The Minnesota Vikings still have a chance to make the playoffs this season but there are a number of teams that stand in the way of that possibility.
2021 has been an up and down season for the Minnesota Vikings. At times, they look like they are a playoff-caliber team while they can seem like an inept squad at other teams, making them a tough team to evaluate.
Following their victory over the Chicago Bears in Week 15, the Vikings have a 7-7 record with three games left to play this season. Getting back to .500 is a good accomplishment, but Minnesota now has to focus on getting to the postseason.
At the moment, there are several teams fighting for a playoff spot in the highly-competitive NFC. Sadly, the Packers have already locked down the NFC North, leaving the Vikings hoping for a Wild Card spot.
But which teams stand in the way of Minnesota earning a playoff spot this season? And which squads should fans be watching closely during the final three weeks of the NFL season? Here are five teams that could cause Minnesota to be at home during this year’s playoffs.
Minnesota Vikings (7-7)
Final three opponents:
- vs. Rams
- at Packers
- vs. Bears
The Minnesota Vikings have won their last two games, but neither looked like decisive wins. Their victories over the Steelers and Bears left a lot to be desired and the final three weeks of the season will present some huge challenges to Mike Zimmer and company.
Sunday will bring the Los Angeles Rams to U.S. Bank Stadium in what could be one of the toughest games of the season. Then, they will have to head to Lambeau Field for a matchup against the Green Bay Packers. Finally, they close things out at home against the Bears.
That road is hard enough, but the Vikings look like a team that is still trying to put a complete game together. They continually play in tight football games that come down to the final play and end in a dramatic fashion.
A loss to the Rams, Packers, or Bears will make a playoff berth unlikely, but not impossible. Losses to the Lions, Browns, and other teams earlier this season put the Minnesota Vikings in a position that makes these last three games so important.
Philadelphia Eagles (7-7) – 8th seed
Final three opponents:
- vs. Giants
- at Football Team
- vs. Cowboys
The Eagles got a big win over Washington on Tuesday night and made them the number eight seed in the NFC for the moment. Although the Minnesota Vikings own the tiebreaker over them for now, the road to the playoffs for Philly is full of NFC East foes.
Both the Giants and Football Team are struggling to stay healthy right now and the Eagles could take full advantage of that to sneak into the playoffs. New York has shut down Daniel Jones for the year and the Football Team was forced to play a freshly-signed QB for Tuesday, so things aren’t looking great for those two teams to beat Philly going forward.
If the Vikings lose even one of their final three games, they will have to hope that the Eagles fail to beat the Cowboys in the season finale. Considering Minnesota will need to upset either the Packers or Rams to win
It would be a shame for a second NFC East team to claim the seventh and final playoff spot, but right now the Eagles are the biggest threat considering their current standing and schedule to finish out the season.
New Orleans Saints (7-7) – 9th seed
Final three opponents:
- vs. Dolphins
- vs. Panthers
- at Falcons
The Saints are in a situation similar to the Eagles where the remainder of their schedule isn’t brutal. Their final three games are all against teams with .500 records or less, putting them in a good position to win at least two of their last three.
Starting quarterback Taysom Hill is playing through an injury to his finger but fans wouldn’t know that by watching him throw the football recently. He has been able to beat teams with his legs or his arms, and that threat makes them a challenge on offense.
Two of their last three games are at home with the season finale being in a dome in Atlanta. Weather won’t be a factor in their games and the team should be able to gameplan for their two division foes as usual.
The Saints’ defense is heating up and is coming off a total dismantling of the Buccaneers. If they can keep that momentum going, they could be a favorite to take the seventh and final playoff spot in the NFC.
Washington Football Team (6-8) – 10th seed
Final three opponents:
- at Cowboys
- vs. Eagles
- at Giants
It would be surprising to see the Football Team make a playoff run considering their injuries, but their schedule of familiar divisional opponents leaves the door open for an opportunity for Washington to surprise people.
With their best defender on injured reserve and their quarterback room dealing with COVID-19 issues among other issues facing this team, they would really need to buckle down and play great football to end the season.
Normally, having two away games to end the season would be bad, but that turf in Washington leaves a lot to be desired, and honestly playing games at any other stadium isn’t too much of a detriment to the Football Team.
At the moment, Washington shouldn’t be a top concern for the team to claim the final playoff spot in the NFC. However, stranger things have happened in the NFL and they will be a team to keep an eye on going forward.
Atlanta Falcons (6-8) – 11th seed
Final three opponents:
- vs. Lions
- at Bills
- vs. Saints
Earlier this season, the Falcons looked like a team that wouldn’t be in the hunt at all. Their top receiver stepped away from football to deal with mental health issues and Matt Ryan was showing his age as a passer.
On the other hand, Kyle Putts has been emerging as the player Atlanta was hoping he’d be when they picked the pass-catching tight end with the number four overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft and Russell Gage has been picking up some slack for them lately.
Their six wins this season aren’t against strong competition. They’ve beaten the Giants, Jets, Dolphins, Saints, Jaguars, and Panthers. None of those teams are over .500 on the season and the win over New Orleans came with Trevor Siemian as their starting QB.
It may be time to keep an eye on the Falcons, but fans of the Minnesota Vikings shouldn’t worry too much about them just yet since they are a full game behind and have yet to show they are poised to make a true playoff run.
Other than the Minnesota Vikings themselves, which NFL team stands in the way the most of the purple and gold making the playoffs? Let’s hear your thoughts on a potential postseason berth in the comments section!