While the season might be over for the Vikings, there are still plenty of reason to watch the playoffs. Six of the twelve teams playing in the playoffs will be opponents of the Vikings for the 2019 season. Four of those six teams play Wild Card weekend. I have outlined my picks for this weekend. Word of warning, these picks are more emotionally based then based on any analysis.

Colts v Texans (Jan 5th, 3:35pm)

Neither of these two teams play the Vikings in the 2019 regular season. Adam Vinatieri is a South Dakota native, the state I have called home for over twenty years. Vinatieri and I both went to the South Dakota State University, though I was there years afterward.. As a Vikings fan, I have kicker envy for teams with good kickers, and at a 84.2% completion rate (576/684) Adam is impressive. Watching Vinatieri pull off another game winning field goal will bring me a lot of joy. Skol Colts!

Seahawks v Cowboys (Jan 5th, 7:15pm)

The Vikings play both teams in 2019. The Cowboys are my original team growing up in Texas during the 1990s. I grew up watching such greats as Troy Aikman and Emmitt Smith. I still remember the Cowboys beating the Steelers in Super Bowl XXX. I am also still a little bitter, and probably always will be, toward Seattle for the Blair Walsh field goal that didn’t happen in 2015, even though they eagerly took him from us. Skol Cowboys!

Chargers v Ravens (Jan 6th, 12:05pm)

The Vikings 6 to 6 against the Chargers and 3 to 3 against the Ravens. Each of the last matchups against these teams the Vikings won, versus the Chargers 31 to 14 on 9/27/2015, and versus the Ravens 24 to 16 on 10/22/2017. Neither team plays the Vikings in 2019. Since I don’t really have much animosity against either team, I’m going for the purple bird bros, Skol Ravens!

Eagles v Bears (Jan 6th, 3:40pm)

I consider both of these teams to be rivals. The Eagles after the NFCCG last year as well as from my childhood rooting for the Cowboys, and a division rivalry with the Bears. The Vikings play the Eagles again next year as well as the Bears twice. The Eagles are playing where the Vikings should be since the Bears clinched the division weeks ago. Reluctantly rooting for the Bears this game.