The playoff push continues for the Minnesota Vikings as we go into Week 13, as they’ll head on the road for the first of two straight games against NFC South opponents that would be in the playoffs if the regular season ended today. First up will be the 7-4 Atlanta Falcons, who the Vikings will visit at the brand new Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Atlanta has shaken off the Super Bowl hangover, and after this week’s contest will play their final four games against NFC South opponents. At 7-4, they sit one game behind both the New Orleans Saints and the Carolina Panthers in the divisional standings, and they’ll face the Saints in both Week 14 and Week 16 before finishing the season against the Panthers (who the Vikings play next week) at home in Week 17.
For the Vikings, this is the middle game of a three-game road trip. The Vikings’ last game saw them all but wrap up the NFC North with a 30-23 win over the Detroit Lions. That win put them three games ahead of the Lions and four games ahead of the Green Bay Packers with five games left in the season. Minnesota would be the #2 seed in the NFC playoffs if the season ended today, but they’ll be truly tested in these next two weeks before finishing up the season with two of their last three at U.S. Bank Stadium.
For entertainment purposes only, the “sharps” have made the Falcons a three-point favorite. Since home field is generally worth three points in the betting world, it appears that those folks see this as a pretty even matchup. It should be a good one, and hopefully one the Vikings will come out on top in.