The Vikings are among a crowded pack of Wild Card hopefuls in the NFC Playoff picture.
While the Vikings were off on Sunday, the NFC wild card race tightened around them. With the Rams’ victory over the Browns and the Packers’ big (and somewhat contentious) primetime win over the Chiefs, there are now four 6-6 teams vying for two playoff spots. The Saints, who were defeated by the Lions, and the Buccaneers are also 5-7.
The NFC standings after Week 13 are updated below;
![](https://www.si.com/.image/c_limit%2Ccs_srgb%2Cq_auto:good%2Cw_700/MjAyNjY1MjI0ODU4MjQ4MjA0/screen-shot-2023-12-04-at-123307-am.png)
All things considered, the Vikings had a bad day on Sunday. The Rams and Packers won, and despite the Saints’ loss, the Lions now have a three-game lead in the NFC North. The Buccaneers, who have a head-to-head victory over the Vikings, overcame a scare against the Panthers to stay in the hunt. Minnesota’s playoff odds were around 58 percent heading into the weekend, a figure that will almost certainly fall.
Still, for the Vikings, the only thing that matters is controlling what they can control and winning as many football games as possible in the next five weeks.