The Vikings’ Late Surge Might Be Worth the Cost

Things couldn't have looked more bleak for the Minnesota Vikings when December began. They were 4-8, having lost four straight games. The offense was a mess, managing 307 total yards and six points in back-to-back losses to the Green Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks.

It wouldn't be official for two more weeks, but Minnesota's playoff hopes were dead. There was little room for optimism, as J.J. McCarthy was dealing with yet another injury, this one a concussion suffered against the Packers. That kept him out of the Seattle game, where Max Brosmer promptly threw four picks.

But the Vikings haven't lost since. They've ripped off four wins in a row, partially due to facing two inferior opponents (the Commanders and Giants) but also because of their ability to shut down high-flying offenses like Dallas and Detroit on Christmas Day.

Hopes of losing out to secure a top-10 pick in the draft are out the window. At 8-8, the Vikings would currently pick 17th. That's the second-lowest draft slot for non-playoff teams.

Their victory over the Lions on Thursday potentially altered Minnesota's future in other ways, too. They swept the season series with Detroit, meaning that if they finish with the same record, the Vikings' victory over the Lions on Thursday could have significant implications for Minnesota's future.

Finishing last in the division would pit Minnesota against 4th-place teams from the NFC East (the Giants), the NFC West (the Cardinals), and the AFC South (the Titans) in 2026.

However, a 3rd-place finish would put the Vikings in a position to face the Commanders, the Colts, and whichever team finishes 3rd in the NFC West, which could be the Rams, Seahawks, or 49ers.

Currently, Minnesota's 2025 strength of schedule is .515. Only three of the 14 teams presently slated for the playoffs have faced a more challenging schedule this season. It may not come as a surprise that the Bears, who faced a 4th-place schedule this year and have the weakest strength of schedule in the NFC North (.446), are atop the division entering Week 17.

What's maybe most impressive about the Vikings' win streak is that it's coming at a time when it would have been easy for the team to give up on a lost season. The passing game ranks 31st in the league and managed only 3 net passing yards against the Lions on Thursday.

Yet the defense is playing like the postseason is on the line. They haven't turned on the inept offense, going six straight games without allowing a passing touchdown before Thursday when Jared Goff hit Isaac TeSlaa for Detroit's lone touchdown.

Somehow, as bad as everything has been this season, the Vikings will, at worst, have eight wins. Even a loss to the Packers would leave them at 8-9, within striking distance of the playoffs had even adequate quarterback play been present in losses to the Falcons in Week 2 or the Bears in Week 11.

That will have Kevin O'Connell looking himself hard in the mirror this offseason. As frustrating as it's been to see the offense look this bad, the team is still competitive despite atrocious quarterback play. The team will bring in competition for McCarthy this offseason, forcing improvement at quarterback.

O'Connell learned this year that, as great as he has been with Kirk Cousins, Josh Dobbs, Nick Mullens, and Sam Darnold, he alone is not capable of producing a competent quarterback. Availability and a baseline processing of NFL defenses are required.

Sometimes, it takes a humbling experience to change how one approaches any obstacle in life. O'Connell has done a lot of winning in his four years in Minnesota, but none of that has extended beyond the regular season.

That won't change this year as the Vikings will be watching the playoffs from home, but it could force a different philosophical approach to the 2026 season and beyond. Sometimes, it takes one step backward to take two steps forward.

And if the cost of realizing that is giving up draft position and a more manageable schedule, then perhaps this winning streak is worth it.