Minnesota Vikings catbird seat?

Like it or not, much credit has to go to Minnesota Vikings' head coach Mike Zimmer and his staff for turning that club around into serious contenders. Despite losing their top two quarterbacks, Teddy Bridgewater and Sam Bradford, Case Keenum has stepped in and done a masterful job of keeping the proverbial ball rolling. Let's not forget they also lost a first class running back in Dalvin Cook. Plus, their defense is outstanding. They certainly appear to be the real deal.

As of today, Minnesota has clinched the NFC North Division title, with a very impressive 11-3 record. Few would have seen that coming.

Their two remaining regular season games are at Green Bay and hosting Chicago. The Packers, with a loss today, are pretty much toast this year. If they're smart, they'll shut Aaron Rodgers down and let his broken collar bone fully mend for the 2018 season, rather than risking a re-occurrence in games that don't matter anyway.

True, it's always tough to win in Cheeserland, but it would hardly be a big surprise if the Vikes marched into Lambeau and pulled it off.

The regular season finale against Da Bears, back home in Minnesota? It would be shocking indeed if the purple gang somehow found a way to lose that one.

So for the sake of argument, let's say the Vikes finish the regular season at 13-3.

Their only competition for home field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs would seem to be the Philadelphia Eagles. Like Zimmer, all due credit to head coach Doug Pederson and his crew for so quickly making the Eagles a really good team so quickly when few would have believed it possible.

Currently at an even better 12-2, they appear to be the real deal as well.

But there's the rub. Eagles QB Carson Wentz, who had been sensational all year, went out for the season with a torn ACL. Nick Foles, yep, the same Nick Foles that's never been very good in the past is now their QB. Chances of them going far in the playoffs? Maybe not so good.

The Eagles have the pleasure of their two remaining regular season games being at home, versus the Oakland Raiders and Dallas Cowboys.

Oakland is now officially zapped from the playoffs, so doesn't have much to play for. Plus, they weren't all that good in the first place. But the game against the Jones Boys from Big D could prove to be interesting. They're still in the "hunt". It could well be the Cowboys knock off the Eagles in Week 17. And unless I miss my guess, the Cowboys will have suspended running back Ezekiel Elliott back by then. A HUGE boost.

And if THOSE scenarios play out, entirely possible, if not probable, the Minnesota Vikings could not only wind up with home field advantage throughout the playoffs, but also hosting the Super Bowl in February, a venue that was decided several years ago. All of which would definitely be a first in NFL history. No team in the fifty year history of the Super Bowl has ever played one in their home stadium.

I, for one, would love to see that happen. Here's to Fran Tarkenton and Bud Grant from yesteryear. The Vikings made it to four Super Bowls in the distant past, but lost all of them.

This is not to say they'd be a lock to prevail over whichever team emerged from the AFC. Whether the Patriots, Steelers, or somebody else, whoever goes through the AFC gauntlet to punch their ticket to the Big Dance will be a formidable opponent indeed.

But it would be mighty tough to knock off the Vikes at home at that point. The catbird seat indeed.

Man oh man, these playoff (and Super Bowl) possibilities just keep getting more and more interesting.