EAGAN, Minn. — As the Thanksgiving leftovers dissipate to conclude Week 13, the NFC North is the only division in the NFL with more than one team that has nine or more wins.

The success of Detroit (11-1), Minnesota (10-2) and Green Bay (9-3) has been historic and further intensifies a marquee matchup between the Packers and Lions to open Week 14 on Thursday Night Football.

It also creates a situation where the Vikings must keep winning to have a shot at claiming the division for the second time in three seasons under Head Coach Kevin O'Connell.

Minnesota's thrilling comeback against Arizona last week helped the Vikings hold serve at home as the team prepares to host Atlanta (6-6) in Week 14 and Chicago (4-8) in Week 15.

Two Vikings wins at any point during the final five games will secure a playoff berth, regardless of anything else happening, but Minnesota has put itself in position to play for more than that — if the Vikings get some help from someone else against Detroit and are able to continue winning games.

The top four seeds in the AFC and NFC go to division winners. If the season ended today, the Vikings would be the No. 5 seed in the NFC Playoffs (this is the same status the team had last week when we fired up this series).

Seventeen of the 32 NFL teams are at 6-6 or better with five weeks remaining in the regular season.

Four squads — the Patriots (3-10), Jaguars (2-10), Raiders (2-10) and Giants (2-10) — have officially been eliminated from making the playoffs.

Since the NFL expanded the playoffs in 2020 to include seven teams in each conference, No. 2 seeds will now play on Super Wild Card Weekend.

Here's a look at the current NFC playoff picture — with conference standings and a status update — as we head into Week 14.

Current Division Leaders

1. Detroit Lions (11-1)

Remaining Schedule

12/5 Packers (9-3)

12/15 Bills (10-2)

12/22 @ Bears (4-8)

12/30 @ 49ers (5-7)

1/5/25 Vikings (10-2)

Status: The Lions broke a seven-game losing streak on Thanksgiving and extended their current win streak to 10 games by building a lead early and hanging on late against the Bears.

In the playoffs with…

The Lions will clinch a playoff berth with one more win this season, regardless of what else happens in the NFL.

According to NFL Senior Researcher Jack Andrade, Detroit also can lose on Thursday and still clinch a playoff spot with any of the following outcomes in Week 14:

Buccaneers loss + Rams loss + Cardinals loss

Buccaneers loss + Rams loss + Eagles win

Falcons loss + Rams loss + Cardinals loss

Falcons loss + Rams loss + Eagles win

2. Philadelphia Eagles (10-2)

Remaining Schedule

12/8 Panthers (3-9)

12/15 Steelers (9-3)

12/22 @ Commanders (8-5)

12/29 Cowboys (5-7)

1/5/25 Giants (2-10)

Status: Few teams have benefited better from a Week 5 bye. The Eagles increased scoring (21.5 points per game in Weeks 1-4 to 29.3 since Week 6) and decreased their points allowed per game from 24 to 15.3 in that span. A major factor is going from minus-6 in the turnover margin before the break to being plus-9 in the weeks since returning to action.

In the playoffs with…

The Eagles will clinch a playoff berth with two more wins this season, regardless of what else happens in the NFL.

According to Andrade, Philadelphia can secure a playoff berth as early as this week with a win and any of the following combinations:

Falcons loss + Cardinals loss + Packers loss

Falcons loss + Cardinals loss + Rams loss

Buccaneers loss + Cardinals loss + Packers loss

3. Seattle Seahawks (7-5)

Remaining Schedule

12/8 @ Cardinals (6-6)

12/15 Packers (9-3)

12/22 Vikings (10-2)

12/26 @ Bears (4-8)

1/5/25 @ Rams (6-6)

Status: The Seahawks trailed the Jets 21-7 in the second quarter after former Vikings kickoff returner Kene Nwangwu zoomed for a 99-yard return. Seattle, however, answered with a 92-yard interception return TD by Leonard Williams, who had been picked No. 6 overall by New York in 2015. "Big Cat" is now a 30-year-old who is listed at 310 pounds. According to Next Gen Stats, Williams topped out at 17.84 miles per hour.

4. Atlanta Falcons (6-6)

Remaining Schedule

12/8 @ Vikings (10-2)

12/16 @ Raiders (2-10)

12/22 Giants (2-10)

12/28 (TBD) @ Commanders (8-5)

1/5/25 Panthers (3-9)

Status: As Atlanta has lost three consecutive games, the Falcons points per game have gone from 24.6 in Weeks 1-9 to 12.0.

Current Wild Card Teams

5. Minnesota Vikings (10-2)

Remaining Schedule

12/8 Falcons (6-6)

12/16 Bears (4-8)

12/22 @ Seahawks (7-5)

12/29 Packers (9-3)

1/5/25 @ Lions (11-1)

Status: The Vikings outscored the Cardinals 17-3 in the final 17 minutes of Sunday's game to put together the team's second five-game win streak of the 2024 season. This is the second time in franchise history for Minnesota to have two such streaks in one season (1998 featured seven- and eight-game streaks on the way to a 15-1 record.

In the playoffs with…

The Vikings will clinch a playoff berth with two more wins this season, regardless of what else happens in the NFL.

