A look at all of the Minnesota Vikings' potential playoff scenarios

The Vikings will be either the No. 1 or No. 5 seed, but there are three possible wild-card outcomes.

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jalen Nailor (83) celebrates scoring a touchdown with teammates against the Green Bay Packers Sunday, Dec. 29, 2024, at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. / Dan Powers/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The biggest regular-season NFL game in recent memory is just over 24 hours away. 

The Vikings walk into Ford Field in Detroit Sunday night to take on the Detroit Lions in a winner-take-all battle for the NFC North and the top seed in the entire conference. The Lions, who won the first matchup between the division rivals 31-29 back on Oct. 20, are 2.5-point home favorites, according to FanDuel Sportsbook, for the nationally televised showdown.

The game will significantly impact the pathway through the NFC, which only has one remaining playoff spot up for grabs in the season's final week, though the conference could see some shuffling in the seeding based on Sunday's outcomes.

Here's what's left up for grabs and a look at the Vikings potential matchups in the playoffs:

Elsewhere in the NFC

Heading into the final week of games, here's a look at the NFC playoff picture:

1. Lions (14-2)
2. Philadelphia Eagles (13-3)
3. Los Angeles Rams (10-6)
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-7)
5. Vikings (14-2)
6. Washington Commanders (11-5)
7. Green Bay Packers (11-5)

Here's what's locked in: The winner of Vikings-Lions takes the top seed, while the loser will be locked into the No. 5 seed. The Eagles will remain the No. 2 seed regardless of other outcomes. The rest of the seeds could see some shuffling.

There's one other division up for grabs besides the NFC North, and that's the NFC South. The Atlanta Falcons hold a tiebreaker over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, so if Atlanta beats the Carolina Panthers and Tampa Bay loses to the New Orleans Saints, the Falcons would be in as the No. 4 seed. The Bucs clinch with a win or tie against the Saints Sunday.

Tampa Bay could also see itself rise up to the No. 3 seed. The Rams have clinched the NFC West and would be locked into the No. 3 seed with a win or tie against the Seattle Seahawks Sunday, but if they lost to the Seahawks and the Buccaneers beat the Saints, Tampa Bay would usurp Los Angeles for the No. 3 seed due to a tiebreaker for conference record.

To sum it up, the Rams will be either the No. 3 or No. 4 seed; the Bucs could be the No. 3 or No. 4 seed, or miss the playoffs entirely; and the Falcons are in with a win and a Tampa Bay loss. The Commanders hold the tiebreaker over the Packers for conference record, but if the Packers beat the Chicago Bears and they lose to the Dallas Cowboys, they'd flip spots.

Vikings scenarios

Win and get the first-round bye

This one is easy. If the Vikings win, they'll be the top seed and get a first-round bye. The rest of the pieces fall as they may, and they could play any of the Commanders, Packers, Lions, Rams, Buccaneers or Falcons in the divisional round.

1. Vikings
2. Eagles
3. Rams/Buccaneers
4. Rams/Buccaneers/Falcons
5. Lions
6. Commanders/Packers
7. Commanders/Packers

Mayfield-Darnold showdown in Tampa

This appears to be the most likely scenario if the Vikings lose to the Lions on Sunday. It could set up a showdown between two quarterbacks who have turned their careers around in a new home in Sam Darnold and Baker Mayfield.

This outcome happens if the Vikings lose or tie with the Lions; the Rams beat or tie with the Seahawks; and the Buccaneers beat or tie with the Saints; or the Falcons lose to the Panthers. The standings would look like this:

1. Lions
2. Eagles
3. Rams
4. Buccaneers
5. Vikings
6. Commanders/Packers
7. Commanders/Packers

Chance to avenge loss at Rams

If the Vikings lose on Sunday, it'd be just their third loss of the season. One of those losses came on Oct. 24 to the Rams in Los Angeles, and that's where they'd be headed in the first round of the playoffs in this scenario. A chance at revenge.

This outcome happens if the Vikings lose/tie to the Lions, the Rams lose to the Seahawks and the Bucs beat the Saints.

1. Lions
2. Eagles
3. Buccaneers
4. Rams
5. Vikings
6. Commanders/Packers
7. Commanders/Packers

In Atlanta with Kirk on the sidelines

This could've been the most intriguing matchup of the playoffs if Kirk Cousins hadn't been benched for Michael Penix Jr. Still, that storyline would likely come up should the Vikings find themselves in a wild-card matchup in Atlanta.

This outcome happens if the Vikings lose/tie vs. the Lions, the Bucs lose to the Saints and the Falcons beat the Panthers.

1. Lions
2. Eagles
3. Rams
4. Falcons
5. Vikings
6. Commanders/Packers
7. Commanders/Packers