All Roads Lead Through D.C.

Now that the Vikings have clinched a playoff berth, there has been ample speculation as to who their first round opponent will be and where that game will be played. If I had my druthers, I say the nation’s capitol is the best place to earn a victory.

If the Vikings lose and the Seahawks lose next Sunday, the playoff picture will remain the same for the bottom four teams as it stands today – Green Bay, #3; Washington, #4; Minnesota, #5; and Seattle, #6 – meaning the Vikings would take on the Redskins.

I think it’s the best matchup the Vikings can ask for. Here’s why:

1) If the Vikings were to beat the Packers, they would get the #3 seed and they would end up playing either the Packers again or Seattle at TCF Bank Stadium. Yes, it would be great to get a playoff game outdoors in Minnesota in January, but home field might not mean much in that scenario. I think it would be extremely difficult to beat Green Bay in successive weeks – no matter how awful their offensive line is right now. And if there is one team the Vikings match up the worst with in the NFC, it’s undoubtedly the Seattle Seahawks.

So, yes, I’m in the camp that if the Packers win next week, I won’t be heartbroken in the least. Divisional titles are nice and all – but who remembers the divisional winners who bow out in the first round of the playoffs? Those teams get a new banner in their stadium the following year – but it means literally nothing in the grand scheme of things. Fans only remember Super Bowl winners from year to year – in fact, whoever remembers second place in those games?

2) Sure, the Redskins are hot right now with Kirk Cousins at the helm. But, he is for the most part a statute in the pocket when you compare him to Russel Wilson or even Aaron Rodgers for that matter. The Vikings match up very well against quarterbacks who are traditional pocket passers, having given Carson Palmer all he could handle in Arizona and Eli Manning the fits this past weekend. I’m not impressed with DeSean Jackson, despite his hot play as of late. I think Xavier Rhodes would do very well against Jackson and Terrance Newman would play very well against Pierre Garcon, or possibly Newman would match up with tight end Jordan Reed and Munnerlyn would take on Garcon.

Whatever the match-ups are, I simply think the best chance for the Vikings to advance to the divisional round is to go through D.C.

3) This would set up a scenario where the divisional game would either be at Carolina or at Arizona, and I firmly believe that the matchup for the Vikings continues to be good. The Vikes defense is playing lights-out right now and although both Carolina and Arizona are playing well offensively, I would not be afraid to go up against either offense in the next round of the playoffs. Again, both Newton and Palmer are basically pocket passers with Newton giving his team more of a running threat – but again, a longer stride guy with Newton as opposed to a shifty, quick guy like Wilson.

4) And finally, perhaps the championship game goes through either Carolina or Arizona as well. I haven’t mentioned anything about their defenses, but by this time in the playoffs, the third game, Teddy would be even more seasoned than he is now, and he would be playing in a more weather controlled environment – especially via Arizona – but potentially also Carolina if it isn’t a torrential rain during late January. And the x-factor in all of this is still Adrian Peterson. His presence is finally having the effect on Teddy that all fans thought it would from the beginning of the season. Sometimes these factors/scenarios need time to catch up to each other. Teddy and AP have done that. Advice to Norv: Keep feeding Teddy more of the playbook and let him assert himself, even if he makes a mistake or two. The good will outweigh the bad in my opinion, in the end.

Just as it is in basketball or hockey, or for that matter, fantasy football, week to week depends on how well one team matches up against the other team. For that reason alone, I think the Vikings best chances are to go first through DC and then see what happens the rest of the way. SKOL!!!!!!!!!!