, as they've dialed it back in games where they get early leads.....

That could probably be said every year for any wildcard team.  I just prefer to be of the mindset going in that we have just as good of a chance as any other team in the playoffs.  We only have to play each team once, and we can beat any one of them once.  Might as well go into it feeling good about our chances.  It's just more fun that way.  If the kick in the gut happens and we lose, that's ok.  It's not like I haven't been through that before.  Saving myself from that is just not worth the going around with a negative mindset after what will likely be a 12-4 season.  That's a good year no matter how it ends.

[swede700]

I agree that it'll be a good year no matter what happens.  I think every top NFL team, Vikings included, has a flaw, but I also think the Vikings can be considered as one of the most healthy and has one of the deepest rosters.  So anything could happen.  They could lose in a nail-biter in the first round, or they could be competing against the Bills in Miami.  

Edited December 16, 2019 by swede700

[SteelKing728]

The 49ers can lock us in with a win on Saturday.

We have to take care of business anyway, but at least us fans could celebrate!

[Vikes_Bolts1228]

7 hours ago, vikesfan89 said:

That's a little extreme don't you think

I do not.

 

[vike daddy]

Seahawks (11-3): The Seahawks have clinched a playoff berth. They’ll win the NFC West with a win over the 49ers in Week 17. The Seahawks will be the No. 1 seed with two wins (vs. Cardinals, vs. 49ers) and either one Saints loss or two Packers wins.

Packers (11-3): The Packers have clinched a playoff berth. They’ll win the NFC North with one win (at Vikings, at Lions). The Packers earn a bye with two wins. They can secure the No. 1 seed with one 49ers loss, one Seahawks loss, and two wins.

Saints (11-3): The Saints have won the NFC South. With two wins (at Titans, at Panthers) and one Packers loss plus one 49ers loss or two Seahawks wins, the Saints would secure the No. 1 seed.

49ers (11-3): The 49ers have clinched a playoff berth. With two wins (vs. Rams, at Seahawks), the 49ers would seal the NFC West and the No. 1 seed. If the 49ers lose to the Rams and the Seahawks beat the Cardinals, the 49ers would win the NFC West if they secure the strength of victory tiebreaker, which currently favors the 49ers.

Cowboys (7-7): The Cowboys win the NFC East with a win over the Eagles. If they lose to the Eagles but beat Washington in Week 17 and the Eagles lose to the Giants in Week 17, the Cowboys win the division.

Vikings (10-4): The Vikings need one win (vs. Packers, vs. Bears) or one Rams loss (at 49ers, vs. Cardinals) to secure a playoff berth. The Vikings win the NFC North with two wins and two Green Bay losses. A bye remains possible. 

 

Rams (8-6): The Rams secure a playoff berth if win their last two games (at 49ers, vs. Cardinals) and the Vikings lose twice.

Eagles (7-7): The Eagles win the NFC East with a win over the Cowboys plus a win over the Giants or a Cowboys loss to Washington.

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2019/12/16/the-current-nfc-playoff-picture/

[vike daddy]

The Vikings are in if they beat the Packers, which would also keep the NFC North in play for the final weekend of the regular season. A Rams loss would clinch a Wild Card spot for Minnesota if the Vikings can’t beat their divisional rivals.

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2019/12/17/texans-cowboys-and-vikings-can-clinch-playoff-berths-this-week/

[SemperFeist]

The team will know whether or not they have clinched a playoff spot by Saturday night. 

But the ideal, realistic, way that this picture unfolds is for the Vikings to win their final two games, the Rams to lose to the 49ers on Saturday night, and for the 49ers to lose to Seattle in week 17. 

That would give the Vikings the 5th seed in the playoffs, and a wild card game against Dallas or Philly. 

[vikesfan89]

It's crazy that they could potentially be 12-4 and get the 6th seed

[Krauser]

3 hours ago, vikesfan89 said:

It's crazy that they could potentially be 12-4 and get the 6th seed

The top 5 NFC seeds could all be 12-4. For instance:

Rams > Niners, Seahawks > Cards, Niners > Seahawks --> both SF and SEA 12-4

Vikings > Packers, Packers > Lions, Vikings over Bears --> both GB and MIN 12-4

Saints win one and lose vs TEN and CAR --> NO 12-4

Top 2 seeds in that scenario would be SF and NO. If the NFCW results are reversed (Seattle loses to Arizona but beats SF), it'd be SEA and NO.

GB would be the 3rd seed, MIN the 5th or 6th depending on which NFCW team didn't win the division.

 

[Guest]

At this point,  don't care what the final record is or where we are seeded in the playoffs.  I want a Super Bowl run once the playoffs begin, that ends with Stefon Diggs holding the Lombardi and being announced as the games' MVP!

[vikesfan89]

1 hour ago, Krauser said:

The top 5 NFC seeds could all be 12-4. For instance:

Rams > Niners, Seahawks > Cards, Niners > Seahawks --> both SF and SEA 12-4

Vikings > Packers, Packers > Lions, Vikings over Bears --> both GB and MIN 12-4

Saints win one and lose vs TEN and CAR --> NO 12-4

Top 2 seeds in that scenario would be SF and NO. If the NFCW results are reversed (Seattle loses to Arizona but beats SF), it'd be SEA and NO.

GB would be the 3rd seed, MIN the 5th or 6th depending on which NFCW team didn't win the division.

 

The top 5 records but not the 4th seed

[Krauser]

59 minutes ago, vikesfan89 said:

The top 5 records but not the 4th seed

Yeah good point.

[vikesfan89]

53 minutes ago, Krauser said:

Yeah good point.

This is probably the highlight of my posting career

[vike daddy]

Odds of becoming the NFC #1 seed with two games remaining:

1) San Francisco 49ers: 41.8%

Record: 11-3, currently No. 5 seed.
Week 16 vs. LAR: SF wins in 59.9 percent of simulations.
Week 17 at SEA: SF wins in 54.4 percent of simulations.
Super Bowl chances if No. 1 seed: 24.2 percent.
Super Bowl chances if wild-card team: 15.7 percent.

2) Seattle Seahawks: 36.0%

Record: 11-3, currently No. 1 seed.
Week 16 vs. ARI: SEA wins in 74.7 percent of simulations.
Week 17 vs. SF: SEA wins in 45.5 percent of simulations.
Super Bowl chances if No. 1 seed: 22.3 percent.
Super Bowl chances if wild-card team: 10.5 percent.

3) Green Bay Packers: 11.5%

Record: 11-3, currently No. 2 seed.
Week 16 at MIN: GB wins in 52.4 percent of simulations.
Week 17 at DET: GB wins in 78.2 percent of simulations.
Super Bowl chances if No. 1 seed: 23.0 percent.
Super Bowl chances if wild-card team: 10.4 percent.

4) New Orleans Saints: 9.9%

Record: 11-3, currently No. 3 seed.
Week 16 at TEN: NO wins in 55.7 percent of simulations.
Week 17 at CAR: NO wins in 71.3 percent of simulations.
Super Bowl chances if No. 1 seed: 30.2 percent.
Super Bowl chances if wild-card team: 21.0 percent.

5) Minnesota Vikings: 0.8%

Record: 10-4, currently No. 6 seed.
Week 16 vs. GB: MIN wins in 47.6 percent of simulations. (this is assuming Cook cannot play)
Week 17 vs. CHI: MIN wins in 69.6 percent of simulations.
Super Bowl chances if No. 1 seed: 19.9 percent.
Super Bowl chances if wild-card team: 9.1 percent.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000001089428/article/nfc-playoff-race-49ers-seahawks-strong-no-1-seed-contenders