NFL playoff race: Vikings host Packers in potential NFC postseason preview

Game of the week

Green Bay Packers (11-4) v Minnesota Vikings (13-2)

The scheduling gods have flexed their muscles and pushed another potential warm-up for the postseason into the choice late-afternoon slot. We have a late festive feast in Green Bay heading to Minnesota, in favor of a damp squib between Philadelphia and Dallas, for what could turn out to be the NFC Championship Game. The Packers are fresh from locking their playoff place with a thrashing of the Saints while the Vikings are gunning for an incredible ninth win in succession. Unfortunately for Matt LaFleur’s team they cannot reach any higher than third in the NFC North as the Lions also sit on 13-2, but this presents a perfect chance to practice playing on the road against a high-caliber rival. Minnesota meanwhile are neck and neck with Detroit for the No 1 seed and will be aiming for a crucial victory – ane that could set up a shoot-out for the first-round bye next week against the Lions.

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What the Packers need to do to win: Green Bay’s offensive line has to win in the trenches to keep Josh Jacobs rumbling. After a slow start to the season, the running back has grown into a key pillar of the attack with 12 touchdowns in his past 10 games. But it will need to come from the big men dominating as Jacobs alone will not be able to overcome a Vikings defense that has given up only seven rushing touchdowns all season – the fewest in the NFL – and the second-fewest total yards at 1,306. Fortunately his linemen should be pumped up to keep lanes open after Jacobs, fourth in the NFL in total rushing yards with 1,216, gave them all custom diamond chains for Christmas. One good turn deserves another.

What the Vikings need to do to win: Brian Flores’ pass rush has to pressure Jordan Love. The Packers have struggled against the best the league has to offer, with their only defeats against the Eagles, Vikings and Lions home and away. And they will need a vintage display from their quarterback to avoid getting swept away by Minnesota’s mean defense. The Vikings, who have the fifth-most sacks in the NFL with 44, have the pass rush to force the second-year quarterback into costly mistakes. Andrew Van Ginkel won the NFC’s best defensive player award last week as he sacked Geno Smith twice. Under defensive coordinator Flores, Minnesota are one of the most aggressive units in football. The defense leads the league in blitzing at 36.1%, is fifth in quarterback hits with 99 and third in hurry percentage at 9.3%. If the Vikings can knock Love off his spot with regularity then his opposite number, Sam Darnold, should have enough chances to run up the score with the NFL’s second-best receiver in Justin Jefferson to destroy the Packers secondary.

Rising: Jayden Daniels

Washington’s season reached a new high in toppling the injury hit Philadelphia Eagles last week. The young quarterback’s Commanders were down two scores with five minutes to play as he dragged them from 27-14 down to a thrilling 36-33 victory. Daniels managed to overcome a sloppy defensive performance and five turnovers, two of which were interceptions as part of his own struggles in the first half. The result of such a mammoth effort will be a strengthening of belief from Dan Quinn and the Commanders at large that this team, if they clean up the mental errors, can keep beating the odds and make a mark in the playoffs.

The NFC East title can still be claimed if Philadelphia lose out and Washington win out, while one more win for the Commanders seals their place in the postseason regardless. As it stands they would have a pulse-racing series decider against the Eagles in the first round, a match they would surely fancy their chances in after Daniels’ heroics, but not before the defense faces a serious test against the Atlanta Falcons. Quarterback Michael Penix Jr will be set on following up his impressive debut with another strong showing, so it is up to Washington’s head coach to inspire his men against the rookie. No team will want to face Washington if Quinn can get the team playing like they did in the final five against the Eagles for the entire game on Sunday.

Falling: Pittsburgh Steelers

The idea that the Pittsburgh offense might be revived by George Pickens returning from injury can officially be canned. The Steelers needed a fast start against Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs but instead slammed into reverse on the opening three drives. A porous offensive line put Russell Wilson under constant pressure as he refused to throw away the ball, leading to two drive-ending sacks. Then to add insult to injury, when 13-0 down, Wilson threw a horrible pick with the Steelers in the red zone. You cannot make such basic errors, as the team and more specifically Wilson has done in each of their three successive defeats, and expect to recover no matter the production from Mike Tomlin’s stellar defense. The Ravens now only have to knock over the limp Cleveland Browns to win the AFC North. A sixth playoff game in succession without a win beckons on the road, unless Tomlin gives Justin Fields another chance at quarterback.

Race for No 1 draft pick

The 2-13 New York Giants have streaked into a solo share for 2025’s top draft pick with two games remaining against the Indianapolis Colts and Eagles. The former still have a slim shot at the playoffs and the latter, even without Jalen Hurts and any rested starters, should still cruise, so it feels safe to say the bumbling Giants have a franchise-resetting quarterback incoming for next season.

Elsewhere the runners and riders for the second overall pick are New England, Tennessee, Cleveland, Jacksonville and Las Vegas, but who will stay in the race for second-bottom? One definitely rises as Tennessee and Jacksonville face off, then the Raiders might be quietly confident of earning a first win in succession since Christmas Day last year against the bereft New Orleans Saints. Cleveland should live to lose another day as they face a Miami team still with a faint chance of making the postseason, while the Los Angeles Chargers will be hungry to build some momentum for the playoffs with a dominant win over the New England Patriots.