All the Minnesota Vikings have to do is win Sunday, no matter if the Philadelphia Eagles beat the Washington Redskins. A win and the Vikings clinch the final playoff berth in the NFC, knocking the Eagles out of the playoffs.

The Vikings need to beat the Chicago Bears, who need a win and a Los Angeles Rams loss to clinch a first-round bye, in order to seal their playoff fate. The Bears have something to play for as well, which is why Doug Pederson hinted he called Matt Nagy (who he coached with in Philadelphia and Kansas City).

The Eagles need a favor from Chicago in addition to taking care of their own business. That's news to Mike Zimmer, who is coaching the team that just needs to win (translation, they don't need any help).

"I don't care who he called," Zimmer said at his press conference Wednesday. "I didn't hear that, but I don't care who Doug calls or who anyone calls."

Pederson and Nagy go back a bit. Nagy was the quarterbacks coach of the Kansas City Chiefs when Pederson was the offensive coordinator under Andy Reid from 2013 to 2015. Both Pederson and Nagy were assistants under Reid with the Eagles from 2009 to 2012 (Pederson was the offensive quality control coach and later quarterbacks coach while Nagy started as a coaching intern and later took Pederson's job when he was promoted).

"Maybe I've done that, we'll have to see. Maybe I've already done that this morning," Pederson said with a laugh regarding if he spoke with Nagy.

Chicago can clinch a first-round bye with a win and a Los Angeles Rams loss, as both teams play at the same time (also the same time as the Eagles). The Bears own the tiebreaker because they beat the Rams in Week 13. This scenario makes Week 17 even more intriguing in the NFC, considering the Bears can just rest their starters and take their chances against the Vikings in the NFC Wild Card round.

Pederson made his plea to the Bears, who already have their playoff fate sealed. Chicago basically can control who it wants to play.

"I think -- and I know there are some situations now where some teams -- like the Bears are still fighting for that spot. The Rams are still fighting for their spots and all that kind of stuff. You play to win. You play to win those games. Obviously, you can't control the other game, but I would play to win. If I could improve my position, you play. You play. And then you see what happens at the end of the day.

"Unless you had it maybe like New Orleans right now, where you have it kind of locked up and the whole thing, maybe you do something differently, but if I can improve my position, I would play."

The Vikings control their own destiny, the position the Eagles want to be in. Their playoffs start this week.

"We know we have to win this game in order to get in," Zimmer said. "We know there has to be a heightened sense of focus and energy and study time, things like that. You have to make sure bodies are rested and it will be a physical football game on Sunday."