How the national media sees the NFL playoffs shape up

NFC North: Vikings 11-5, Green Bay 10-6, Detroit 9-7, Chicago 7-9

Playoffs: Wild-card round, No. 3 Vikings over No. 6 Packers; divisional round, No. 2 Saints over Vikings; Super Bowl, Patriots over Saints 27-23

Vikings' position ranks (among 32 teams): Quarterbacks 16th, receivers fifth, offensive line 12th, running backs 26th, defensive line 23rd, defensive backs fourth.

Comments: The offense thrives; Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs combine for more than 2,500 yards; Zimmer's defense recaptures its dominance; cornerback depth pays off. With a defense that's still in its prime and two top receivers, the Vikings look more like the team that played for the NFC title in 2017 than the one that missed the playoffs last year.

11-5: New England

10-6: Kansas City, New Orleans, L.A. Rams, Philadelphia

9-7: L.A. Chargers, Vikings, Chicago, Houston, Pittsburgh, Atlanta, Green Bay, Dallas

7-9: Indianapolis, Denver, Detroit, Buffalo

6-10: Tampa Bay, Oakland, Cincinnati, Washington, N.Y. Giants

5-11: Arizona, Miami

NFC division champs: Eagles, Bears, Saints, Rams

NFC wild cards: Falcons, Packers

AFC division champs: Patriots, Steelers, Colts, Chiefs

AFC wild cards: Chargers, Texans

AFC title game: Chiefs over Chargers

Super Bowl winner: Chiefs (MVP: Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs)

Offensive player of the year: Mahomes

Rookie of the year: Kyler Murray, Cardinals

NFC North: Vikings 13-3, Chicago 9-7, Green Bay 9-7, Detroit 7-9

Comment: Dalvin Cook leads the NFL in rushing.

NFL Coach of the Year: Mike Zimmer

NFC wild-card round: No. 4 Seattle over No. 5 New Orleans, No. 6 Dallas over No. 3 Philadelphia.

NFC title game: Vikings 31, Carolina 28

AFC wild-card round: No. 3 Denver over No. 6 Baltimore, No. 5 Kansas City over No. 4 Indianapolis

AFC divisional round: Kansas City over No. 1 New England, No. 2 Pittsburgh over Denver

AFC title game: Pittsburgh 31, Kansas City 24

Super Bowl: Vikings 30, Pittsburgh 28

AFC playoff seeds: 1. Kansas City; 2. Pittsburgh; 3. New England; 4. Indianapolis; 5. L.A. Chargers; 6. Houston

NFC title game: Saints 30, Eagles 23

AFC title game: Chiefs 27, Patriots 25

Super Bowl: Kansas City 37, New Orleans 27

NFC playoff seeds: 1. Eagles; 2. Seahawks; 3. Bears; 4. Panthers; 5. Vikings; 6. Cowboys

NFC divisional round: Eagles over Panthers, Seahawks over Bears

NFC title game: Eagles over Seahawks

AFC playoff seeds: 1. Patriots; 2. Chiefs; 3. Jaguars; 4. Steelers; 5. Browns; 6. Jets

AFC wild-card round: Jaguars over Jets, Steelers over Browns

AFC divisional round: Patriots over Steelers, Jaguars over Chiefs.

Super Bowl: Patriots over Eagles

NFC North: 1. Vikings, 13 votes; 2. Chicago, 10 votes; 3. Green Bay, 6 votes; 4. Detroit, 0 votes