The Minnesota Vikings could have moved back into first place on Sunday with some help. They didn’t get it. The San Francisco 49ers shellacked the Raiders to stay in first place in the NFC. The Vikings will need a Monday night win to keep pace with San Fran.
The rest of the NFC North did the Vikings no favors. The Packers and Lions both won their games. The Bears also won on Sunday night. In addition to the division race, that’s the entire wild card picture, too. The NFC North has four teams in the playoffs
right now.
Outside the current playoff spots, the Seattle Seahawks, Los Angeles Rams, and Dallas Cowboys all won, too. The pressure is on.
NFC playoff picture after ‘Sunday Night Football’
1. San Francisco 49ers (7-1)
2. Minnesota Vikings (6-1) Monday Night Football
3. New York Giants (5-2-1)
4. Carolina Panthers (3-5, 1-1 NFCS)
5. Chicago Bears (7-2)
6. Detroit Lions (6-2)
7. Green Bay Packers (6-3)
8. Seattle Seahawks (5-4, 2-1 NFCW)
9. Los Angeles Rams (5-4, 0-2 NFCW)
10. Dallas Cowboys (4-5)
11. New Orleans Saints (3-5)
12. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-6, win over ATL, 3-3 NFC)
13. Atlanta Falcons (3-6, loss to TB, 3-3 NFC)
14. Arizona Cardinals (3-6, 2-5 NFC)
15. Washington Commanders (2-5-1)
16. Philadelphia Eagles (2-7)
If the Vikings lose, they fall behind the Bears in the NFC North and into a tie with the Lions at 6-2. Minnesota’s loss to the Lions would put Detroit ahead of them, too. Minnesota falls from second in the NFC to sixth with a loss.
