Are the Vikings for real? We'll find out over the next four games

The 2022 Vikings are the 75th team to win at least seven of its first eight games since the NFL expanded its playoff format to 12 teams in 1990. Of those first 74 teams, only two — Washington in 1996 and Chicago in 2012 — missed the playoffs.

They are the eighth Vikings team in franchise history to be at least 7-1 through eight games, joining two teams that reached the division playoffs, three that reached the NFC Championship Game and two that reached the Super Bowl.

Their 4½-game lead in the NFC North is the second-largest division lead through nine weeks in the past 30 years, matching the 2007 Patriots (who went 16-0 before losing Super Bowl XLII) and the 2011 49ers (who lost the NFC Championship Game).

And yet, questions about their legitimacy continue to follow the Vikings. One way or the other, those questions might be resolved within the next month.

The Vikings' next four games are against teams with combined records of 23-10. They will travel to Buffalo on Sunday to face the 6-2 Bills, who've outscored opponents by more points (102) than any team in the NFL.

"This is going to be a real challenge this week," O'Connell said. "I think when you've been able to win some football games that you've had to come from behind or sustain leads, whatever it may be, hopefully we can use some of that success on the road with us against one of the best teams in this league. The expectation is, we've got to play one of our best games this year to go win this thing."

A week later, they'll play the 6-2 Cowboys at home, before a Thanksgiving night matchup against the 5-4 Patriots that pits Kevin O'Connell against Bill Belichick, the coach who drafted him 14 years ago. Then, the 6-3 Jets come to town on Dec. 4.

If the Vikings come out of the four-game stretch with a split, they'll be 9-3 and possibly on the verge of clinching the division title. There's a farfetched scenario, involving three straight wins and two losses each from their division counterparts, that has the Vikings clinching the NFC North at home on Thanksgiving night.

And in addition to answering questions about their legitimacy, a hot stretch could help them stay in the race for the NFC's No. 1 seed with the undefeated Eagles, who dealt the Vikings their one loss and have a comparatively favorable four-game stretch against the Commanders, Colts, Packers and Titans.

That's the best-case scenario for the Vikings. If they don't handle the stretch well, they could lose their chance at the NFC's only first-round bye and give ground to Seattle in the race for the No. 2 seed.

The Vikings could still seal up the division with four games against teams with losing records (the Lions, Colts, Packers and Bears). But to whatever extent questions about playoff mettle can be answered with convincing regular-season victories, the Vikings appear to have more opportunities to prove themselves with wins over their upcoming opponents than with victories over the teams they'll see toward the end of the season.

The Vikings, who have won six straight one-score games, have outscored opponents by only 32 points this season. But in a year where there appear to be few dominant teams in the NFL, the figure puts them near the top of the league. Only two NFC teams (the Eagles and Cowboys) and four AFC teams (the Bills, Chiefs, Bengals and Patriots) have outscored opponents by more.

"I don't think any of us get too concerned with what people are saying about us here in early November," O'Connell said. "You've got to go earn it every week. Whether we win by a field goal at the end of a game, or whether we're able to win with some more comfortable leads, either way, we're a 7-1 football team that truly feels like our best football is ahead of us."

While wide receiver Adam Thielen said, "it's important to play the best and play well against the best," he added the Vikings are not going to treat the Bills game "as the Super Bowl. It's not win-or-go-home."

It does, however, begin a stretch that could have plenty to say about where the Vikings stack up in the NFC playoff race.

"Each week in this league is a big game," Thielen said. "You look back at the end of the season and realize how important maybe one or two games is. You just never know how important a game is going to be until you get to the end of the season."

Do you have a big question about the Vikings? Email it to Ben Goessling, Andrew Krammer or Michael Rand, or tweet it to @AccessVikings and listen for answers on the Access Vikings podcast.