:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71671516/1443627306.0.jpg "NFL playoff picture: What does Patriots-Vikings mean for AFC, NFC playoff standings")
The Thanksgiving slate wraps up Thursday night with an inter-conference showdown between the New England Patriots and Minnesota Vikings at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. The game kicks off at 8:20 p.m. ET and will air on NBC. The Vikings are a 2.5-point favorite at DraftKings Sportsbook.
Patriots playoff picture
The Patriots are 6-4 and tied for third place with the Jets in the AFC East. New England has the tiebreaker edge on New York due to a head-to-head sweep. They are a game back of the Dolphins and Bills in the division.
The Patriots are currently in sixth place in the conference, holding the second wild card spot. Along with the Jets, they're tied with the Bengals but have the conference record tiebreaker. If the Patriots win on Thursday, they'll remain in sixth place due to tiebreakers. If they lose, they could drop to as far as ninth in the conference.
Vikings playoff picture
The Vikings are 8-2 and have a 4.5 game lead on the Lions and Packers in the NFC North following Detroit's loss Thursday afternoon. They are in second place in the NFC, sitting a game back of the Eagles for the No. 1 seed. They're two games up on the third-place 49ers. Win or lose, the Vikings will remain in second place. They lose the head-to-head tiebreaker to the Eagles, so at best they can move into a tie with a win and an Eagles loss. If they lose to the Patriots, they will remain in second place given their two-game lead on the 49ers.