At 9-2, clinching the NFC North is all but a formality for the Minnesota Vikings. Detroit (4-7), Green Bay (4-7) and Chicago (3-8) are almost out of view. In fact, the Bears cannot win the division and it would take a miracle for the Lions or Packers to catch the Vikings.
Entering Sunday, the Vikings’ magic number is two. Any combination of Vikings wins and Lions/Packers losses equaling two would secure Minnesota’s first division title since 2019 and just their third since 2010.
The Vikings don’t play Sunday since they beat the Patriots on Thanksgiving, nor do the Lions who lost to the Bills on Turkey Day. That leaves fans scoreboard watching the Packers at Philadelphia (9-1) on Sunday night.
On one hand, a Green Bay loss gets the Vikings closer to the division title. But a Packers win would boost Minnesota’s chances of passing the Eagles for home-field advantage and the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs.
Clinching the North, however, is quite simple. If the Vikings reach 10 wins and the Lions and Packers get to 8 losses, the division is Minnesota’s. Or if the Vikings stay at 9 wins and the Packers and Lions reach 9 losses, the division is Minnesota’s.
That can happened as soon as Dec. 4, but only if the Vikings beat the Jets, the Packers lose to the Eagles or Bears, and the Lions lose to Jacksonville. That would put the Vikings at 10-2, the Packers at 4-9 or 5-8 and the Lions at 4-8. That would create a six-game cushion in the loss column with five games to go.
The Packers are eliminated if they lose to Philly on Sunday or the Bears next week and the Vikings beat the Jets. If the Vikings lose to the Jets, the Packers would still be eliminated if they lose to both the Eagles and Bears.
The Lions are eliminated if they lose to the Jaguars next week and the Vikings beat the Jets. If the Lions beat the Jaguars, they would need to beat the Vikings on Dec. 11 to avoid elimination.
The champagne is on ice. It’s just a matter of which week in December the Vikings are popping bottles.
Related: How the Vikings put Dallas behind them to beat the Patriots
Related: Watch: Awkward moment between Belichick, Thielen
