NFL playoff picture: What does Vikings-Packers mean for NFC playoff standings

The Minnesota Vikings have already clinched the NFC North, but their Week 17 road game against the Green Bay Packers should still bring plenty of drama. The Vikings are still pushing for the No. 1 seed while the Packers are just about at must-win territory if they want to have a shot at wild card berth. The game kicks off at 4:25 p.m. ET and the Packers are a field goal favorite at DraftKings Sportsbook.

Vikings playoff picture

Minnesota is 12-3 and sits a game behind the Eagles for the best record in the NFC and a game ahead of the 11-4 49ers for the No. 3 seed. Minnesota can clinch no worse than the No. 2 seed with a win and a 49ers loss. They lost the head-to-head game against the Eagles so they need to finish a full game up on them. So, they're rooting for the Saints to beat the Eagles and the Raiders to beat the 49ers.

Packers playoff picture

Green Bay is 7-8 and sitting in tenth place in the NFC standings. The 7-8 Lions have the head-to-head tiebreaker over them, and the 7-8 Seahawks have the head-to-head tiebreaker over Detroit. The Commanders currently hold the last wild card berth with a 7-7-1 record.

If the Packers lose, they would be eliminated from playoff contention by either a Lions win or a Commanders win. They'll be rooting for the Bears to beat the Lions, the Jets to beat the Seahawks, and the Browns to beat the Commanders. The Giants are in sixth place at 8-6-1 and so the Packers are rooting for them to lose to the Colts this week.

Tiebreaker implications

The only possible tiebreaker implication would be conference record for seeding against the 49ers.

  
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