Former Vikings tight end gives Minnesota a boost toward the playoffs

A third of their Week 16 playoff-clinching scenario was fulfilled on Saturday for the Minnesota Vikings after the Washington Redskins lost to the Tennessee Titans.

As much as the second half of the 2018 season has been a little more on the underwhelming side of the spectrum for the Minnesota Vikings, they actually have a chance to clinch a spot in the playoffs with a win on Sunday over the Detroit Lions.

But a victory over the Lions is not all the Vikings need this week to clinch a spot in the postseason. Minnesota’s spot in this year’s playoffs would be secured with a win in Detroit plus losses by the Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Redskins.

Well, part one of this scenario for the Vikings was fulfilled on Saturday as the Redskins came up short in their matchup against the Tennessee Titans.

Washington had control of the game for the majority of the day, but a two-yard touchdown catch by former Minnesota tight end MyCole Pruitt gave the Titans a three-point lead late in the fourth quarter and Tennessee was eventually able to leave the field with a 25-16 victory.

Pruitt, a fifth-round pick by the Vikings in the 2015 NFL Draft, finished with two receptions for 29 yards during the Titans’ win over the Redskins on Saturday.

Thanks to some help from their former tight end, Minnesota now only needs a win over the Lions and the Eagles to lose the 10-4 Houston Texans to clinch their a spot in this season’s playoffs.

Both matchups are scheduled to kickoff at 12 p.m. CT on Sunday, so the Vikings should find out if they’ll be playing extra football this year by the end of their game in Detroit.