Craig Peters

EAGAN, Minn.The Vikings (4-7) fell for the fifth time in six games, again losing the turnover battle (minus-3) at the Packers in Week 12.

A muffed punt swayed a contest that was competitive in the first half (10-6) into an imbalanced tilt.

Minnesota ranks last in the NFL this season with 21 giveaways and is just one better than the New York Jets in turnover margin at minus-12.

There's limited room for errors the rest of the way for a squad that's had a "razor-thin" margin of overcoming prevalent mistakes, and it's likely Minnesota would need a good bit of help, even if it can correct its own ship.

Here's a look at the current NFC playoff picture with conference standings and a status update as we head into Week 13.

Current Division Leaders

1. Los Angeles Rams (9-2)

Remaining Schedule

11/30 @ Panthers (6-6)

12/7 @ Cardinals (3-8)

12/14 Lions (7-4)

12/18 @ Seahawks (8-3)

12/29 @ Falcons (4-7)

Week 18 Cardinals (3-8)

Status:The Rams have won six consecutive games for the first time since claiming the first eight contests of 2018. L.A. finished 13-3 and made it to Super Bowl LIII that season. Matthew Stafford became the fourth player and sixth occurrence of a QB throwing at least 30 touchdowns and fewer than five interceptions through his team's first 11 games, joining Tom Brady (2007), Aaron Rodgers (2011, 2014 and 2020) and Patrick Mahomes (2020). Stafford has tossed 27 touchdowns since his previous interception, tying the NFL record set by Brady from Week 7 of 2010 to Week 1 of 2011.

2. Philadelphia Eagles (8-3)

Remaining Schedule

11/28 Bears (8-3)

12/8 @ Chargers (7-4)

12/14 Raiders (2-9)

12/20 @ Commanders (3-8)

12/28 @ Bills (7-4)

Week 18 Commanders (3-8)

Status:The Eagles were gliding along and appeared poised to protect their No. 1 seed but slipped to No. 2 after blowing a lead of at least 21 for the fourth time in franchise history. Philly was flagged 14 times at Dallas, their most since also having 14 penalties against Atlanta in Week 1 of 2021. The Eagles are now 5-1 in Kelly Green jerseys since reintroducing the look in 2023.

3. Chicago Bears (8-3)

Remaining Schedule

11/28 @ Eagles (8-3)

12/7 @ Packers (7-3-1)

12/14 Browns (3-8)

12/20 Packers (7-3-1)

12/28 @ 49ers (8-4)

Week 18 Lions (7-4)

Status:Chicago improved to 6-1 in one-score games this season after topping the Steelers (without Aaron Rodgers) 31-28. Caleb Williams carded his seventh victory of the season with a completion percentage below 60. Baltimore's Lamar Jackson and Denver's Bo Nix are tied for second this season with three wins each in such games.

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-5)

Remaining Schedule

11/30 Cardinals (3-8)

12/7 Saints (2-9)

12/11 Falcons (4-7)

12/21 @ Panthers (6-6)

12/28 @ Dolphins (4-7)

Week 18 Panthers (6-6)

Status:The bad news for the Bucs is they lost their third consecutive game after Baker Mayfield and Teddy Bridgewater combined to go 17-of-34 passing for 103 yards and a passer rating of 41.7. The good news for Tampa Bay is that it still leads the NFC South and has full control of its destiny within the division.

Current Wild Card Teams

5. Seattle Seahawks (8-3)

Remaining Schedule

11/30 Vikings (4-7)

12/7 @ Falcons (4-7)

12/14 Colts (8-3)

12/18 Rams (9-2)

Week 17 @ Panthers (6-6)

Week 18 @ 49ers (8-4)

Status:After a brief hiccup from Weeks 10-11 in which he threw one TD and five INTs, Sam Darnold tossed two scores without a pick at Nashville. Jaxon Smith-Njigba caught both (63 and 13 yards) and broke Steve Largent's Seattle record of 10 games in one season with 75-plus receiving yards.

6. Green Bay Packers (7-3-1)

Remaining Schedule

11/27 @ Lions (7-4)

12/7 Bears (8-3)

12/14 @ Broncos (9-2)

12/20 @ Bears (8-3)

Week 17 Ravens (6-5)

Week 18 @ Vikings (4-7)

Status:The Packers improved to 30-9 in Week 12 or later under Matt LaFleur, including an 18-3 showing in home games for an NFL-best .857-win percentage since his hire in 2019. A plus-35 turnover margin in those contests (including plus-3 Sunday) has helped fuel those successes.

7. San Francisco 49ers (8-4)

Remaining Schedule

11/30 @ Browns (3-8)

Week 14 Bye

12/14 Titans (1-10)

12/22 @ Colts (8-3)

12/28 Bears (8-3)

Week 18 Seahawks (8-3)

Status:Brock Purdy's second game back since Sept. 28 included going 0-for-3 with three INTs on passes of 20-plus air yards, per Next Gen Stats, but the 49ers improved to 8-2 in NFC games thanks to Christian McCaffrey's 142 scrimmage yards on 31 touches. The running back leads the NFL with 81 receptions and 1,581 scrimmage yards.

