Five Week 8 Games That Could Impact the Vikings’ Standing in the NFC
Josh Frey
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Over the past couple weeks, the Minnesota Vikings have vaulted from one of the worst records in the NFC all the way to the No. 7 seed.
They’ve won three of their last four games in order to get back into the mix, and now, they have a matchup against the Green Bay Packers which will inevitably impact where they stand in the NFC.
However, the Vikings have also gotten some crucial help from other teams along the way (including the Buffalo Bills, who defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Thursday). They will need more such help to improve where they sit in the conference after this weekend. Here is a look at five Week 8 games that could impact where the Vikings stand when the dust settles.
Los Angeles Rams at Dallas Cowboys
As long as the Vikings take care of business in Green Bay, there really isn’t a bad outcome for Minnesota in this game. If Dallas wins this game, they pull away from the Rams (who also hold a 3-4 record heading into Sunday), thus increasing their lead for the No. 7 seed.
That being said, if the Rams upset Dallas, the Vikings have an opportunity to move within half a game of the Cowboys. Currently, Dallas holds the No. 6 seed in the NFC. They jumped out to a 3-1 start but have looked vulnerable over the past couple weeks. They were dominated by the San Francisco 49ers in Week 5 and narrowly beat the Chargers in Week 6 before their bye.
Dallas also has both of their games against the Philadelphia Eagles ahead of them on their schedule, including one of them coming in Week 9. The next few weeks are a great opportunity for the Vikings to gain some ground on one of the better teams in the NFC.
New Orleans Saints at Indianapolis Colts
The Saints are another team amongst the 3-4 mess in the NFC. Vikings fans should be hoping for the Colts to take care of business at home, which would allow Minnesota to create some ground between themselves and their NFC counterparts.
If this happens, the Vikings have a massive opportunity in front of them. Two weeks from now, New Orleans will travel to U.S. Bank Stadium, and Minnesota can create a two-game lead on the Saints along with a head-to-head tiebreaker.
Philadelphia Eagles at Washington Commanders
Much like LA/Dallas, there isn’t a truly bad outcome for the Vikings in this game as long as they win in Green Bay. They can pull away from the Commanders, yet another 3-4 team, if the Eagles pull off a road win.
However, if Washington wins, things could get very interesting in the NFC. Let’s get a little crazy on this Sunday morning and take a look at Philly’s next five weeks:
- Week 9 vs. Dallas
- Week 10 Bye
- Week 11 at Kansas City
- Week 12 vs. Buffalo
- Week 13 at Dallas
This is a very difficult stretch of games, folks. Of course, Philly has a very comfortable lead over the Vikings at 6-1 and a head-to-head tiebreaker. That being said, the Vikings schedule gets easier right as the Eagles have their toughest games. Crazier things have happened.
Cleveland Browns at Seattle Seahawks
If the Vikings win on Sunday, and the Seahawks lose, they will pull within half a game of the team who currently holds the top Wild Card seed in the NFC. Throw in a Dallas loss as well, and things become an utter mess in the middle of the conference.
Much like the Eagles, the Seahawks have their toughest football ahead of them. They still have games against Baltimore, San Francisco (twice), Dallas, Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh. Minnesota has a huge opportunity to move up the standings in the next few weeks as long as they take care of business.
Las Vegas Raiders at Detroit Lions
This game will close out the Week 8 slate on Monday night. It’s highly unlikely that Detroit falls at home to a faltering Raiders squad, but hey, we’re looking at all possible outcomes here.
If Las Vegas can somehow pull off a win as 8-point underdogs, and the Vikings win in Green Bay, Minnesota pulls within a game of the NFC North leaders with both matchups against the Lions ahead of them.
Detroit was obliterated by the Ravens last week, so this is a team that hasn’t played their best football in recent weeks. They don’t have a very difficult schedule before their first game against Minnesota on Christmas Eve, but a hiccup or two along the way would vault the Vikings right back into the NFC North discussion.
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.