Just like that, the Minnesota Vikings 2023 season is all but over. Last week’s loss against the Detroit Lions removed all possibility of taking home the NFC North title. This week, with a 33-10 loss to the Green Bay Packers on Sunday Night Football, the Vikings have been all but eliminated from the NFC playoff picture entirely.
Minnesota isn’t mathematically eliminated. There is still a scenario in which they can make the playoffs, but it’s far-fetched. Minnesota would have to win next week against the Lions. They would also need the following to happen.
- Packers to lose against the Chicago Bears
- Seattle Seahawks to lose against the Arizona Cardinals
- Either the Tampa Bay Buccaneers or New Orleans Saints to lose their game.
It’s not impossible, but the loss makes a playoff berth highly improbable. But Minnesota even being in this spot at all was highly improbable, after losing Kirk Cousins for the season and the quarterback carousel that followed.
That carousel played a major role in the Vikings’ ultimate demise, as starting quarterback Jaren Hall was benched for former starter Nick Mullens. The move provided a little bit of a spark, but not nearly enough, as Minnesota got blown out at home against their division rival. Here’s the good, bad and ugly from a disappointing performance on Sunday Night Football.