EAGAN, Minn. — The Vikings overcame multiple key injuries on offense Sunday and mustered a winning drive in the fourth quarter to go along with a dominant donut by their defense.
What the 3-0 victory over the Raiders lacked in the glitz and glamour often featured a couple of blocks away from Allegiant Stadium, it made up for with substance: another tally in the win column.
Emerging from the lowest-scoring indoor game in NFL history was enhanced by the fact that division-leading Detroit lost to Chicago to fall to 9-4.
If the Vikings (7-6) win their final four games (including two against the Lions, of course), they will repeat as NFC North Champions.
But first, Minnesota must do something that's only happened once in franchise history: getting a win at Cincinnati (7-6), where Minnesota is 1-7 all-time and seeking its first win since 1992.
Minnesota's Rich Gannon tossed four touchdowns, and Boomer Esiason threw four interceptions (three snagged by Todd Scott) in that 42-7 victory, which was Vikings Ring of Honor Coach Dennis Green's third win in his fourth game at the helm.
With four weeks to go, only two teams have been eliminated from making the playoffs (New England and Carolina). Twenty-two teams are 6-7 or better, and there are currently 13 teams that are either 7-6 or 6-7.
The Bengals are one of six AFC teams with a 7-6 record, which Bengals.com's Senior Writer Geoff Hobson noted is a record for one conference.
The Vikings received external help over the weekend with the Falcons, Rams, Seahawks and Packers losing to fall to 6-7. The Buccaneers, however, improved to 6-7 by beating the Falcons and moved back into first place in the NFC South. The Saints also are 6-7 but are currently third in the division based on tiebreakers. Tampa Bay is the only NFC South team that has a tiebreaker over Minnesota.
Since the NFL expanded the playoffs in 2020 to include seven teams in each conference, No. 2 seeds will now play on Wild Card Weekend.
Here's a look at the current NFC playoff picture — with conference standings and a status update — as we head into Week 15.
- San Francisco 49ers (10-3)
Remaining Schedule
12/17 @ Cardinals (3-10)
12/25 Ravens (10-3)
12/31 @ Commanders (4-9)
1/7/24 Rams (6-7)
Status: The 49ers became the first NFC team to clinch a playoff berth and have a commanding four-game lead in their division on the Rams and Seahawks. One more victory by San Francisco will secure the NFC West.
- Dallas Cowboys (10-3)
Remaining Schedule
12/17 @ Bills (7-6)
12/24 @ Dolphins (9-4)
12/30 Lions (9-4)
1/7/24 @ Commanders (4-9)
Status: The Cowboys Texas-two-stepped their way past the Eagles for the lead in the NFC East by improving to 4-1 in division games. Philadelphia is 3-1 in such contests. Either Dallas or Philly will have double-digit wins and be a road playoff team in the first round.
- Detroit Lions (9-4)
Remaining Schedule
12/16 Broncos (7-6)
12/24 @ Vikings (7-6)
12/30 @ Cowboys (10-3)
1/7/24 Vikings (7-6)
Status: The Lions remain two games ahead of the Vikings in the NFC North and are hosting a hot Broncos team that has won six of seven Saturday night on NFL Network.
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-7)
Remaining Schedule
12/17 @ Packers (6-7)
12/24 Jaguars (8-5)
12/31 Saints (6-7)
1/7/24 @ Panthers (1-12)
Status: Tampa Bay improved to 3-4 in road games this season by outlasting Atlanta 29-25 and snapping a four-game streak of road losses that began Oct. 26 at Buffalo. The Bucs have a 4-2 vs. 3-3 common games tiebreaker on the Falcons.
- Philadelphia Eagles (10-3)
Remaining Schedule
12/18 @ Seahawks (6-7)
12/25 Giants (5-8)
12/31 Cardinals (3-10)
1/7/24 @ Giants (5-8)
Status: Back-to-back losses against San Francisco (42-19) and at Dallas (33-13) have taken a little steam from the Eagles becoming the NFC's fastest to 10 wins this season.
- Minnesota Vikings (7-6)
Remaining Schedule
12/16 @ Bengals (7-6)
12/24 Lions (9-4)
12/31 Packers (6-7)
1/7/24 @ Lions (9-4)
Status: The Vikings will close out their slate of AFC foes this week before returning to critical division games. Minnesota must slow down a Cincinnati attack that has been rolling on the river with former Viking Jake Browning, whose 79.3 percent completion percentage in his first three starts is the highest by an NFL QB in records kept since 1950.
- Green Bay Packers (6-7)
Remaining Schedule
12/17 Buccaneers (6-7)
12/24 @ Panthers (1-12)
12/31 @ Vikings (7-6)
1/7/24 Bears (5-8)
Status: Green Bay was unable to hang on late Monday night and fell 24-22 at the New York Giants but still has a slight edge in a crowded field.
- Los Angeles Rams (6-7)
Remaining Schedule
12/17 Commanders (4-9)
12/21 Saints (6-7)
12/31 @ Giants (4-9)
1/7/24 @ 49ers (10-3)
Status: Like the Packers, the Rams also had their three-game winning streak snapped in Week 14 on the final play of the game. The Ravens scored on a 76-yard punt return in overtime.
- Seattle Seahawks (6-7)
Remaining Schedule
12/18 Eagles (10-3)
12/24 @ Titans (5-8)
12/31 Steelers (7-6)
1/7/24 @ Cardinals (3-10)
Status: The Seahawks have lost four in a row and five of six since the beginning of November. Seattle is 4-2 at home this season.
- Atlanta Falcons (6-7)
Remaining Schedule
12/17 @ Panthers (1-12)
12/24 Colts (7-6)
12/31 @ Bears (5-8)
1/7/24 @ Saints (6-7)
Status: Atlanta missed its opportunity to win three consecutive games for the first time within a season since the final four contests of 2019. The home loss to Tampa Bay dropped the Falcons from the opportunity to open a narrow lead in the NFC South.
- New Orleans Saints (6-7)
Remaining Schedule
12/17 Giants (5-8)
12/21 @ Rams (6-7)
12/31 @ Buccaneers (6-7)
1/7/24 Falcons (6-7)
Status: A convincing win against the Panthers snapped the Saints three-game losing streak, but New Orleans is going to have to rally past multiple foes.
- New York Giants (5-8)
Remaining Schedule
12/17 @ Saints (6-7)
12/25 @ Eagles (10-3)
12/31 Rams (6-7)
1/7/24 Eagles (10-3)
Status: Tommy DeVito improved to 3-1 as a starting quarterback and has thrown seven touchdowns against one interception in his first four starts. After taking 20 sacks in his first three starts, DeVito was not taken down once by the Packers.
View photos of the Vikings 53-man roster as of Jan. 7, 2024.