Andrade noted Minnesota also can secure a return to the postseason with a win and the following combination of events in Week 14:

Cardinals loss + Rams loss

6. Green Bay Packers (9-3)

Remaining Schedule

12/5 @ Lions (11-1)

12/15 @ Seahawks (7-5)

12/23 Saints (4-8)

12/29 @ Vikings (10-2)

1/5/25 Bears (4-8)

Status: After having at least one interception in each of his first eight starts this season, Jordan Love has avoided a pick the past two weeks, improving to 11-2 as a starter when he does not throw at least one interception. He's 6-11 when a foe intercepts him.

7. Washington Commanders (8-5)

Remaining Schedule

12/8 Bye Week

12/15 @ Saints (4-8)

12/22 Eagles (10-2)

12/28 (TBD) Falcons (6-6)

1/5/25 @ Cowboys (5-7)

Status: Washington built a 28-0 lead within their first 20 minutes against Tennessee on Sunday and finished off a 42-19 victory with 267 rushing yards on 45 runs. It was the third time in the Super Bowl era for the franchise to rush for at least 250 yards and three tuddys in a game.

In the Hunt

8. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-6)

Remaining Schedule

12/8 Raiders (2-10)

12/15 @ Chargers (8-4)

12/22 @ Cowboys (5-7)

12/29 Panthers (3-9)

1/5/25 Saints (4-8)

Status: The third OT game of 2024 for the Buccaneers was a charm. Tampa Bay upended late-game heroics by former Vikings receiver Adam Thielen by driving 36 yards in 30 seconds to set up a tying 51-yard field goal and were able to prevail in overtime after a fumble. The Bucs are 1-2 in OT games this season, avenging losses to the Falcons and Chiefs in bonus time.

9. Arizona Cardinals (6-6)

Remaining Schedule

12/8 Seahawks (7-5)

12/15 Patriots (3-10)

12/22 @ Panthers (3-9)

12/28 @ Rams (6-6)

1/5/25 49ers (5-7)

Status: The Cardinals made things tough on the Vikings all day last week. Trey McBride caught all 12 passes thrown his direction for a team-high 96 yards. The third-year pro needs nine more catches to break his own franchise record for catches by a TE in a season (81 in 2023).

10. Los Angeles Rams (6-6)

Remaining Schedule

12/8 Bills (10-2)

12/12 @ 49ers (5-7)

12/22 @ Jets (3-9)

12/28 (TBD) Cardinals (6-6)

1/5/25 Seahawks (7-5)

Status: The Rams stayed within one game of the Seahawks for the lead in the NFC West, which is football's tightest division with 2 games separating first and last. Sean McVay recorded his 76^th regular-season win, topping John Robinson for the most in franchise history.

The Math Could Still Math

11. San Francisco 49ers (5-7)

Remaining Schedule

12/8 Bears (4-8)

12/12 Rams (6-6)

12/22 @ Dolphins (5-7)

12/30 Lions (11-1)

1/5/25 @ Cardinals (6-6)

Status: The closely jumbled NFC West race is providing slight encouragement for an injury-battered Niners team that has a minus-53 point differential in its past two games (at Packers and Bills). It was just the fourth time in San Francisco's history for the team to lose by 25+ points in consecutive weeks.

12. Dallas Cowboys (5-7)

Remaining Schedule

12/9 Bengals (4-8)

12/15 @ Panthers (3-9)

12/22 Buccaneers (6-6)

12/29 @ Eagles (10-2)

1/5/25 Commanders (8-5)

Status: The Cowboys will try to transfer their success against the Giants (2-0 sweeps in four consecutive seasons) to the rest of their schedule. Dallas collected its first home win of 2024 on Thanksgiving.

Lloyd Christmas Says There's a Chance

13. New Orleans Saints (4-8)

Remaining Schedule

12/8 @ Giants (2-10)

12/15 Commanders (8-5)

12/23 @ Packers (9-3)

12/29 Raiders (2-10)

1/5/25 @ Buccaneers (6-6)

Status: Marquez Valdes-Scantling became the second Saints player ever with four receiving touchdowns in his first four games with the team (Donté Stallworth), but the Rams answered New Orleans tying the score in the fourth quarter with a touchdown in less than three minutes. The best hope for the Saints is if the Falcons and Bucs falter.

14. Chicago Bears (4-8)

Remaining Schedule

12/8 @ 49ers (5-7)

12/16 @ Vikings (10-2)

12/22 Lions (11-1)

12/26 Seahawks (7-5)

1/5/25 @ Packers (9-3)

Status: The Bears lapses in execution in the final minute at Detroit led to the first in-season coaching change in franchise history. Chicago has started 4-8 or worse in four consecutive seasons, the longest active streak in the NFL.

15. Carolina Panthers (3-9)

Remaining Schedule

12/8 @ Eagles (10-2)

12/15 Cowboys (5-7)

12/22 Cardinals (6-6)

12/29 @ Buccaneers (6-6)

1/5/25 @ Falcons (6-6)

Status: The Panthers fought to the finish. Thielen recorded a sick one-handed catch to give him eight for 99 yards on the day before Carolina fumbled on the next snap at the Tampa Bay 30-yard line with 5:03 left in overtime.

Eliminated

16. New York Giants (2-10)

Remaining Schedule

12/8 Saints (4-8)

12/15 Ravens (8-5)

12/22 @ Falcons (6-6)

12/28 (TBD) Colts (6-7)

1/5/25 @ Eagles (10-2)

Status: Malik Nabers (75 receptions in his first 10 games) broke the NFL record set by former Giants receiver Odell Beckham, Jr., (71), but New York suffered its seventh consecutive loss and became the first team eliminated in the NFC.