Sep 24, 2023; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Los Angeles Chargers running back Joshua Kelley (25) is tackled by Minnesota Vikings linebacker Danielle Hunter (99) and assisted by safety Harrison Smith (22) and linebacker Pat Jones II (91)during the fourth quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports. Week 13, the Vikings’ bye week, played out horribly for Minnesota. Aside from a Dallas Cowboys win over the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday Night Football, it could not have gone worse for the Vikings. The Green Bay Packers, Atlanta Falcons, Los Angeles Rams, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Detroit Lions won their respective matchups, and the Vikings would’ve enjoyed all those teams losing. But they did not. In fact, without even playing, the Vikings’ playoff probability, according to the New York Times postseason simulator, fell by 10%. Minnesota entered Sunday with a 51% chance of reaching the playoffs, and by midnight, the math settled at 41%. Ay caramba. 
Nov 12, 2023; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell celebrates with quarterback Joshua Dobbs (15) after a touchdown against the New Orleans Saints in the second quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports. The Vikings have three NFC games remaining and two AFC showdowns. By the numbers, it would be better for Minnesota to win all three NFC games, but toppling the Lions twice seems unlikely. Therefore, no matter how the Vikings get it, a 3-2 record is essentially required to scoot into the playoff tournament. Meanwhile, the Vikings’ most hated foe, the Green Bay Packers, have the same stakes — if that can believed. After Kevin O’Connell’s team downed the Packers at Lambeau Field in Week 8 — the game when Kirk Cousins was lost for the season — Green Bay was doomed, hitting the NFC’s bottom tier with a 2-5 record. 
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison (3) catches a pass against Green Bay Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander (23) during their football game Sunday, October 29, 2023, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. Minnesota defeated Green Bay 24-10. Wm. Glasheen USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin. Green Bay responded by winning four of its next five games and now holds the same record as Minnesota, 6-6. What a world. Here’s the Vikings’ remaining schedule: - Week 14: at Las Vegas Raiders
- Week 15: at Cincinnati Bengals
- Week 16: vs. Detroit Lions
- Week 17: vs. Green Bay Packers
- Week 18: at Detroit Lions
Aug 26, 2023; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson (18) reacts after a game against the Arizona Cardinals at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports. Thankfully for their sake, the team’s best player will return in Week 14. Justin Jefferson missed seven games with a hamstring injury, and the Vikings finished 5-2 during that stretch, an impressive mark, to be sure. Now, Minnesota needs Jefferson to put the squad on its shoulders and win three games in the next five weeks. Otherwise, Minnesota will finish 8-9 or so with the 15th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, or something similar. Minnesota is favored by 2.5 points to take down the Raiders on the road this weekend. Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sal Spice. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.The post Here’s What the Vikings Need to Get in Playoffs appeared first on Vikings Territory. Source: https://vikingsterritory.com/2023/news/ ... -to-get-in
