Viktor
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- Mar 19, 2019
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EAGAN, Minn. – The Vikings know they’re in the playoffs.
They know they’re the No. 6 seed. But what they don’t know is which team they’ll be facing.
Minnesota could play one of four NFC teams – Seattle, New Orleans, Green Bay or San Francisco – in the Wild Card round and will find out its opponent on Sunday night.
It is most likely that the Vikings will either have a rematch with the Seahawks, whom they lost to in Week 13, or travel south to play the Saints.
The Vikings will go to Seattle if …
The Packers, Saints and Seahawks win
The Packers and Seahawks win and Saints lose
The Vikings will go to New Orleans if …
The Packers and 49ers win
The Packers, 49ers and Saints lose
The Seahawks win and the Packers and Saints lose
The Vikings will go to Green Bay if …
The Packers lose to the Lions and the Saints and 49ers win their games
The Packers lose and the Saints and Seahawks win
The Vikings will go to San Francisco if …
The Packers and Saints win and the 49ers tie the Seahawks
The Saints weathered the loss of Drew Brees during the middle of the season with the help of former Vikings QB Teddy Bridgewater, who led New Orleans on a 5-0 run in the absence of their starting passer. Brees returned in Week 8 and has been on fire since, currently leading the league with an NFL-record 75.3 completion percentage. (For the record, he’s broken his own record more than once).
New Orleans’ defense is dinged up, however, which could play a factor in the postseason.
While the Saints are battered defensively, the Seahawks are significantly injured on offense; they recently added running backs Chris Carson and Rashaad Penny to Injured Reserve. Seattle this week signed Marshawn Lynch, who wasn’t on a roster. Seattle defeated Minnesota 37-30 in Week 13, doing the largest amount of damage on the ground via Carson and Penny, who combined for 176 rushing yards and two touchdowns.
If the Vikings end up going to Green Bay, it will mark the second time in a three-week span and third this season. Minnesota will be looking for its first win against rookie Head Coach Matt LaFleur, who has helped guide the Packers to a 12-3 record heading into their regular-season finale at Detroit.
Packers QB Aaron Rodgers’ numbers have been more pedestrian than usual this season, but Green Bay’s attention to its defense over the offseason has paid off. Packers pass rushers Za’Darius Smith and Preston Smith wreaked plenty of havoc on Minnesota’s offensive line in Week 16.
The least-likely playoff scenario for the Vikings is facing the 49ers, but never say never.
If that ends up happening, the Vikings would travel to San Francisco for the first time since 2015. The 49ers currently boast the No. 2 offense in points scored this season (453) while ranking eighth defensively in points against (289).
49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo is 311-of-454 passing this season for 27 touchdowns and 13 interceptions with a passer rating of 101.0. Tight end George Kittle is leading the team in receiving yards with 967, while Raheem Mostert is the leading rusher with 715 yards on the ground.
Regardless of who the Vikings playoff opponent is, Head Coach Mike Zimmer emphasized the importance of finishing out the regular season strong.
“Our focus is this week,” Zimmer told Twin Cities beat reporters via conference call Thursday. “But we’ve got some guys doing some work on the possibilities – you know, you always do when you’re getting ready to go into the playoffs and you don’t know who you’re playing – you always break down the three or four teams, and you get everything ready for when it happens.
“It’s little bit more difficult when you don’t find out until Sunday night, and then it could be a Saturday game,” Zimmer added of the possibility of a short week. “We’ll just do the best we can.”