What does Vikings-Seahawks mean for NFC standings

The Vikings face the Seahawks in Seattle on Sunday. We break down what the game means for the NFL playoff picture.

The NFC playoff picture is coming into focus as the holiday season approaches, but there is still a chance for some pandemonium for the final one or two spots. In Week 16, the Seattle Seahawks host the Minnesota Vikings in a game that is a must-win for Seattle and a really nice to win for Minnesota. The game kicks off at 4:05 p.m. ET and the Vikings are a field goal favorite at FanDuel Sportsbook.

Vikings playoff picture

The Vikings are 12-2 and sitting in second place in the NFC North. They’ve clinched a playoff berth, but Week 15 results pushed the door wide open for the division title. The Vikings beat the Bears while the Lions lost to the Bills. That moved the Vikings to a tie for first with Week 18 featuring Minnesota traveling to Detroit. The Lions won the first matchup between the two, and if both teams win in Week 16 and 17, that finale would be for the division title.

Notably, that could also be for the No. 1 seed. The Vikings are currently the No. 5 seed, but could finish as high as the No. 1 seed or as low as the No. 6 seed pending remaining results.

Seahawks playoff picture

The Seahawks are in a wild NFC West race. They are 8-6 and tied with the Rams atop the division. The Rams won their Week 9 matchup and the two teams meet again in Week 18. The Seahawks currently sit in eighth place, a game back of the Commanders for the final wild card berth. The wild card is a possible route even with a loss in this game, but the division title is their best opportunity to make the playoffs.

Tiebreaker implications

These two teams aren’t competing for the same playoff spot, so there are no tiebreaker implications between the two of them. However, this game would impact conference record and common game tiebreakers for each of them against their respective competitors.