EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. — Another week of games, combined with the Vikings 38-17 win Sunday over the Bears, has further cleared Minnesota's path to the postseason.
The Vikings (9-5) host the New York Giants (6-8) Dec. 27 in their regular season home finale.
Minnesota clinches a playoff spot with:
1)Â Â Â Â Â MIN win or tie OR
2)Â Â Â Â Â ATL loss or tie OR
3)Â Â Â Â Â SEA win or tie
Here's the picture for the rest of the NFC:
CLINCHED: Carolina – NFC South and a first-round bye
                       Arizona – NFC West
                       Green Bay – playoff berth
                       Seattle – playoff berth
CAROLINA PANTHERS (at Atlanta, Sunday)
Carolina clinches home-field advantage throughout NFC playoffs with:
1)Â Â Â Â Â CAR win or tie OR
2)Â Â Â Â Â ARI loss or tie
ARIZONA CARDINALS (vs. Green Bay, Sunday)
Arizona clinches a first-round bye with:
1)Â Â Â Â Â ARI win or tie
GREEN BAY PACKERS (at Arizona, Sunday)
Green Bay clinches NFC North division with:
1)Â Â Â Â Â GB win MIN loss or tie OR
2)Â Â Â Â Â GB tie MIN loss
WASHINGTON REDSKINS (at Philadelphia, Saturday)
Washington clinches NFC East division with:
1)Â Â Â Â Â WAS win OR
2)Â Â Â Â Â WAS tie NYG loss
Following are the scenarios for the AFC:
CLINCHED: New England – AFC East and a first-round bye
                       Cincinnati – playoff berth
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (at New York Jets, Sunday)
New England clinches home-field advantage throughout AFC playoffs with:
1)Â Â Â Â Â NE win OR
2)Â Â Â Â Â NE tie CIN loss or tie
CINCINNATI BENGALS (at Denver, Monday)
Cincinnati clinches AFC North division with:
1)Â Â Â Â Â CIN win or tie OR
2)Â Â Â Â Â PIT loss or tie
Cincinnati clinches a first-round bye with:
1)Â Â Â Â Â CIN win or tie
DENVER BRONCOS (vs. Cincinnati, Monday)
Denver clinches AFC West division with:
1)Â Â Â Â Â DEN win KC loss or tie OR
2)Â Â Â Â Â DEN tie KC loss
Denver clinches a playoff spot with:
1)     DEN win NYJ loss or tie OR
2)Â Â Â Â Â DEN win PIT loss or tie OR
3)Â Â Â Â Â DEN tie NYJ loss OR
4)Â Â Â Â Â DEN tie PIT loss
HOUSTON TEXANS (at Tennessee, Sunday)
Houston clinches AFC South division with:
1)Â Â Â Â Â HOU win HOU clinches strength of victory tiebreaker over IND OR
2)Â Â Â Â Â HOU win IND loss or tie OR
3)Â Â Â Â Â HOU tie IND loss
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (vs. Cleveland, Sunday)
Kansas City clinches a playoff spot with:
1)Â Â Â Â Â KC win NYJ loss OR
2)Â Â Â Â Â KC win PIT loss
PITTSBURGH STEELERS (at Baltimore, Sunday)
Pittsburgh clinches a playoff spot with:
1)Â Â Â Â Â PIT win NYJ loss