NFL playoff picture: What does Vikings-Bears mean for NFC standings

Results update: The Vikings escaped with an overtime win in Chicago. The Bears fought back from a 14-point fourth quarter deficit to tie the game as time expired. However, they couldn’t do anything on their opening drive of overtime and the Vikings moved down the field and kicked a field goal to win it 30-27.

The Lions won, so the Vikings remain a game back heading into Thanksgiving week. Minnesota will remain in fifth place in the NFC standings. The Bears drop to 13th place and their season is circling the drain.

The NFC North has a key matchup in the spotlight to open Week 12’s Sunday slate when the Chicago Bears host the Minnesota Vikings at Soldier Field. The game kicks off at 1 p.m. ET and is the most significant game in the early slate.

The Vikings are a field goal favorite at FanDuel Sportsbook. Chicago will be without safety Elijah Hicks, while Minnesota does not have any significant new absences on the injury report. Bears wide receiver Keenan Allen and running back D’Andre Swift were both questionable for the game, but both will play.

Minnesota is 8-2 and in second place in the NFC North while Chicago is 4-6 and in fourth place in the NFC North. Below is a look at the playoff implications for these two squads.

The Vikings sit a game back of the 9-1 Lions and a game up on the 7-3 Packers. The Vikings have split their first two divisional matchups, beating the Packers and losing to the Lions. This marks the first matchup with the Bears. Minnesota is currently fifth in the NFC playoff standings, with the Packers and Commanders holding the other two wild card berths.

They need help to get ahead of the Lions, but a win would at least keep them at the top of the wild card standings.

The Bears are three games back of the Packers, four back of the Vikings and five back of the Lions. They lost to the Packers lost week in their first divisional game of the season. They are a long ways back, but have the matchups to potentially make a move if they can get on track. Chicago is currently sitting in 12th place in the overall NFC standings, tied with the Bucs, who hold the conference record tiebreaker ahead of them. The Bears are 2.5 games back of the Commanders for the final wild card berth.

They just need wins to start moving up from their spot in the wild card standings. The 49ers are the most likely team they could pass given San Francisco’s tough matchup in Green Bay. But for now, Chicago just needs to win games, regardless of other results.

This is straight forward in divisional standings. Head-to-head results will be key, as will divisional results. For the conference, each team’s NFC record will be critical for getting ahead of other teams near them in the standings.