What do the Vikings need in NFL Week 18 to win the NFC North title?

The Minnesota Vikings visit the Detroit Lions today in a blockbuster Week 18 clash at Ford Field, where the NFC North rivals will go head to head not only for the division title, but also the No. 1 seed in their conference.

What result do the Vikings need against the Lions today?

The Vikings and the Lions both go into the regular season’s final round of games with a 14-2 record - but Detroit leads the NFC North on tiebreakers.

This means that Dan Campbell’s men only need to avoid defeat to secure the NFC North crown and the top seed in the NFC. For the Vikings, on the other hand, only a win will do if they want to claim this twin prize at their opponents’ expense.

“We know the challenge that it’s going to be, both [in terms of the] environment and playing a premier team in our league that presents so many challenges across the board,” Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell told reporters ahead of the team’s trip to Michigan.

Have Minnesota and Detroit already clinched playoff places?

Yes: whatever happens at Ford Field, the Vikings and the Lions are already certain to take their place in the 14-team end-of-season playoffs.

Minnesota’s postseason place was confirmed in mid-December, when the Green Bay Packers defeated the Seattle Seahawks ahead of the Vikings' Week 15 win over the Chicago Bears. Ten days earlier, Detroit had become the first NFC team to book its playoffs spot, thanks to a 34-31 victory over the Packers.

NFC playoff teams - as thing stand:

1. Detroit Lions: 14-2, clinched playoff berth

2. Philadelphia Eagles: 13-3, clinched NFC East

3. Los Angeles Rams: 10-6, clinched NFC West

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 9-7

5. Minnesota Vikings: 14-2, clinched playoff berth

6. Washington Commanders: 11-5, clinched Wild Card berth

7. Green Bay Packers: 11-5, clinched Wild Card berth

What are the main advantages of the No. 1 seed?

The top seed in each of the NFL’s two conferences - the NFC and the AFC - is given a bye through the first round of the playoffs, which begin next week. What’s more, the No. 1 seed enjoys home-field advantage at every stage of the postseason before the Super Bowl.

Vikings vs Lions: when, where, how to watch?

The Week 18 NFL matchup takes place today, Sunday January 5, 2025, at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan. Kick-off is at 8:20 p.m. ET/5:20 p.m. PT. Viewers in the US will be able to watch on NBC, and can stream the network’s coverage on the online platform fubo, which offers a free trial.

You’ll also have the option of following AS USA’s live-text commentary of the Vikings vs the Lions.

When is the NFL postseason? When and where is the Super Bowl?

The 2024-25 playoffs kick off with the Wild Card round, which is due to be played from January 11 to 13. The Divisional round will then be held on January 18 to 19, before the Conference Championship games both take place on January 26. The winners of the AFC and the NFC will meet in Super Bowl LIX on February 9, with New Orleans' Caesars Superdome the venue.

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