Vikings are once again victims of the NFL’s flawed playoff format

By Joe Nelson – Sports Illustrated

From 13-4 in 2022 to 7-10 in 2023, back to 14-3 in 2024 and possibly 9-8 in 2025, the Minnesota Vikings have been on a roller coaster since Kevin O’Connell was hired as head coach.

In 2022, the Vikings were the No. 3 seed as the NFC North champion. Philadelphia was the top seed at 14-3, while the 49ers earned the No. 2 seed at 13-4, winning a tiebreaker over Minnesota. In 2024, the NFL’s playoff format entered the equation as the Vikings went 14-3 but did not win their division and had to play a road game in the first round of the playoffs as the No. 5 seed.