Here’s the Vikings’ Playoff Math Right Now
Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images.
Each week, VikingsTerritory tracks the Minnesota Vikings’ odds of reaching the postseason, starting with pre-Week 1 all the way to Week 18.
Here’s the Vikings’ Playoff Math Right Now
Various probability sources are tracked and centralized in one spot for reference.
Jeremy Reper-Imagn Images.
This is the Vikings’ probability meter after the Week 10 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Jeremy Reper-Imagn Images.
Last week, DVOA estimated the Vikings playoff odds at 82.4%.
The Detroit Lions were expected to win the division heading into Week 1 until Minnesota showed up for a surprise 5-0 start. Detroit has since reclaimed the NFC North lead and the summer forecasts feel accurate.
If Minnesota wins on Sunday, this percentage will probably climb into the low 90s.
Minnesota still has a chance to catch the Lions but will probably need Detroit to lose a couple of games, setting up Week 18 between the Lions and Vikings as a mighty showdown.
Sportsbooks = 90.0%
Minnesota safety Camryn Bynum (24) catches an interception to effectively end the game during the fourth quarter of an NFL football matchup on Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024, at Everbank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. The Vikings defeated the Jaguars 12-7. © Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images.
When the regular season kicked off, most credible sportsbooks settled around a +250 moneyline for Minnesota to visit the postseason, which translated to 28.7%. That percentage and moneyline improved to 41.6%, though, after Week 1, when Minnesota crushed the New York Giants and hasn’t stopped climbing.
Now, it resides at -900 (90.0%) after a win over the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 10.
Minnesota can drive the percentage higher on Sunday with a win over the Titans, and oddsmakers expect the Vikings to prevail by six.
PlayoffStatus.com = 80.0%
Brad Rempel-Imagn Images.
This site takes a more rudimentary approach to the calculation, not necessarily factoring in predictive performance. But in the interest of fairness and sheer math, PlayoffStatus.com was included for a broader view.
Power Rankings Guru = 91.0%
Morgan Tencza-Imagn Images.
This ranking tool defines itself as follows: “Our NFL playoff probabilities are calculated by averaging predictions from numberFire, ESPN, and Team Rankings. The table above shows the preseason and current playoff probabilities for each team. The change in these two predictions is also shown.”
Minnesota has beaten Tennesee (or the Houston Oilers) in six of their last eight matchups.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the purple team, with 4-7 episodes per week. His MIN obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL.
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
