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News | Minnesota Vikings – vikings.com

A Look at NFC Playoff Picture Entering Week 11

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EAGAN, Minn. — The Vikings enter Week 11 on the heels of a big road win over the Cowboys.

There's still a long way to go, but we've reached the point in the calendar when it is fitting to see how the NFC Playoff Picture is developing.

As of now, Minnesota (7-3) would be the No. 6 seed and visit No. 3 seed New Orleans (7-2) in the Wild Card Round.

Here's a look at the NFC standings, along with the remaining schedules, win percentages of upcoming opponents and a status update.

1. San Francisco (8-1)

11/17 AZ (3-6-1)

11/24 GB (8-2)

12/1 @ BAL (7-2)

12/8 @ NO (7-2)

12/15 ATL (2-7)

12/21 LAR (5-4)

12/29 @ SEA (8-2)

Remaining foes' combined records: 40-25-1

Opponents' win percentage: .614

Status: There's something to be said for playing to win, but a tie after a fourth-quarter comeback against Seattle would have helped the 49ers quest to win the West. San Francisco has the most remaining games against teams with at least seven wins so far (four contests).

2. Green Bay Packers (8-2)

11/17 Bye Week

11/24 @ SF (8-1)

12/1 @ NYG (2-7)

12/8 WAS (1-8)

12/15 CHI (4-5)

12/23 @ MIN (7-3)

12/29 @ DET (3-5-1)

Remaining foes' combined records: 25-29-1

Opponents' win percentage: .464

Status: The Packers are still sitting pretty after a challenge by the Panthers. Based on what Green Bay's remaining opponents have done so far, Minnesota probably can't count on too much outside help in trying to overtake the Packers and claim the NFC North.

3. New Orleans Saints (7-2)

11/17 @ TB (3-6-1)

11/24 CAR (5-4)

12/1 @ ATL (2-7)

12/8 SF (8-1)

12/16 IND (5-4)

12/22 @ TEN (5-5)

12/29 @ CAR (5-4)

Remaining foes' combined records: 33-31-1

Opponents' win percentage: .609

Status: After laying an unexpected egg at home against the Falcons, the Saints slipped from the No. 2 to the No. 3 seed. New Orleans potentially will have several games down the stretch against teams that are fighting for playoff spots.

4. Dallas Cowboys (5-4)

11/17 @ DET (3-5-1)

11/24 @ NE (8-1)

11/28 BUF (6-3)

12/5 @ CHI (4-5)

12/15 LAR (5-4)

12/22 @ PHI (5-4)

12/29 WAS (1-8)

Remaining foes' combined records: 32-30-1

Opponents' win percentage: .516

Status: A Dallas team that's recorded four of its five wins against division foes — and suffered three losses out of division by a combined eight points — has plenty of interesting matchups down the stretch.

5. Seattle Seahawks (8-2)

11/17 Bye Week

11/24 @ PHI (5-4)

12/2 MIN (7-3)

12/8 @ LAR (5-4)

12/15 @ CAR (5-4)

12/22 AZ (3-6-1)

12/29 SF (8-1)

Remaining foes' combined records: 33-22-1

Opponents' win percentage: .598

Status: Seattle has eked out close games, recording victories by 1 point twice as well as wins by 2, 3, 4 and 6. Back-to-back overtime wins has positioned the Seahawks well to make a run at the NFC West title.

6. Minnesota Vikings

11/17 DEN (3-6-1)

11/24 Bye Week

12/2 @ SEA (8-2)

12/8 DET (3-5-1)

12/15 @ LAC (4-6)

12/22 GB (8-2)

12/29 CHI (4-5)

Remaining foes' combined records: 30-26-2

Opponents' win percentage: .534

Status: Minnesota's 1-2 mark in the NFC North (all road games) will make it challenging to catch Green Bay, which is 3-0 in the division. The Vikings have emphasized how the Broncos record does not reflect the quality of the team and are committed to not looking past Denver toward a daunting December.

7. Los Angeles Rams

11/17 CHI (4-5)

11/25 BAL (7-2)

12/1 @ AZ (3-6-1)

12/8 SEA (8-2)

12/15 @ DAL (5-4)

12/21 @SF (8-1)

12/29 AZ (3-6-1)

Remaining foes' combined records: 38-26-2

Opponents' win percentage: .591

Status: The best win by the Rams so far occurred in Week 2 (27-9 against New Orleans). The worst loss was in Week 4 (55-40 at home versus Tampa Bay). Vikings fans should be sure to keep an eye on what happens this week between Los Angeles and Chicago on Sunday Night Football.

