The Vikings beat the Lions 27-9 on Sunday afternoon but they didn’t get the Eagles loss they needed to clinch a playoff spot.
It means the Vikings still have work to do to clinch a wild-card spot in the final week of the regular season, and they’ll be playing the NFC North champion Bears in the Dec. 30 Week 17 showdown.
What’s more is that the both the Bears and Rams won, meaning neither team can rest easy in Week 17 because they’re competing for the No. 2 seed in the NFC. That means the Bears will be gunning to beat the Vikings next Sunday.
Meanwhile, Philadelphia plays at Washington next Sunday, and Washington has already been eliminated.
Minnesota clinches with a win over the Bears, a loss by the Eagles or a tie by the Eagles.
If Seattle loses to the Chiefs tonight the two wild card spots will be up for grabs between the Vikings, Seahawks and Eagles, but the Seahawks can clinch one of the wild cards with a win over the Chiefs.
We’ll update the playoff scenarios once all of the Week 16 games are final.
Texans nearly beat the Eagles
Philly was leading 29-16 with 10:30 left in the fourth quarter before the Texans rallied with two late touchdowns, including a 35-yard touchdown pass by DeShaun Watson with 2:03 to go to take a 30-29 lead.
Unfortunately for the Vikings, the Eagles drove the length of the field and kicked a 35-yard field goal as time expired to win 32-30.
Vikings-Lions notes
Kirk Cousins finished Sunday’s win over the Lions with 21 completions on 28 pass attempts for 253 yards and three touchdowns, two of them to tight end Kyle Rudolph and another to Stefon Diggs.
Rudolph’s first touchdown catch as a 44-yard Hail Mary as time ran out in the first half.
The defense limited the Lions to 161 passing yards, 86 rushing yards and no touchdowns, allowing just three field goals in the first half.
More to come.
