It’s official: Minnesota has been locked into the No. 3 spot in the NFC North standings.
The Lions were blown out by the Buccaneers, in addition to the Bears defeating the Jaguars, in Week 16. The Bears are locked into second with their result. Of course, the Packers have already clinched the NFC North.
The news is yet another disappointment in what’s been a tough week for the Vikings. It’s not like Minnesota had much of a chance to make the postseason, but all of its hopes were dashed with a loss to New Orleans. The defeat also puts the Vikings at 6-9, guaranteeing a losing record for 2020 regardless of the Week 17 result.
Next game, Minnesota will go on the road to play Detroit. If the Lions beat the Vikings, both teams will be 6-10 in the 2020 regular season.
At this point, Minnesota is better off losing and getting a better draft position for 2021. A victory essentially does nothing.