8. Philadelphia Eagles (5-4)

11/17 NE (8-1)

11/24 SEA (8-2)

12/1 @ MIA (2-7)

12/9 NYG (2-8)

12/15 @ WAS (1-8)

12/22 DAL (5-4)

12/29 @ NYG (2-8)

Remaining foes' combined records: 28-38

Opponents' win percentage: .424

Status: Don't look now, but once Philadelphia is on the other side of its next two games, it could make a run at the NFC East. The Eagles, however, have four losses to NFC teams (including Minnesota), which could prove pivotal in determining tiebreakers.

9. Carolina Panthers (5-4)

11/17 ATL (2-7)

11/24 @ NO (7-2)

12/1 WAS (1-8)

12/8 @ ATL (2-7)

12/15 SEA (8-2)

12/22 @ IND (5-4)

12/29 NO (7-2)

Remaining foes' combined records: 32-32

Opponents' win percentage: .500

Status: The next two Panthers games pose a bit of a mystery. Will the Falcons be juiced up after their upset of the Saints and play at a similar level? And what about New Orleans the following week? After winning six in a row, the Saints had their bye and never re-established their rhythm.

10. Chicago Bears (4-5)

11/17 @ LAR (5-4)

11/24 NYG (2-8)

11/28 @ DET (3-5-1)

12/5 DAL (5-4)

12/15 @ GB (8-2)

12/22 KC (6-4)

12/29 @ MIN (7-3)

Remaining foes' combined records: 36-30-1

Opponents' win percentage: .545

Status: A team that only lost four games in all of 2018 followed its Week 4 win over Minnesota by losing four straight. Sunday's game against the Lions finally stopped the bleeding. The Bears have five games in a row against NFC teams.

11. Detroit Lions (3-5-1)

11/17 DAL (5-4)

11/24 @ WAS (1-8)

11/28 CHI (4-5)

12/8 @ MIN (7-3)

12/15 TB (3-6)

12/22 @ DEN (3-6)

12/29 GB (8-2)

Remaining foes' combined records: 31-34

Opponents' win percentage: .477

Status: The only team that has defeated Detroit by more than one possession this season is Minnesota, but we all know that moral victories don't count. Morale has been challenged since a 2-0-1 start.

12. Arizona Cardinals (3-6-1)

11/17 @ SF (8-1)

11/24 Bye Week

12/1 LAR (5-4)

12/8 PIT (5-4)

12/15 CLE (3-6)

12/22 @ SEA (8-2)

12/29 @ LAR (5-4)

Remaining foes' combined records: 34-21

Opponents' win percentage: .618

Status: Based only on remaining opponents' win percentage, Arizona has the toughest schedule to go. That's not to mention that the Cardinals are looking up at the 49ers, Seahawks and Rams within the division.

13. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-6)

11/17 NO (7-2)

11/24 @ ATL (2-7)

12/1 @ JAX (4-5)

12/8 IND (5-4)

12/15 @ DET (3-5-1)

12/21 HOU (6-3)

12/29 ATL (2-7)

Remaining foes' combined records: 29-33-1

Opponents' win percentage: .468

Status: The Buccaneers bounced back from a brutal 0-4 showing in the second quarter of their season by notching a 30-27 win against the Cardinals. The depth in the NFC doesn't bode well.

14. Atlanta Falcons (2-7)

11/17 @ CAR (5-4)

11/24 TB (3-6)

11/28 NO (7-2)

12/8 CAR (5-4)

12/15 @ SF (8-1)

12/22 JAX (4-5)

12/29 @ TB (3-6)

Remaining foes' combined records: 35-28

Opponents' win percentage: .556

Status: The Falcons shook up their assistant coaches' responsibilities and the race to be one of the top two seeds in the NFC by dominating the Saints 26-9 and snapping a six-game losing streak that's likely too tough to overcome.

15. New York Giants (2-8)

11/17 Bye Week

11/24 @ CHI (4-5)

12/1 GB (8-2)

12/9 @ PHI (5-4)

12/15 MIA (2-7)

12/22 @ WAS (1-8)

12/29 PHI (5-4)

Remaining foes' combined records: 25-30

Opponents' win percentage: .455

Status: The Giants have endured a bevy of injuries this season and rolled into their bye as losers of six in a row.

16. Washington Redskins (1-8)

11/17 NYJ (2-7)

11/24 DET (3-5-1)

12/1 @ CAR (5-4)

12/8 @ GB (8-2)

12/15 PHI (5-4)

12/22 NYG (2-8)

12/29 @ DAL (5-4)

Remaining foes' combined records: 30-34-1

Opponents' win percentage: .469

Status: Washington could shape the outcome of its own division in its final three games but could be eliminated from the postseason by the end of the month.

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