Real possibility Vikings play Lions 3 times in 4 weeks
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When the schedule makers decided to pit the Vikings and Lions against each other in Weeks 16 and 18 of the regular season, they must've known that there was a chance the two NFC North powers could meet again in the first round of the playoffs.
Playing a team three times in four weeks is only possible if division foes are involved. It requires two regular season games within the last three weeks of the season and then a matchup on Wild Card weekend.
If the season ended today, the Lions would be the No. 2 seed and the Vikings would be the No. 7 seed. That right there is a date on wild-card weekend, which takes place Jan. 13-15. This could very well happen...
- Dec. 24: Lions @ Vikings
- Dec. 31: Packers @ Vikings
- Jan. 7: Vikings @ Lions
- Jan. 13-15: Vikings @ Lions
That's gotta be unheard of in NFL history, and if it has happened it certainly hasn't happened many times.
According to ESPN, the Lions have an 88% chance to win the NFC North. But Detroit's chance to clinch the No. 1 seed and the first round bye that goes with it is just 12% compared to the Eagles at 49% and the 49ers at 28%.
What's more is that ESPN's algorithm says the most likely seed for the Lions is No. 3 while the most likely seed for the Vikings is No. 6, which again would pit the two division rivals against each other in the first round.
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In 2012, the Vikings played the Packers in Week 17 and then went to Lambeau Field and got smoked in the first round of the playoffs. That was Adrian Peterson's 2,000-yard rushing season and Minnesota had to start backup QB Joe Webb in the playoff game. But that was two games in a row against the same team, not three in four weeks.
There are a lot of moving parts and injuries could change the fortunes of each team competing for playoff positioning, but if there was ever a season where two teams were destined to meet three times in four weeks, this might be it.