Vikings clinch playoffs spot: Here's who they could face

Minnesota will be playing in the postseason for the 32nd time.

Dec 8, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold (14) celebrates running back Aaron Jones' (33) touchdown run with head coach Kevin O'Connell during the fourth quarter against the Atlanta Falcons at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images / Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

The Vikings are officially playoff-bound. After the results of Sunday's games, Minnesota clinched its spot in the postseason for the 32nd time in franchise history and now it's a race for the No. 1 overall seed.

The Minnesota Vikings have officially clinched a playoff spot for the 32nd time in 64 seasons as a franchise. It's been a formality for a couple weeks, but it's now official.

Just a remarkable year from Kevin O'Connell's team, considering preseason expectations.

— Will Ragatz (@WillRagatz) December 16, 2024

Head coach Kevin O'Connell was hired by the franchise before the 2022 season and this is his second postseason appearence in three years. Given the circumstances of a new free-agent quarterback and a new-look defense, the Vikings have shattered outsiders' low preseason expectations.

The Vikings were not playing Sunday, but some dominos fell around them. Notably, the Lions' loss to the Bills opened the door for Minnesota to control its own destiny in the NFC North. After the Seahawks' loss to the Packers, the Vikings' spot in the playoffs was cemented.

The final three weeks of the season will be a seeding battle between the Vikings, Lions and technically the Packers. If the Vikings beat Chicago on Monday Night Football, they will have the same 12-2 record as Detroit and both will have a two-game lead on the Packers.

With two massive divisional games looming against Green Bay and Detroit in Weeks 17 and 18, the Vikings will earn the No. 1 seed and the NFC North divisional crown if they win out and finish 15-2.

Potential playoff matchups

If the Vikings wind up with the fifth seed and the top wild-card spot, they will match up with the worst divisional winner, which will come from either the NFC West or NFC South. As of today that would be the Rams. Los Angeles and Seattle are tied for first in that division with a one-game lead on Arizona.

The Buccaneers have the same 8-6 record as the Rams and a 1.5-game lead on the Falcons in the NFC South, so they're still firmly in the discussion to be the worst divisional winner. Ultimately, those five teams all have a strong chance to be the Vikings' first-round opponent if Minnesota is seeded fifth.