The playoff pendulum could swing big for the Vikings on Sunday

Nothing else really matters if the Vikings don't beat the Bears on Sunday. If Minnesota does leave U.S. Bank Stadium with a victory, they could find themselves right back in the thick of the NFC North race if a couple of other things go their way.

What does the perfect Sunday for the Vikings look like? It's a simple, three-step recipe:

1. Beat the Bears
2. Giants upset the Packers
3. Lions lose on Sunday night to the Eagles

The Eagles are a juggernaut, so it's a very realistic possibility that Detroit falls to 6-4 with a loss in Philadelphia. If Minnesota takes care of business against Chicago, the Bears will also be 6-4, while the Vikings will be 5-5. That leaves the Packers, who have lost two in a row and are 5-3-1 entering today's game against the Giants.

The good news? The Giants are at home, and Jameis Winston is starting at quarterback. Winston is the definition of boom or bust in the NFL, but he's more than capable of breathing life into a two-win Giants team that has lost four in a row.

Green Bay's offense is a mess, so as long as the Giants play defense and can find a way to keep it close against a really good Packers defense, there's a chance for the G-Men to win. Remember, the Giants, albeit without as many injuries, found ways to upset the Chargers and Eagles earlier this season.

If everything goes the way Minnesota hopes, the NFC North standings entering Week 12 would look like this:

1. Lions: 6-4 (1-2 in the division)
2. Bears: 6-4 (0-3)
3. Packers 5-4-1 (1-0)
4. Vikings: 5-5 (3-0)

On the flip side, the worst-case scenario would see the Vikings enter Week 12 like this:

1. Lions: 7-3 (1-2 in the division)
2. Bears: 7-3 (1-2)
3. Packers 6-3-1 (1-0)
4. Vikings: 4-6 (2-1)

The difference is massive, as the pendulum could swing the Vikings from one game back for the division lead to three games behind two teams.

Meanwhile, eyes will be on games involving the 49ers (6-4) and Panthers (5-5) on Sunday, too. Both teams are just ahead of the Vikings in the wild-card race. The 49ers play at Arizona at 3 p.m., while the Panthers are in Atlanta at noon.

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