Ranking possible Vikings playoff opponents: Best-case, worst-case, likeliest matchup

Sitting at 8-2 following their 23-13 victory over the Tennessee Titans this past Sunday, the Minnesota Vikings are in prime position to reach the NFL Playoffs for the second time in three seasons.

Even with only two losses, however, the Vikings aren't likely to win the NFC North, as the 9-1 Detroit Lions might just be the best team in football right now and seem poised to win the division for the second straight season.

There's no guarantee of that, of course, and the Vikings themselves could potentially put a stop to it in Week 18, but that looks to be where things are headed at this point.

As such, Kevin O'Connell and Co. will need to lock up one of the three wild-card berths on the NFC side of the bracket. And heading into a Week 12 matchup with the Chicago Bears, Minnesota is in good shape in that department.

At the moment, the Vikings sit in the No. 5 slot, a full game ahead of the Green Bay Packers (No. 6 at 7-3), whom they've already beaten but will see again in Week 17.

They're also two games up in the loss column over the Washington Commanders (No. 7 at 7-4) and three full games ahead of the top three teams currently on the outside looking in, those being the Los Angeles Rams (No. 8 at 5-5), Seattle Seahawks (No. 9 at 5-5) and San Francisco 49ers (No. 10 at 5-5).

That's a nice cushion to have with just seven weeks remaining, especially when you've got the sixth-toughest remaining strength of schedule based on win-loss records. Barring a big collapse, the Vikings seem poised to get in. So let's have a look at some different scenarios that could play out.

The best-case NFL playoff scenario for the Vikings

The best-case scenario for the Vikings, of course, would be to win the NFC North and claim the No. 1 seed. And again, that could happen.

While the Lions have beaten both Minnesota and Green Bay, they still have to play each again. They've also got upcoming matchups with the red-hot Buffalo Bills and the San Francisco 49ers. So, you never know.

But for the sake of argument, let's say the Vikings don't win the division. In that case, naturally, Minnesota would want to stay in the No. 5 position, thus pitting them against the lowest-seeded division winner.

At this point, it looks as if that will be either the Atlanta Falcons, who are in complete control of the NFC South, or whoever wins the NFC West. The Arizona Cardinals lead the way now, but the Rams, Seahawks and Niners are all just one game back, and the Cards still have two games with Seattle and one each with LA and San Francisco left. So, that division is clearly up for grabs.

But the Vikings shouldn't want that winner anyway. The best-case scenario for Minnesota would be a date with Kirk Cousins and the Falcons, who they'll see in Week 14 as it is. Atlanta has been very inconsistent this season and is easily the weakest of the four division leaders at this time. Why wouldn't the Vikings want a team like that for an opponent?

The worst-case NFL playoff scenario for the Vikings

The worst-case scenario would obviously be if they missed the postseason altogether. But given their standing, that doesn't seem likely. Even if they go 3-4 down the stretch, 11 wins should still be enough.

Otherwise, the worst thing for Minnesota would be dropping down to the final wild-card position. The No. 6 position wouldn't be terrible, as I like their chances against any of the four teams from the West or the Falcons if they happen to move up.

The No. 7 slot, however, brings a likely matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles, who, when healthy, are undoubtedly one of the top teams in the league.

The Eagles still have to win the NFC East, of course, but it helps that they already have one win over Washington with their second game set for Week 16. While the Birds do have some intriguing games ahead with the Rams, Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers, they also have remaining contests with the Carolina Panthers, Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants.

That said, the Eagles are very much alive in the race for the No. 1 seed with Detroit, trailing the Lions by just one game at 8-2. But whether it's the Lions or the Eagles, the Vikings simply want to avoid the No. 7 spot because neither of those games on the road is appealing.

The likeliest NFL playoff scenario for the Vikings

When all is said and done, the likeliest scenario for the Vikings finds them in the same No. 5 position they're in now.

The advantage they have currently over the Packers is a huge plus, and the fact that Green Bay has one more loss within the conference gives Minnesota an even bigger edge if tiebreakers come into play.

As we've already discussed, the Vikings would likely play the Falcons if they hold the fifth position, which naturally sets up a great storyline with Cousins battling his old team in the postseason. Minnesota still has plenty of work to do over these next seven weeks.

But again, even if they go 3-4 down the stretch, an 11-6 mark should still be good enough to clinch the top wild-card berth.