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A bit late on this one, but I'm guessing there isn't anything in this post that's going to surprise anyone.
Yes, after another humiliating beatdown at the hands of a division opponent, the Minnesota Vikings are once again on the way down in the Power Rankings across the internet. Yes, they're still alive in the post-season hunt, but I don't think anyone's taking their chances that seriously at this point.
Let's start with the folks at SB Nation, as we usually do. In this assessment, the Vikings drop two spots from #15 to #17.
Why did the Vikings start so hot? Because they didn't have to play the Bears or Packers until late November.
That probably has something to do with it. Doesn't mention that the defense was pretty solid early on and that Adrian Peterson fellow has been lighting things up, but whatever. SB Nation has the Chicago Bears moving up one spot to #7, the Green Bay Packers dropping three spots to #9, and the Detroit Lions holding steady at #19.
Moving right along, let's look at what Eric had to say over at SB Nation Minnesota. (See, Eric, you're getting damn near top billing. Who's the man?) He's moved the Vikings down two spots in his rankings, from #14 to #16.
Chicago is an absolute house of horrors for the Vikes. They've won only once at Soldier Field since 2000. But wait, it gets worse--they travel to Green Bay next week.
It gets. . .worse? Awwww, crap. Eric has the Bears holding steady at #8, the Packers dropping two spots to #9, and the Lions moving down one spot to #20.
Next up, let's take a look at ESPN's Power Rankings. ESPN also moves the Vikings down two spots, meaning that they now reside at the #16 spot in those rankings.
As great as Adrian Peterson is, there just doesn't appear to be much the Vikings' offense can do without Percy Harvin.
Again, the offense looked fine without Harvin against Detroit. . .but the Chicago defense is on a significantly different level, it appears. ESPN has the Bears holding steady at #6, the Packers dropping five spots to #9, and the Lions falling one spot to #20.
We move next to Fox Sports and their NFL power rankings, and see the Vikings dropping again, although this time it's only one spot to #17. Brian Billick appears to have noticed something that most of us said during and after the game, too.
If you have Adrian Peterson in your backfield and you need to gain two yards for a first down with two downs to do it . . . you give it to Adrian Peterson two straight times.
Not really a whole lot to argue in his assessment, is there? Fox has the Bears moving up one spot to #7, the Packers falling four spots to #9, and the Lions holding steady at #19.
On we go to Pete Prisco at CBS Sports. Once again, we're back to what seems to be the requisite two-spot drop in the rankings, with the Vikings falling from #15 to #17 this week. Prisco has a pretty obvious target for his blame.
The fast start is being done in by an inability to throw the ball down the field. Christian Ponder has to do more.
I think pretty much everyone can agree on that. Maybe if Percy Harvin is back this week, we'll see more Harvin and Jarius Wright on the field together and less of, let's say, Jerome Simpson. Prisco moves the Bears up one spot to #7, the Packers dropping five spots to #9, and the Lions dropping a spot to #23.
Over at NFL.com, they push the Vikings down a little further, dropping them three spots from #14 to #17. They're of the impression that the Vikings' playoff hopes are fading rather quickly, too.
At 6-5, the Minnesota Vikings look OK on paper. But the reality is, with Green Bay (twice) and Chicago (again) coming up on the schedule, the playoffs are far-fetched. The back-to-back mulligan performances in Week 8 (loss to the Bucs) and Week 9 (loss to the Seahawks) are the real culprits. Remember that when folks start talking about faint playoff hopes in a week or so.
You win some and you lose some, I guess. The Buccaneers and Seahawks are in the thick of the playoff chase, too. . .there's no real shame in losing to them, I don't think. NFL.com has moved the Bears up one spot to #7, they've dropped the Packers five spots to #9, and dropped the Lions down one spot to #19.
That's what we've got for this week, folks. As always, if you have any rankings you'd like to add, feel free to toss them in down in the comments section.
And, if you need any Minnesota Vikings tickets for any of the upcoming games, home or away, be sure to hit the link there to get what you're looking for.