3 WR Jordan Addison


78 T Hakeem Adeniji

78 T Hakeem Adeniji

33 LB Brian Asamoah II

33 LB Brian Asamoah II

54 LB Anthony Barr

54 LB Anthony Barr

5 CB Mekhi Blackmon


23 CB Andrew Booth Jr.

23 CB Andrew Booth Jr.

56 C Garrett Bradbury

56 C Garrett Bradbury

64 T Blake Brandel

64 T Blake Brandel

90 DL Jonathan Bullard

90 DL Jonathan Bullard

24 S Camryn Bynum

24 S Camryn Bynum

55 OLB Andre Carter II

55 OLB Andre Carter II

32 RB Ty Chandler

32 RB Ty Chandler

6 S Lewis Cine

6 S Lewis Cine

71 T Christian Darrisaw

71 T Christian Darrisaw

52 DL Sheldon Day

52 DL Sheldon Day

42 LS Andrew DePaola

42 LS Andrew DePaola

15 QB Joshua Dobbs

15 QB Joshua Dobbs

21 CB Akayleb Evans

21 CB Akayleb Evans

16 QB Jaren Hall

16 QB Jaren Hall

30 FB C.J. Ham

30 FB C.J. Ham

58 LB Jordan Hicks

58 LB Jordan Hicks

99 OLB Danielle Hunter

99 OLB Danielle Hunter

67 G Ed Ingram

67 G Ed Ingram

81 WR Lucky Jackson

81 WR Lucky Jackson

25 S Theo Jackson

25 S Theo Jackson

18 Justin Jefferson

18 Justin Jefferson

91 OLB Pat Jones II

91 OLB Pat Jones II

1 K Greg Joseph

1 K Greg Joseph

2 RB Alexander Mattison

2 RB Alexander Mattison

44 S Josh Metellus

44 S Josh Metellus

12 QB Nick Mullens

12 QB Nick Mullens

86 TE Johnny Mundt

86 TE Johnny Mundt

7 CB Byron Murphy Jr.

7 CB Byron Murphy Jr.

34 TE Nick Muse

34 TE Nick Muse

26 RB Kene Nwangwu

26 RB Kene Nwangwu

75 T Brian O'Neill

75 T Brian O'Neill

84 TE Josh Oliver

84 TE Josh Oliver

17 WR K.J. Osborn

17 WR K.J. Osborn

40 LB Ivan Pace Jr.

40 LB Ivan Pace Jr.

97 DL Harrison Phillips

97 DL Harrison Phillips

4 WR Brandon Powell

4 WR Brandon Powell

76 T David Quessenberry

76 T David Quessenberry

62 G/C Chris Reed

62 G/C Chris Reed

G Dalton Risner

66 G Dalton Risner

93 DL Jaquelin Roy

93 DL Jaquelin Roy

65 G/C Austin Schlottmann

65 G/C Austin Schlottmann

22 S Harrison Smith

22 S Harrison Smith

50 DL T.J. Smith

50 DL T.J. Smith

11 CB NaJee Thompson

11 CB Najee Thompson

95 DL Khyiris Tonga

95 DL Khyiris Tonga

59 LB Nick Vigil

59 LB Nick Vigil

20 S Jay Ward


14 P Ryan Wright

14 P Ryan Wright
- Chicago Bears (5-8)
Remaining Schedule
12/17 @ Browns (8-5)
12/24 Cardinals (3-10)
12/31 Falcons (6-7)
1/7/24 @ Packers (6-7)
Status: The Bears didn't make the same mistake and let the Lions off the hook for a second time, avenging a Week 11 loss that occurred after leading 26-14 with 4:15 remaining. Instead, Chicago prevailed at home Sunday 28-13 by holding Detroit scoreless in the second half.
- Washington Commanders (4-9)
Remaining Schedule
12/17 @ Rams (6-7)
12/24 @ Jets (5-8)
12/31 49ers (10-3)
1/7/24 Cowboys (10-3)
Status: The Commanders are returning from a Week 14 bye with a long road trip.
- Arizona Cardinals (3-10)
Remaining Schedule
12/17 49ers (10-3)
12/24 @ Bears (5-8)
12/31 @ Eagles (10-3)
1/7/24 Seahawks (6-7)
Status: In Week 14, the Cardinals joined the Commanders as the final two teams to take their byes in 2023. Now, it's a chance to play a team that's already secured a playoff berth.
- Carolina Panthers (1-12)
Remaining Schedule
12/17 Falcons (6-7)
12/24 Packers (6-7)
12/31 @ Jaguars (8-5)
1/7/24 Buccaneers (6-7)
Status: The Panthers remain the only NFC team that has been mathematically eliminated.