Striking distance

8. Detroit Lions (7-4)

Remaining Schedule

11/27 Packers (7-3-1)

12/4 Cowboys (5-5-1)

12/14 @ Rams (9-2)

12/21 Steelers (6-5)

12/25 @ Vikings (4-7)

Week 18 @ Bears (8-3)

Status:The Lions scored the final 17 points of a 34-27 overtime victory against the Giants as "Honolulu Blue" officially eliminated "Big Blue" from postseason contention. Jahmyr Gibbs broke loose for a career-high 219 rushing yards, averaging a whopping 14.6 per carry, and scored three total touchdowns for the third time in his career (3-yard receiving and 49- and 69-yard rushing).

9. Carolina Panthers (6-6)

Remaining Schedule

11/30 Rams (9-2)

Week 14 Bye

12/14 @ Saints (2-9)

12/21 Buccaneers (6-5)

Week 17 Seahawks (8-3)

Week 18 @ Buccaneers (6-5)

Status:Jaycee Horn nabbed two interceptions in a game for the second time this season but left the contest in the third quarter (concussion protocol). The Panthers were unable to capitalize on their first instance of three picks in a first half since a 2015 win against Dallas.

10. Dallas Cowboys (5-5-1)

Remaining Schedule

11/27 Chiefs (6-5)

12/4 @ Lions (7-4)

12/14 Vikings (4-7)

12/21 Chargers (7-4)

12/25 @ Commanders (3-8)

Week 18 @ Giants (2-10)

Status:The Cowboys tied their franchise record for largest comeback, erasing a 21-point deficit for the fourth time in franchise history. Dallas racked up 473 yards of offense and leads the league with 387.3 per game. Dak Prescott improved to 22-2 in home division games, extending his win streak in such contests to 19 games.

Small margin of error but division is somewhat open

13. Atlanta Falcons (4-7)

Remaining Schedule

11/30 @ Jets (2-9)

12/7 Seahawks (8-3)

12/11 @ Buccaneers (6-5)

12/21 @ Cardinals (3-8)

12/29 Rams (9-2)

Week 18 Saints (2-9)

Status:Kirk Cousins returned to the starting lineup in place of Michael Penix, Jr., who is on Injured Reserve with a knee injury, and threw two touchdowns, bringing Cousins' career passing total to 290. He needs 10 more to become the 15th player all-time to throw for at least 300.

Smaller margin of error and division is a bigger climb

12. Minnesota Vikings (4-7)

Remaining Schedule

11/23 @ Packers (7-3-1)

11/30 @ Seahawks (8-3)

12/7 Commanders (3-8)

12/14 @ Cowboys (5-5-1)

12/21 @ Giants (2-10)

12/25 Lions (7-4)

Week 18 Packers (7-3-1)

Status:Minnesota has lost three consecutive games for the first time since opening 2023 at 0-3. Turnovers were a recurring problem then and have been all season. The Vikings gained 4 yards on 15 offensive plays in the second half after a muffed punt early in the third quarter.

The math could still math with significant help

13. Arizona Cardinals (3-8)

Remaining Schedule

11/30 @ Buccaneers (6-5)

12/7 Rams (9-2)

12/14 @ Texans (6-5)

12/21 Falcons (4-7)

Week 17 @ Bengals (3-8)

Week 18 @ Rams (9-2)

Status:The Cardinals became the fourth team with four takeaways against Trevor Lawrence since 2021, but Jacksonville's QB improved to 3-1 in overtime games. The Cardinals were eliminated from NFC West contention after dropping their eighth contest in nine games.

14. Washington Commanders (3-8)

Remaining Schedule

11/30 Broncos (9-2)

12/7 @ Vikings (4-7)

12/14 @ Giants (2-10)

12/20 Eagles (8-3)

12/25 Cowboys (5-5-1)

Week 18 @ Eagles (8-3)

Status:The Week 12 bye was a welcome sight for a Commanders team that has lost six consecutive games, a skid that began with losing a 24-16 lead at home to the Bears in a 25-24 loss in Week 6.

This week could wrap things

15. New Orleans Saints (2-9)

Remaining Schedule

11/30 @ Dolphins (4-7)

12/7 @ Buccaneers (6-5)

12/14 Panthers (6-6)

12/21 Jets (2-9)

12/28 @ Titans (1-10)

Week 18 @ Falcons (4-7)

Status:Rookie QB Tyler Shough made his third career start and first at home. He threw for 243 yards with one interception and was sacked five times. Shough also led the Saints with 22 rushing yards. New Orleans last held a 2-9 record through 11 games in 1999 when it finished 3-13.

Eliminated two weeks before going on team's bye

16. New York Giants (2-10)

Remaining Schedule

12/1 @ Patriots (10-2)

Week 14 Bye

12/14 Commanders (3-8)

12/21 Vikings (4-7)

Week 17 @ Raiders (2-9)

Week 18 Cowboys (5-5-1)

Status:Jameis Winston started in place of Jaxson Dart (concussion protocol) for the second straight game and became the second player all-time to record 300+ passing yards (366), two or more passing touchdowns and one receiving TD (33-yard pass from Gunner Olszewski). He joined Matt Ryan, who did so in Week 17 of 2018 against Winston, who was with the Bucs at the time.

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