What a Week 2 loss could mean for the Vikings playoff hopes

The Minnesota Vikings are trying to avoid an 0-2 start this week.

On Sunday, the Minnesota Vikings will be playing in their first road matchup of the season against the Indianapolis Colts.

Like the Vikings, the Colts lost their Week 1 game and they will be looking to avoid an 0-2 start to the year. Whoever does end up on the losing end of Sunday’s battle, the playoff chances for that team will certainly take a hit.

However, the impact should be a little less for this season as there is now an additional spot in the playoffs in each conference. Even though there is another postseason spot up for grabs this year, both Minnesota and Indianapolis would still like to leave the field with a win this week.

What if the Minnesota Vikings begin the season with an 0-2 record?

Losing the first two games of the season is something the Vikings have never done with Mike Zimmer as their head coach.

The last time Minnesota opened up their schedule with at least two losses was back in 2013 when the team ended up finishing with a 5-10-1 record. This underwhelming performance actually led to the Vikings bringing in Zimmer. So maybe it was a bit of a blessing in disguise?

Starting 0-2 typically isn’t a good sign for a team’s playoff hopes. Since 1990, less than 13 percent of the teams who have begun their year with two losses have gone on to earn a spot in the postseason.

Minnesota has started a season with an 0-2 record nine times since 1970 and their 2008 team was the only group who was able to make it into the playoffs. Oddly enough, the 2008 Vikings started their schedule by facing the Green Bay Packers in Week 1 and the Colts in Week 2, just as they are this season.

Minnesota’s 2008 team not only went on to earn a spot in the postseason, but they also finished first in the NFC North. Unfortunately, the Vikings fell in the first round of that year’s playoffs to the Philadelphia Eagles.

So hope is not entirely lost if Minnesota falls to Indianapolis on Sunday and they begin the year with an 0-2 record, especially with two additional playoff spots up for grabs this season. However, the Vikings’ chances of making it into the playoffs this year would be much better off with a win over the Colts this week and that’s what they’ll be attempting to accomplish.