Thank you for submitting questions for this week's Vikings mailbag. You can always send questions to @Andrew_Krammer on Twitter or andrew.krammer@startribune.com, and listen for answers on the weekly Access Vikings podcast or find them here on Friday mornings. Let's get to it.
Q: Looking ahead to Vikings remaining games in ESPN’s Football Power Index, they should go 6-2. Looking at teams above them for final wild-card spots, it’s the 49ers, Rams, Bears. They all have tough schedules ahead. Playoffs possible? — Anthony
AK:Why not? A week ago in this space, we discussed whether you’d want to go 7-9 or 3-13, but that’s discounting the possibility of the Vikings only losing, let’s say, two games (at Bucs, Saints) the rest of the way while getting three tough wins against the Bears (x2) and a plucky Panthers team, beating the Cowboys, Lions and Jags like you’re supposed to, and finishing 9-7.