How the Vikings failed to clinch the NFC North title in Week 18
The Vikings were tied with the Lions atop the NFC North. We break down how they failed to clinch the division title and top seed for the 2025 NFL Playoffs in Week 18.
Game result: The Vikings came up short against the Lions in the regular season finale on Sunday, losing out on the top seed in the NFC over the 31-9 loss. Minnesota had an opportunity to win the NFC North and secure a first-round bye as well as home-field advantage in the postseason, but those spoils will go to the Lions.
Instead, the Vikings drop to the fifth seed and will have to travel in the wild card round. They’re set to face the Los Angeles Rams, winners of the NFC West, on Monday, Jan. 13. The Lions will wait and face the lowest-remaining seed in the divisional round.
The Minnesota Vikings boast the second-best record in the NFL, but they’re still fighting for playoff seeding going into the final weekend of the regular season. They’re set to face the rival Detroit Lions, also at 14-2 on the year, in the final game of Week 18 to determine the top seed and winner of the NFC North.
That game is set for Sunday evening at 8:20 p.m. ET, the final Sunday Night Football game of the season, in Detroit. The Lions took the first meeting between the two teams earlier in the year in Minnesota. The Lions are 2.5-point favorites for the game, per FanDuel Sportsbook.
Minnesota Vikings NFC North clinching scenarios
It’s a real simple situation for the Vikings: they’re tied with the Lions and their earlier meeting doesn’t factor into the equation because the winner of this game will be a game clear of their rival. The Vikings would be 15-2 with a win, locking down home-field advantage and the top seed in the postseason as the winners of the NFC North.
That would also give the Vikings a bye week, while the Lions would fall to the fifth seed. That means the loser would be on the road in the wild card round, traveling to face the No. 4 seed, which could be the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Atlanta Falcons, or Los Angeles Rams. The winner would face the lowest remaining seed in the divisional round.
Vikings clinch NFC North, a first-round bye, and home-field advantage with:
- Minnesota win
Vikings eliminated from NFC North contention, clinching fifth seed with:
- Minnesota loss
NFC standings entering Week 18
1. x-Detroit Lions (14-2, win over MIN)
2. y-Philadelphia Eagles (13-3)
3. y-Los Angeles Rams (10-6)
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-7)
5. x-Minnesota Vikings (14-2, loss to DET)
6. x-Washington Commanders (11-5, 8-3 NFC)
7. x-Green Bay Packers (11-5, 6-5 NFC)
8. Seattle Seahawks (9-7) — eliminated
9. Atlanta Falcons (8-8)
10. Dallas Cowboys (7-9, 5-6 NFC) — eliminated
11. Arizona Cardinals (7-9, 3-8 NFC) — eliminated
12. San Francisco 49ers (6-9, win over DAL) — eliminated
13. New Orleans Saints (5-11) — eliminated
14. Chicago Bears (4-11, win over CAR) — eliminated
15. Carolina Panthers (4-12, loss to CHI) — eliminated
16. New York Giants (3-13) — eliminated
Teams with an asterisk (*) have been eliminated from divisional contention
Teams with an (x) have clinched a playoff spot
Teams with a (y) have clinched their division
Teams with a (z) have clinched the one seed, home-field advantage, and a first-round bye