Minnesota Vikings Power Rankings Roundup, Week 18

Your Minnesota Vikings had a stinker last Sunday, losing 41-17 to the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau.

Jalen Nailor scored his first touchdown of his career, but that was about the only bright spot for fans in this one.

After the Vikings recovered a blocked punt inside the 10 and settled for 3, the Packers scored a 105-yard kickoff return and a 75-yard pick 6, stealing ALL of the momentum and never letting up from there on out. Kirk Cousins threw 3 picks and fumbled the ball away once, passing for his only TD in garbage time.

The Vikings were also pegged down to their 3rd-string center as Austin Schlottmann suffered a fractured fibula and will not return this season. RT Brian O’Neill also went down with a calf injury.

Here are where the Vikings stand in various power rankings from the wider NFL Media after Week 17. Please note that some power rankings have not been released yet, likely due to the Damar Hamlin injury which occurred on Monday Night.

All of us at the Daily Norseman wish a smooth recovery for Hamlin and are grateful he is able to do so after such a scary scene.

ESPN: #8 - Down 1 from #7

Regular season in five words or fewer: Close game or blowout

For the most part, it’s been one or the other every week this season for the Vikings. They’ve won an NFL-record 11 games by one score, including eight via fourth-quarter comebacks. All four of their losses have come by double-digit deficits and an average of 22.3 points. As a result, they’ve been outscored by opponents 414-395. “When we lose,” receiver Justin Jefferson said, “we lose bad. We’ve got to fix that and find ways to be better throughout the whole game.” — Kevin Seifert

NFL.com, Dan Hanzus: (Week 17 #7) No power rankings this week due to the Damar Hamlin injury.

Yahoo Sports, Frank Schwab: #7 - no change

The No. 3 seed isn’t a bad place for the Vikings. If they’re No. 3, they face the sixth-seeded Giants on wild-card weekend. If the Vikings move up to No. 2 they’d get the No. 7 seed, which is probably going to be the Packers. And we saw on Sunday how that matchup turned out.

USA Today, Nate Davis: #10 - Down 3 from #7

Unbelievable that a 12-4 team with a division title in hand has been outscored by 19 points on the season. Minnesota would have to win by 50 Sunday to avoid owning the worst differential by a team with at least 12 victories since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger.

Bleacher Report: (Week 17 #7) No power rankings this week due to the Damar Hamlin injury.

Sporting News, Vinnie Iyler: #8 - Down one from #7

The Vikings have lived on the close game this season and have perished pretty badly in their blowout losses to the Eagles, Cowboys, Lions and Packers. They are looking to be at their coldest for the playoffs.

CBS Sports, Pete Prisco: #8 - Down One from #7

They were terrible in losing to the Packers, which makes the word fraud once again pop up when discussing them. They have a negative point differential, which is bad.

The Ringer, Austin Gale: (Week 17 #7) No power rankings this week due to the Damar Hamlin injury.

Sports Illustrated, Connor Orr: (Week 17 #8) No power rankings this week due to the Damar Hamlin injury.

Pro Football Network, Dalton Miller: #7 - up one from #8

The late, great Dennis Green once said, “they are who we thought they were.” It’s never been more relatable than watching the Vikings play against good NFC teams. Philadelphia, Dallas, and now Green Bay have thoroughly embarrassed the 12-4 Vikings.

Minnesota’s negative point differential tells the story. They’ve feasted on one-score games, using some sort of dark magic to come out on top time after time. But when faced with a true challenge, save for an impressive win against the Buffalo Bills, the Vikings have been playing down to “lesser” opponents before somehow coming from behind to win late.