The Minnesota Vikings are making it look like a long shot that it will win the NFC North. The NFL betting experts are pretty shocked that the Chicago Bears has managed to get its record to 7-1 and it is equally impressive that the Green Bay Packers has been able to bounce back and move its record up to 6-3. The Vikings started the season at the top of the NFC North, but things have gone steadily south over the past couple of weeks. As the season pushes past the halfway point, Minnesota fans are left to wonder if the team can make the playoffs.

The sportsbook experts have to assume that, as the gap widens between the Bears and the Vikings, that making the playoffs as a division winner is out of the question for the Minnesota Vikings. If the season ended today, the Vikings would finish seventh in the NFC and just miss the playoffs. At this point, all the Vikings can do is try to get back on the winning path and win as many conference games as possible. But with the way that the NFC teams are improving, the Vikings are in danger of getting left behind.

If quarterback Christian Ponder can go back to protecting the ball the way he did earlier in the season, then the Vikings have a shot at winning critical games that will put the team into the playoffs. But if the Vikings’ offense cannot find a way to get back on track, then this season will not see Minnesota with a post-season playoff berth.