A certain divisional rival is in with nine wins.
The Minnesota Vikings have a chance to finish with a 9-8 record, which could have led to a playoff berth, but not in 2025. The Green Bay Packers have clinched the seventh playoff spot with a record of 9-6-1. The tie is objectively hilarious because it came against Dallas, who the Vikings rolled, and saved Green Bay a playoff spot somehow. The tie is the reason that Minnesota is on the outside looking in. Otherwise, Week 18 would be for a playoff spot.
Of course, Green Bay is resting its starters as they can't advance their seeding, but the Vikings have to feel a little stung by the circumstances and how a 9-8 record isn't enough to qualify for the playoffs.
The Vikings are building a culture at the moment. The winning momentum can be carried over into next season. If Brian Flores is retained, the defense will be just as imposing for 2026. That may be a tall task given the interest that Flores will have as a head coach, but it isn't impossible.
Kevin O'Connell has to feel good about the way his offense has performed (not the Giants or Lions game) down the stretch and will use much of what he learned to help J.J. McCarthy next season.
It has to be frustrating to see the Green Bay Packers qualify for the playoffs with their dip in play (injuries are a factor) and the advancement of the Vikings down the stretch. This is a results-driven business, but nine (see the correlation?) wins have to be viewed as a small miracle, with where the offense was early in the season and how many winnable games the Vikings kicked away.
Culture is very important. The same teams pick very high in the NFL Draft every season and they continue to pick there? Why is that? The NFL is a player-driven league, but culture and coaching is the way organizations get turned around and have continued success.
So, yes, a victory sets the Vikings further back in the draft, but it will still be a good pick. Bringing a young, impactful player into a winning culture is more important. Cleveland, the Giants and Jets, Las Vegas, and multiple teams are in the top ten and sometimes top one or two in the draft. What changes for them? Nothing.
Bad teams stay bad, good teams fight to change things around. Good teams retain buy-in through a tough year.