Despite only being predicted to win 6.5 games by the sportsbooks, the Minnesota Vikings are sitting at 10-2 with a real chance to win the NFC North.

In order to get there and win the division, the Vikings aren't just going to have to beat the Detroit Lions, they will also need a little bit of help from the likes of the Buffalo Bills and San Francisco 49ers.

As things currently sit, the Vikings have a really good football team and they proved it with a 23-22 win over the Arizona Cardinals. Are the Vikings truly a top five team in the National Football League? The latest NFL Power Rankings have a varied opinion of just that.

---

ESPN's NFL Nation

Last week: 5
This week: 6

First-time Pro Bowl nominee: Linebacker Jonathan Greenard

Greenard has been one of the NFL's best pass rushers. He is tied for fourth in the league with 10 sacks, and his 36 pressures rank 11th. Greenard also has made the transition from a classic 4-3 defensive end to an outside linebacker role that has required him to drop into coverage an average of three times per game — all while playing a career-high 81.3% of his team's defensive snaps. — Kevin Seifert

---

Yahoo! Sports' Frank Schwab

Last week: 7
This week: 5

The Vikings need to figure out their run game. On Sunday their running backs had 46 yards on 11 carries. Aaron Jones is in a slump, and that included a lost fumble. Yet Minnesota continues to win as they figure out how to fix that.

---

CBS Sports' Pete Prisco

Last week: 5
This week: 5

They win a lot of close games, but isn't that a sign of a good team? You are what your record says you are, so I guess they are pretty good.

---

NFL.com's Eric Edholm

Last week: 6
This week: 5

The Vikings' defense bent but didn't break Sunday, holding the Cardinals to one touchdown in six red-zone possessions and limiting Arizona to three points in the final 19-plus minutes. Minnesota's D was on the field for a whopping 77 plays, blitzing often, and had to be physically whipped, especially coming off a grueling overtime win in Chicago the week prior. But this game really was about Sam Darnold and the offense also stepping up after a slow start, delivering two huge drives late. It wasn't pretty at all, as the Cardinals controlled things for most of the afternoon, but the Vikings moved to 10-2 and all but locked up a playoff spot. The division isn't lost yet, and amazingly, neither is the No. 1 seed in the NFC. The Vikings are a somewhat-flawed operation, but you can't argue much with the results: 10 wins, plus a two-point home loss to the Lions and a 10-point road loss to the Rams that they had a shot to tie up late.

---

USA Today's Nate Davis

Last week: 8
This week: 9

A 10-2 squad probably deserves a little more respect and air time. But the Vikes are also riding a five-game heater – warmer? – in which their average margin of victory is 5.4 points against opponents who are all currently .500 or (much) worse. Next up? A visit from the 6-6 Falcons and old friend Kirk Cousins.

---

The Sporting News' Vinnie Iyer

Last week: 5
This week: 5

The Vikings play strong complementary defense and have their passing offense and pass defense going at the right time. They can build on their five-game winning streak before seeing the Packers and Lions again in the final two games.

---

Bleacher Report's NFL Staff

Last week: 5
This week: 5

The Vikings must be proactive in their problem-solving before the playoffs. Running back Aaron Jones has a ball-security issue, having lost three fumbles (two) over the last three weeks. Minnesota has done a good job with its commitment to the ground game, minimizing the number of times turnover-prone Sam Darnold has to throw downfield, but Cam Akers and Ty Chandler should be more involved in the Vikings' run game. — Maurice Moton

---

Sports Illustrated's Conor Orr

Last week: 5
This week: 4

I went back and watched all of Sam Darnold’s sacks, as I’m seeing that bundled into this chorus of uncertainty about the team’s bridge quarterback. On four of those five sacks, there was almost nothing he could do to avoid the pressure. While Darnold definitely missed some throws—I thought he had Trent Sherfield on a deep shot on the play where Aaron Jones fumbled—he’s so much more decisive than he used to be and is only getting better. 

---

The Ringer's Diante Lee

Last week: 8
This week: 8

Ninety-nine percent of the time, I would write off a team that was down six points with the game on the line and starting Sam Darnold at quarterback. This time, though, I watched the Vikings offense easily move the ball into their opponent's territory, get receiver Justin Jefferson wide open on fourth down, and get running back Aaron Jones into the end zone untouched a few plays after.

For all of Darnold’s flaws (and they’ve nearly cost this team several games this season), there’s something to be said for what O’Connell has done to maximize his quarterback’s best traits. I may not believe in this team as much as the rest of the top of the NFC, but I do trust it to execute when the pressure is highest.

---

Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio

Last week: 6
This week: 5

At some point, their luck is going to run out.

---

The Athletic's Josh Kendall

Last week: 6
This week: 5

Worst-case scenario: The Sam Darnold detractors are right

The Vikings quarterback is doing just about all he can to revive his career. He threw for 235 yards and two touchdowns Sunday and is seventh in the league in passer rating (102.5), but even Minnesota fans remain nervous. They were booing an offense that only had six points in the first half Sunday, but Darnold threw both his touchdown passes in the final 17 minutes.

Vikings snap counts from Week 13 win vs. Cardinals show major potential shift on defense

The Vikings are adjusting well on defense