Where the Vikings stand in the NFC playoff picture heading into Week 9

Minnesota has returned from its bye and its extended overseas trip in less than spectacular fashion, losing twice and seeing its replacement starting QB lost for the season. Now, with a difficult test in Detroit on Sunday ahead of them, the Vikings can at least breathe a small sigh of relief that they're not completely out of the playoff race, though it's getting close.

After Thursday night's thumping loss to the Chargers, the Vikings needed the Bears, Cowboys and Panthers all to lose on Sunday for the NFC playoff race to still feel within reach. Well, that happened. The Bears got beat by a Ravens side starting Tyler Huntley at QB, Josh Allen and the Bills stomped the Andy Dalton-led Panthers, and the Broncos trucked the Cowboys.

On top of those losses, the Seahawks, Lions, and Rams were all on bye. So despite the loss to start Week 8, damages were limited for Minnesota in its quest to jump back into the playoff race in an ultra-competitive NFC.

The Vikings sit 12th in the conference with Dallas just half a game up at 3-4-1, though they're tied with Atlanta (3-4) whom they lost to in Week 2. Carolina now sits 4-4, so a win Sunday in Detroit would put the Vikings up to ninth, behind the 4-3 Bears at No. 8 and the 5-3 49ers at No. 7. If the Vikings can pull off the upset, and get their first win over Detroit since 2022, they will suddenly be right back in the thick of the playoff hunt.