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The Minnesota Vikings could have secured their spot in the NFC playoffs with a win against the struggling Chicago Bears.
But it wasn’t that simple.
Justin Fields found D.J. Moore for 36 yards for a crucial third-down conversion to set up the game-winning field goal in Chicago’s 12-10 victory in a game that meant much more to the Vikings than the Bears.
Minnesota dropped to 6-6 as a result, although it is still holding onto the final spot in the NFC playoff picture with Week 12 officially in the books:
NFC
1. Philadelphia Eagles (10-1, first-round bye)
2. San Francisco 49ers (8-3, tiebreaker over Detroit Lions) vs. 7. Minnesota Vikings (6-6)
3. Detroit Lions (8-3) vs. 6. Seattle Seahawks (6-5)
4. Atlanta Falcons (5-6, tiebreaker over New Orleans Saints) vs. 5. Dallas Cowboys (8-3)
AFC
1. Baltimore Ravens (9-3, first-round bye)
2. Kansas City Chiefs (8-3, tiebreaker over Jacksonville Jaguars and Miami Dolphins) vs. 7. Indianapolis Colts (6-5, tiebreaker over Denver Broncos and Houston Texans)
3. Jacksonville Jaguars (8-3, tiebreaker over Miami Dolphins) vs. 6. Cleveland Browns (7-4)
4. Miami Dolphins (8-3) vs. 5. Pittsburgh Steelers (7-4, tiebreaker over Cleveland Browns)
The race for the top seed and first-round bye in the AFC could be the most thrilling competition of the season.
The Baltimore Ravens, Kansas City Chiefs, Jacksonville Jaguars and Miami Dolphins all have three losses, and some head-to-head matchups are approaching. Baltimore still plays Jacksonville and Miami, and the top seed could come down to those results.
Between the additional rest that would come with the bye and the two home games in the playoffs, the winner of that top seed will have an inside track to the Super Bowl. Kansas City used that home-field advantage to reach the Super Bowl last season and came away with a win.
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Lawrence to Ridley for the @Jaguars lead!
📺: #JAXvsHOU on CBS
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Another captivating race in the AFC is between the Houston Texans and Denver Broncos, who are tied with the Indianapolis Colts for the final playoff spot. Indianapolis currently holds the tiebreaker, but Houston has C.J. Stroud under center and Denver is red hot with five straight wins.
Indianapolis is far from safe, and its final game of the season against the Texans will be appointment viewing.
Presumed contenders in the Buffalo Bills (6-6) and Bengals (5-6) are also looming, although Cincinnati will be without the injured Joe Burrow for the rest of the season.
As for the NFC,
