NFL Power Rankings: Philadelphia Eagles keep hope alive in Week 13

9. Minnesota Vikings

After finally dethroning the Green Bay Packers from their usual spot atop the NFC North in 2017, the Minnesota Vikings have (slightly) fallen back to earth in 2018.

However, that doesn’t necessarily mean the team isn’t still among the best teams in the entire NFL, and still poses enough potential to make it to the NFC Championship game, or maybe even a trip to Atlanta for the Super Bowl.

If things break right for the Vikings, they can still be that good.

While the team’s defense has taken a few steps back this season, and Kirk Cousins hasn’t really been the magic bullet that transforms Minnesota’s offense into an elite product, the Vikings are still good enough to get things done, and win football games in a variety of different ways.

If the team can secure a top-flight running back over the forthcoming offseason, as Dalvin Cook clearly can’t stay healthy for a full season, this team could take that step forward and join the New Orleans Saints and Los Angeles Rams among the elite teams in the NFC, but for now, the Vikings remain very good, but a few steps away from truly great.

With the Bears all but guaranteed to represent the North in the postseason this year, the Vikings will have to make the postseason the hard way this year; by putting their collective noses to the grindstone and getting pivotal wins against the likes of the New England Patriots, Seattle Seahawks, and Bears.