The National Football League is offering a Christmas gift in the form of a game from the Big Easy between the Minnesota Vikings and New Orleans Saints. The contest is set to kickoff at 1:30 p.m. Pacific Time.
Both these National Football Conference teams are hopeful of making the 2020 NFL playoff field, which this year has expanded to 14 teams, seven from each conference. The Covid-19 inspired playoff format has three AFC and three NFC Wild Card games, while one team from each conference gets an opening week bye.
The Vikings are limited to a Wild Card berth for their playoff hopes, their chances for that could end today if they fail to win in New Orleans. The Saints lead the NFC South Division, holding a one game lead over second place Tampa Bay, and are assured of participating in the postseason.
In other words, the Vikings are facing elimination today and the Saints are looking to improve their playoff seed. That is a situation that more often favors the team needing a win for survival.
Do we have any overriding factors today that bend the advantage back to the home team?
First, the Saints only need to win today or next week’s finale against the Carolina Panthers to win the NFC South Division because they have already beaten Tom Brady and his second place Buccaneers twice this season. What is still possible for Drew Brees’ Saints is capturing that first week playoff bye, they are currently one game behind the Green Bay Packers for that slot, but the Packers also own the tiebreaker against New Orleans based on a win in their only regular season matchup.