3 reasons why Minnesota Vikings could miss out on NFL Playoff spot even after Justin Jefferson's return
Justin Jefferson is expected to return in the coming week for the Minnesota Vikings but playoffs could still remain an elusive dream for the wide receiver and his team. The Vikings are currently 7-8 and just outside the Wildcard playoff spots. They have no chance to win the NFC North, as they did last season, since that spot has already been locked up by the Detroit Lions.
So, they must settle for going on the road in the first round of the postseason as their best case scenario. And even that could be tough to achieve. They play the Green Bay Packers next, who also have the same record as them and therefore similar designs to qualify beyond the regular season.
However, there are other reasons why they could miss out on the playoffs. This is not to say we will not see Justin Jefferson in the postseason in the coming year but the following reasons highlight it will be a tough ask.
#1 - Justin Jefferson needs his quarterback to perform
Anybody who watches modern NFL knows it is the most important position in a team. Even though the Vikings did not begin the season convincingly, Kirk Cousins was having a career year. He had 18 total touchdowns in 8 games. To put that into perspective, Geno Smith has the same number after 15 games. It was based on his explosive offensive skills that they were in playoffs contention in the first place.
But then the Minnesota starter tore his Achilles and was ruled out for the season. Joshua Dobbs came in and did well for the first few weeks before tailing off. There is a serious conundrum at that position at the moment.
Dobbs was benched after his performance against the Las Vegas Raiders that they won 3-0. That is not a misprint for those that missed the game. Since then, Nick Mullens has taken over but he has four touchdowns and six interceptions in the losses to the Cincinnati Bengals and the Detroit Lions.
There are now reports that he could be benched and they could go with either rookie Jaren Hall or bring back Joshua Dobbs. No team that is so unsettled at the quarterback spot can go into any game with confidence, even if Justin Jefferson is playing as the wide receiver having recovered from his chest injury. Just ask Garrett Wilson for the New York Jets and how he has fared this season.
#2 - Detroit Lions are a better team than the Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings might beat the Green Bay Packers in the matchup between the NFC North champions from the previous two seasons. But the reality of their division has changed. The Detroit Lions have booked their spot as the top seeds of the division and are still in with a shout to be crowned the best team in the NFC.
Therefore, the Lions will be fired up for their remaining games, the last of which is against the Minnesota Vikings. Even if they were not in with a chance to clinch the overall number one seed in the conference and the first-round bye that comes with it, Dan Campbell is not likely to send a team to fold. Last season they were eliminated from playoff contention before their final game but still played spoiler in defeating the Green Bay Packers to ruin their postseason aspirations.
In Week 18, Detroit will be favored to beat Minnesota whether or not Justin Jefferson is playing. And if they do so, the Vikings can finish with a 8-9 losing record at best. That is not expected to be enough to book them their berth in the Wildcard round.
#3 - Seahawks and Rams remain in pole position for playoffs
And the reason why a losing record is unlikely to be good enough for the playoffs spot comes down to the teams ahead of them. The Los Angeles Rams and the Seattle Seahawks occupy the final two Wildcard positions and sit one game ahead of the Minnesota Vikings with 8-7 records.
The Seahawks face the Pittsburgh Steelers and Arizona Cardinals in their remaining two games. Both of them are eminently winnable. The Rams, meanwhile, have to take on the New York Giants and the San Francisco 49ers. The Giants have already been eliminated from postseason contention and the 49ers had their noses bloodied by the Balitmore Ravens on Christmas Day. None of them will hold any fear for Matthew Stafford and company.
And if it so comes to pass that Los Angeles and Seattle both win their remaining games to finish with a 10-7 record, then nothing Justin Jefferson pulls out for the Vikings will matter. They will still finish 9-8 at best and be eliminated from playoffs contention. That is the harsh reality facing Minnesota and their fans in the coming weeks. But one must never say never because anything is possible in the NFL.