How the Minnesota Vikings could clinch a playoff spot in Week 15
MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota Vikings could have a playoff spot secured before they even kick off on Monday night against the Chicago Bears.
The 11-2 Vikings have three paths to clinching a playoff spot in Week 15:
- A Los Angeles Rams loss to the San Francisco 49ers Thursday night (or a tie)
- A Seattle Seahawks loss to the Green Bay Packers on Sunday night (or a tie)
- A win over the Bears on Monday (or a tie)
The Rams are on a two-game win streak and coming off their best offensive performance of the season. Quarterback Matthew Stafford led the Rams to 44 points and 457 total yards against the Buffalo Bills. L.A. also already beat San Francisco once this season, 27-24 in Week 2 at home. But on Thursday, they're on the road, and the 49ers are also riding high off a 38-13 beatdown of the Bears. Both teams are still very much alive in a tight division race in the NFC West.
The Seahawks are currently atop that division race at 8-5, but they'll face a tough test Sunday night against a well-rested Packers team. The Hawks have won four straight and are inching toward a top-10 defense in the waning days of the regular season. The Packers, meanwhile, suffered a last-second loss to the NFC North-leading Detroit Lions on Dec. 5 and will have had 10 days between games when they take the field in Seattle. The Packers haven't lost to a non-division opponent since Week 1.
The Vikings are on a six-game winning streak as they welcome the Bears to U.S. Bank Stadium. One of those wins came against the Bears in Chicago in Week 12. Minnesota is coming off a blockbuster 42-21 win over the Atlanta Falcons and former starting quarterback Kirk Cousins, in which new QB Sam Darnold had a career day, throwing for 347 yards and five touchdowns. The Bears, on the other hand, are reeling. They've lost seven straight and only scored more than 20 points in one of those games — against the Vikings, interestingly enough. Monday's game will be their second since firing head coach Matt Eberflus and replacing him with offensive coordinator Thomas Brown.
If the Vikings end up making the playoffs, it would be their second appearance in three seasons under head coach Kevin O'Connell — one short of previous coach Mike Zimmer's total appearances in eight seasons.
The Vikings and Bears kick off at 7 p.m. Monday.