NFC Standings: Vikings Fall Out of Playoff Picture With Loss to Lions

The Vikings are now in the 8th spot and in danger of being eliminated.

With their 30-24 loss to the Lions on Sunday and the Seahawks' comeback win over the Titans, the Vikings are no longer currently in a playoff spot in the NFC.

At 7-8, the Vikings are on the outside looking in. They're still alive, but they no longer control their own destiny and are at risk of being eliminated next weekend.

Here's what things look like as of Sunday afternoon (several teams in the conference are currently playing or have not yet played in Week 16):

NFC playoff picture / NFL GSIS

The Vikings host the Packers next Sunday night on New Year's Eve before finishing the regular season with a rematch against the Lions in Detroit. Even if they win out, they'll need at least one of the Rams and Seahawks to lose a game, which could set up a potential tiebreaker for one of the final wild card spots. In that situation, the Vikings would have an 8-4 conference record that would serve as a tiebreaker in their favor.

The Rams finish at the Giants and then at the 49ers, who may or may not still have seeding to play for. The Seahawks host the Steelers next week and then finish in Arizona against the Cardinals.

The Vikings are also tied with three other teams at 7-8, though they've beaten all three. Obviously, next week's matchup with the Packers is essentially an elimination game.

If the Vikings lose next week and both the Rams and Seahawks win, they'll be eliminated from playoff contention.

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