It’s not impossible for the Vikings to receive a first-round bye, but with the Detroit Lions extremely hot, Minnesota will need some magic to win the NFC North. If the Vikings can’t beat out the Lions, they would likely get a five—or six-seed in the playoffs.
According to the latest playoff predictor, the Vikings would be the fifth seed and get the chance to play a familiar face in the first round on the road. They would have to go to Atlanta to play the fourth-seed Falcons, who obviously have Kirk Cousins as their starting quarterback.
Cousins has had an up-and-down season with Atlanta in his first season away from the Vikings. Cousins was benched this past weekend after the Falcons were down late to the Denver Broncos.
In 2024, Cousins has passed for 2,807 yards and thrown for 17 touchdowns and nine interceptions. For Viking fans, beating Cousins in the first round would be a dream scenario.