NFC Playoff Picture--There's Still Hope

After the big win against the Giants, the Vikings have played their way back into the playoff picture. I know, I wrote them off after the Green Bay game as well. And it's not going to be easy, but, more likely than not, the Vikings control their own destiny. I've left the division leaders (DAL, GB, TB, SEA) out of the following table since they are all up by at least two games and have included every team within a game of the final wild card spot (and there are a lot). If two teams are tied in the same division, the first tie breaker is head to head and then division record. Any two way ties of non division teams would be broken by head to head and then by the teams conference record. Ties between three or more teams would be broken by head to head (W-L against other teams), then conference record. If none of those work, well, we'll worry about it if it happens. The tiebreakers are all laid out here if you're interested.

Team	W-L	NFC Record	Division Record	Tie Breakers	NFC Games Left	AFC Games Left
MIN	5-6	3-5	1-3	NYG	DET, CHI, WAS, @SF	DEN
NYG	7-4	5-4	2-2	DET	@ CHI, @ PHI, WAS	@ BUF, NE
DET	6-5	4-5	3-1	CHI	@MIN, DAL, @GB	@ SD, KC
NO	5-6	4-3	2-2	None	TB, @ ATL, ARZ, PHI, @CHI	None
PHI	5-6	3-5	1-3	DET, MIN	SEA, NYG, @DAL, @ NO	BUF
WAS	5-6	3-5	1-3	DET, ARZ	CHI, @NYG, @MIN, DAL	BUF
ARZ	5-6	3-5	2-2	DET	@ SEA, @NO, ATL, STL	CLE
CHI	5-6	2-5	1-3	PHI	NYG, @ WAS, @MIN, GB, NO	None

With games remaining against Detroit, Chicago and Washington, and with the tiebreaker over the Giants, the Vikings could conceivably play themselves into the playoffs. If they are able to win only those three games, that would put them at 8-8, with 6-6 NFC record and 3-3 division record and tiebreakers over the Giants, Washington and Chicago. Only Philadelphia would hold a head to head tiebreaker over them. If they managed to pull out another game, their 9-7 record would almost assure them a spot, especially if their ninth win came against San Francisco. All of their remaining games are winnable, but they have to at least win their three games against the other contenders, starting next week against the Lions.