The Vikings Have a Huge Opportunity in Front of Them to Move Up the NFC Standings
Josh Frey
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The Minnesota Vikings’ loss to the Denver Broncos in Week 11 stung for a couple reasons.
Not only was it a very winnable game that slipped through their fingers, but it ended their five-game winning streak and took away a chance to move up the NFC standings. With the Seattle Seahawks losing to the Rams on Sunday, Minnesota could have jumped up to the No. 6 seed in the NFC. Instead, they stand pat at No. 7 for another week.
However, the Vikings still have a huge opportunity to move up the standings in the coming weeks. Let’s take a look at how that can happen.
The Vikings Have a Huge Opportunity in Front of Them
Minnesota enters the Thanksgiving weekend half a game behind the Seahawks for that No. 6 seed and two games behind the Dallas Cowboys for the No. 5 spot. The next five weeks will prove pivotal for how these Wild Card spots ultimately finish out.
First and foremost, the Seahawks and 49ers will play twice over the next three weeks, including a matchup on Thanksgiving night. Then, sandwiched in the middle of those two games, the Seahawks will also play those Dallas Cowboys in Week 13, and San Francisco has a road game against the Eagles. Needless to say, it’s going to be a tough three weeks for both teams out west.
Meanwhile, the Vikings are set to take on the Chicago Bears at home before a Week 13 bye and then a road game against the Las Vegas Raiders. As long as the Vikings take care of business in those two games, they have a great chance at holding the No. 6 seed by the time Week 15 rolls around. Either Seattle will have dropped a game by that point, or the 49ers will have lost their lead in the NFC West.
Then, right as the 49ers and Seahawks are wrapping up their tough stretches, the Cowboys get started with their own difficult slate. From Weeks 14-16, they will play the Eagles at home before going on the road for matchups against Buffalo and Miami.
During that stretch, the Vikings will play the Raiders (as mentioned), the Joe Burrow-less Bengals, and a home game against the Lions to make one final push for the NFC North. It’s a tall task, but the No. 5 seed is very much within reach.
This is especially so considering the Cowboys’ wins have come exclusively against current sub-.500 teams. Here is the list of teams they’ve beaten this season:
- New York Giants twice (3-8)
- New York Jets (4-6)
- New England Patriots (2-8)
- Los Angeles Chargers (4-6)
- Los Angeles Rams (4-6)
- Carolina Panthers (1-9)
Perhaps the Cowboys will get their act together and earn a few quality wins to end the season, but we have not seen that happen yet this year.
If we also consider the fact that Minnesota will get Justin Jefferson back at some point (whether it’s Monday against the Bears or Week 14 against the Raiders), the Vikings have a chance to get back on a roll to close the season.
Of course, this is purely speculation at this point. The games still have to be played, but Minnesota has a giant opportunity to move up the NFC standings by the end of the season. They need to take care of business and give themselves an opportunity to do so.
The 2023 NFL Standings Heading into Week 12
Josh Frey is a Class of 2020 graduate of The College of Idaho and managing editor of PurplePTSD.com. When he’s not writing about the NFL, Josh enjoys running, gaming, or rooting for the Milwaukee Brewers and Bucks. Check out his Twitter account: @Freyed_Chicken.