EAGAN, Minn. — The Vikings have dropped consecutive road games against teams that are in line to make the playoffs.
But, for the second straight week, Minnesota received outside help.
Losses by Carolina, Philadelphia and Washington knocked each team down to 6-7 with three games to play.
The Vikings (6-6-1) would be the No. 6 seed in the NFC playoffs if the postseason started this week, but their goal of repeating as NFC North champs took a major hit, thanks to the Bears improving to 9-4 with a win over the 11-2 Rams on Sunday night.
Chicago needs just one victory in its final three games (Green Bay, at San Francisco, at Minnesota) or one more loss by Minnesota (Miami, at Detroit, Chicago) to claim its first division title since 2010.
Here's a look at remaining schedules for each NFC team and a status update.
1. New Orleans Saints (11-2)
12/17 @ CAR (6-7)
12/23 PIT (7-5-1)
12/30 CAR (6-7)
Remaining foes' combined records: (19-19-1)
Opponents' win percentage: .500
Status: The Saints clinched the NFC South and moved back into the lead for home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. New Orleans' remaining foes are in the midst of rough patches.
2. Los Angeles Rams (11-2)
12/16 PHI (6-7)
12/23 @ AZ (3-10)
12/30 SF (3-10)
Remaining foes' combined records: (12-27)
Opponents' win percentage: .308
Status: After this week's empty-the-bucket-game for the Eagles, the Rams will face two teams that are already eliminated and jockeying for draft order. Los Angeles already has clinched the NFC West.
3. Chicago Bears (9-4)
12/16 GB (5-7-1)
12/23 @ SF (3-10)
12/30 @ MIN (6-6-1)
Remaining foes' combined records: (14-23-2)
Opponents' win percentage: .385
Status: The Bears are sitting pretty with regard to landing a home playoff game and division crown, but they'll need some help to catch the Saints or Rams and garner a first-round bye.
4. Dallas Cowboys (8-5)
12/16 @ IND (7-6)
12/23 TB (5-8)
12/30 @ NYG (5-8)
Remaining foes' combined records: (17-22)
Opponents' win percentage: .436
Status: The Cowboys are on a five-game winning streak; Dak Prescott and Amari Cooper have quickly connected since Cooper was acquired in a trade with the Raiders.
5. Seattle Seahawks (8-5)
12/16 @ SF (3-10)
12/23 KC (11-2)
12/30 AZ (3-10)
Remaining foes' combined records: (17-22)
Opponents' win percentage: .436
Status: The Seahawks have won four in a row, further staking a claim on the No. 5 seed. One more win secures a playoff berth. According to FiveThirtyEight.com, Seattle could lose out and still would have a 73-percent likelihood of making the playoffs.
6. Minnesota Vikings (6-6-1)
12/16 MIA (7-6)
12/23 @ DET (5-8)
12/30 CHI (9-4)
Remaining foes' combined records: (21-18)
Opponents' win percentage: .538
Status: All three of Minnesota's remaining opponents collected wins this past weekend. Miami is vying for a spot in the crowded AFC and should be traveling north with a burst of energy after its improbable walk-off win over New England.
7. Carolina Panthers (6-7)
12/17 NO (11-2)
12/23 ATL (4-9)
12/30 @ NO (11-2)
Remaining foes' combined records: (26-13)
Opponents' win percentage: .667
Status: The Panthers no-win November has extended into mid-December, stretching a losing streak to five games. Carolina's path to the postseason will be further complicated if New Orleans has to play its starters in Week 17 to secure the top overall seed.
8. Philadelphia Eagles (6-7)
12/16 @ LAR (11-2)
12/23 HOU (9-4)
12/30 @ WAS (6-7)
Remaining foes' combined records: (26-13)
Opponents' win percentage: .667
Status: The Eagles will try to bounce back from Sunday's overtime loss at Dallas against a Rams team trying to recover from a bad trip to Chicago. According to FiveThirtyEight.com, a win in the L.A. Memorial Coliseum would give Philadelphia a 43-percent chance at the playoffs, but a loss would drop the likelihood to seven percent.
9. Washington Redskins (6-7)
12/16 @ JAX (4-9)
12/22 @ TEN (7-6)
12/30 PHI (6-7)
Remaining foes' combined records: (17-22)
Opponents' win percentage: .436
Status: The Redskins have dropped four games in a row, including a 40-16 loss against the Giants at home on Sunday, as injuries have mounted.
10. Green Bay Packers (5-7-1)
12/16 @ CHI (9-4)
12/23 @ NYJ (4-9)
12/30 DET (5-8)
Remaining foes' combined records: (18-21)
Opponents' win percentage: .461
Status: The Packers snapped a three-game losing streak with a 34-20 win over the Falcons in Joe Philbin's first game as Green Bay's interim head coach.
11. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-8)
12/16 @ BAL (7-6)
12/23 @ DAL (8-5)
12/30 ATL (4-9)
Remaining foes' combined records: (19-20)
Opponents' win percentage: .487
Status: The Buccaneers are just 1-5 on the road this season, but the one victory occurred when Tampa Bay dealt New Orleans a loss in Week 1.
12. New York Giants (5-8)
12/16 TEN (7-6)
12/23 @ IND (7-6)
12/30 DAL (8-5)
Remaining foes' combined records: (22-17)
Opponents' win percentage: .564
Status: The Giants have won four of five and could have a substantial impact on the AFC playoffs with consecutive games against the Titans and at the Colts.
13. Detroit Lions (5-8)
12/16 @ BUF (4-9)
12/23 MIN (6-6-1)
12/30 @ GB (5-7-1)
Remaining foes' combined records: (15-22-2)
Opponents' win percentage: .410
Status: The Lions won for just the second time in seven games and could have a major say in the NFC playoffs in the final two weeks of the season.
14. Atlanta Falcons (4-9)
12/16 AZ (3-10)
12/23 @ CAR (6-7)
12/30 @ TB (5-8)
Remaining foes' combined records: (14-25)
Opponents' win percentage: .359
Status: The Falcons have dropped five in a row, including the past three by double digits.
15. Arizona Cardinals (3-10)
12/16 @ ATL (4-9)
12/23 LAR (11-2)
12/30 @ SEA (8-5)
Remaining foes' combined records: (23-16)
Opponents' win percentage: .590
Status: The Cardinals were officially eliminated this weekend after falling at home to Detroit.
16. San Francisco 49ers (3-10)
12/16 SEA (8-5)
12/23 CHI (9-4)
12/30 @ LAR (11-2)
Remaining foes' combined records: (28-11)
Opponents' win percentage: .718
Status: The 49ers threw a wrench in the Broncos bid for a spot in the AFC playoffs. They will close the season with their own version of the playoffs, facing three teams currently in the field.
