The Vikings have five games left on their regular-season slate in 2021, beginning with Thursday night's home game against the Steelers.
But which one of those games is the most critical for Minnesota?
Bill Barnwell, who covers the NFL for ESPN, recently opined that it's actually the next Vikings home — on Dec. 26 against the Rams — that is of the utmost importance for Minnesota.
Barnwell wrote:
Even if the Vikings do beat the Steelers on Thursday night, they'll essentially need to go 3-1 in their four other remaining games to have a realistic chance of making it to the postseason. With a road game against the Packers at Lambeau [Field] looming alongside a home-and-home with the Bears, they have to either pull off an upset on the road against [Aaron] Rodgers and Green Bay or beat the Rams at home. The latter seems more likely and comes earlier on the schedule.
The Vikings alternate home and away games for the rest of the season, beginning in Week 14 against the Steelers.
Minnesota currently sits at 5-7 and in the No. 9 spot in the NFC playoff picture.
Barnwell recently looked at the seven teams, including Minnesota, who are jockeying for a Wild Card spot over the final month of the season.
Barnwell, who has the Vikings at a 25.4-percent chance to make the playoffs, said the Vikings are in survival mode from here on out.
On a short week, the Vikings now face the Steelers on Thursday night. It's unclear which of the injured starters will be back for that game, although it seems unlikely that the offense will have either [Dalvin] Cook or [Adam] Thielen on the field. Losing and falling to 5-8 would drop the Vikings' playoff chances down to 17 percent, per The Upshot's playoff model and force them to win out. Anything short of a playoff berth could inspire more wholesale changes in Minnesota, with both [Kirk] Cousins and [Mike] Zimmer facing uncertain futures. After losing to the Lions, the Vikings are basically facing a must-win with one hand tied behind their back.
Barnwell's full look at the NFC playoff hopefuls can be found here.
CBS Sports: Vikings offense key to Week 14 win
It's no surprise that much of this week's focus the Vikings has been about the defense, especially with the way Sunday's game ended in Detroit.
But CBS Sports said it's the opposite side of the ball that will need to step up against Pittsburgh.
The website recently listed the key way for the Vikings to get a win, and went with an offense that has shown the potential to be among the league's most-potent units.
View photos of wide receivers Justin Jefferson and K.J. Osborn showcasing the team's Primetime Purple uniforms.







































CBS Sports wrote:
Minnesota has one of the top offenses in the NFL, as the Vikings are ranked seventh and average 384.9 total yards per game. Despite losing to the Detroit Lions in Week 13, Minnesota had 426 total yards of offense. Cousins went 30-of-40 for 340 yards with two passing touchdowns. Running back Alexander Mattison filled in admirably for Cook, who was out with a shoulder injury, and finished with 124 yards from scrimmage.
Wide receiver Justin Jefferson played lights-out and showcased once again why he's among the NFL's top receivers. Jefferson had 11 receptions for 182 yards with a touchdown. Minnesota's offense is filled with dynamic playmakers who can do damage with the football in their hands.
View photos of Vikings players' custom cleats in honor of the NFL's 2021 My Cause My Cleats initiative that allows players to express their commitment to causes that are important to them.

CB Mackensie Alexander
Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity

FB Jake Bargas
Best Foot Forward Foundation

LB Anthony Barr
Raise the Barr Foundation

LB Tuf Borland
Best Buddies

C Garrett Bradbury
M Health Fairview University of Minnesota Masonic Children's Hospital

CB Bashaud Breeland
People Serving People

S Camryn Bynum
Save the Music

G Ezra Cleveland
Pat Tillman Foundation

OL Mason Cole
TUFF

TE Tyler Conklin
Dementia Society of America

LB Ryan Connelly
Breath of Hope Foundation

RB Dalvin Cook
Minnesota Vikings Foundation

QB Kirk Cousins
Boys and Girls Club

CB Cameron Dantzler
A Precious Child

T Christian Darrisaw
Ronald McDonald House

TE Zach Davidson
Big Brothers Big Sister

LS Andrew DePaola
Bo's Effort & Peter J. Golueke Foundation

TE Brandon Dillon
American Diabetes Association

G Dakota Dozier
March of Dimes

LB Troy Dye
The Leela Project

TE Ben Ellefson
Gigi's Playhouse

DE Everson Griffen
American Heart Association

FB C.J. Ham
PANCAN

CB Harrison Hand
Hands on Foundation

T Rashod Hill
The Codie Hill Foundation

G Kyle Hinton
NAMI

DE Danielle Hunter
Boys and Girls Club

WR Trishton Jackson
NAMI

WR Justin Jefferson
NAZ

DE Patrick Jones II
NAMI

LB Eric Kendricks
Golden Charter Academy

LB Blake Lynch
National Coalition Against Domestic Violence

DT James Lynch
Pat Tillman Foundation

QB Sean Mannion
Team Gleason Foundation

RB Alexander Mattison
I Am Gifted

S Josh Metellus
Postpartum Support International

WR Myron Mitchell
Special Olympics

QB Kellen Mond
Boys and Girls Club

CB Parry Nickerson
NAMI

RB Kene Nwangwu
Autistic Self Advocacy Network

T Brian O'Neill
Autism Speaks

WR K.J. Osborn
Boys and Girls Club

DT Michael Pierce
Impact 22

DT Sheldon Richardson
Minnesota Vikings Foundation

RB A.J. Rose Jr.
Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation

S Harrison Smith
Big Brothers Big Sisters

WR Ihmir Smith-Marsette
Coalition for the Homeless

LB Chazz Surratt
Avenues for Youth

WR Adam Thielen
Thielen Foundation

DT Dalvin Tomlinson
American Cancer Society & Kate's Club

DT Armon Watts
The Armon Watts Foundation

WR Dede Westbrook
National Coalition Against Domestic Violence

DE Kenny Willekes
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention

DE D.J. Wonnum
Secondhand Hounds
Minnesota's offense ranks 10th in the league with 25.7 points scored per game. Pittsburgh will counter with a defense that ranks 21st at 23.8 points allowed per game.