The Minnesota Vikings are one win away from the division crown and the top seed in the NFC playoffs after their win over the Green Bay Packers in Week 17. Any game between these two teams is huge, but for the purple and gold, this one meant even more.
Despite a late rally by the Packers, the Vikings held on and won 27-25 at U.S. Bank Stadium to set up a Sunday night showdown in Detroit to decide the division, home field in the playoffs, and the best record in the conference.
But, before looking too far ahead at the Lions, let's take a look at five players for Minnesota who made a huge impact in Week 17 against Green Bay and need to be recognized for their efforts in the big border battle.
3 winners (and 2 losers) from the Vikings in Week 17 win over the Packers
Vikings winner No. 1: Sam Darnold, quarterback
When Sam Darnold decided on his target, his passes had a lot of zip on them. His confidence in his receivers led to some great plays but also an interception. His ability to move around the pocket and find open receivers was paramount in this game.
Darnold completed 33 of his 43 passes for 377 yards and three touchdowns with one interception in the game. He was only sacked once on the day, thanks to his mobility and solid blocking from his offensive line.
Vikings loser No. 1: Will Reichard, kicker
It feels wrong putting Will Reichard as a loser, but going two-for-four on field goals and getting a procedure penalty on a kickoff is hard to overlook, especially in a game as close as this one against the Packers was on Sunday.
The first miss came from 57 yards out in the first quarter and hit the crossbar. The second miss was early in the fourth quarter. The 43 yard try doinked off the upright and echoed through TV speakers around the world.
Vikings winner No. 2: Jalen Nailor, wide receiver
To say Jalen Nailor had a career day seems fair. He had moments where he struggled early in the season, but looked like a speedy No. 3 wide receiver option in Sunday's game and made the case of him to earn even more playing time.
Targeted five times in the game, Nailor hauled in all five for 81 yards and a touchdown. He also chased down a Packers player after an interception to slow them down enough to prevent a possible Darnold pick-six.
Vikings loser No. 2: Brandon Powell, wide receiver
For a while, Brandon Powell looked like he would be Minnesota's third option at wide receiver. However, that hasn't been the case and he has been regulated to mostly take part as a return specialist on special teams.
Not targeted in the game, Powell's value comes from special teams. He struggled to haul in a punt and had it hit the turf. Thankfully, he was able to recover it before a Packers player could and the mistake didn't cause much damage.
Vikings winner No. 3: Blake Cashman, linebacker
On a team full of dynamic pass rushers having great seasons, it was Blake Cashman who always seemed to be making plays. The Vikings frustrated Jordan Love all day, and that was evident in his lower-than-normal production.
Cashman led the team with 11 total tackles. He also led the team with 1.5 sacks, Getting fellow interior linebacker Ivan Pace Jr. back seems to open things up for Cashman to do more things for Brian Flores and create good situations for the defense.