The Minnesota Vikings have had a long hard road since they came into existence in the NFL in 1961- they have not had a whole lot of Championship success in that time frame. With a 0-4 SuperBowl record, the Vikes struggled to get the deal done when they got there, having arrived in the big game in 1969, 1973, 1974 and 1976. Not to mention the disastrous 1998 season where they went 15-1 during the season, and lost in the NFC championship, then, of course, in 2009 with the “Bounty Gate” scandal that knocked them out.
The Vikes have a proud history with a lot of great players. Randy Moss, Adrian Peterson, Fran Tarkenton, and Paul Krause are just a few. But can they actually get it done, and is this the year for them to shock the world?
Here are a few reasons why, believe it or not, the Minnesota Vikings could do just that.
They have an elite receiving crew.
Justin Jefferson is a generational talent who appears to be on the verge of an amazing career. There’s not a lot more you can say about a WR like Jefferson, who has 35 TDs and 6937 yards in just 72 games played.
Jordan Addison showed great promise with 10 TD receptions in 2023, and 575 yds and 4 TDs this season, with his blazing speed, he is looking like he’s going to be another stud. TJ Hockenson is easily either one of the most underrated TEs in the NFL, or he’s one of the top 3 TEs in the NFL, depending on who you listen to. Either way, we’re talking about a guy who is more than just “a guy” for this team.
They have formidable OTs.
Being able to keep your QB upright of course, is key for any team to have success. Having had QB Kirk Cousins at the helm for 6 seasons, he wasn’t the most mobile of guys in the backfield, they really built some good big guys to try and protect him from pass rushers. LT Christian Darrisaw has been excellent in his 48 games, and now with his injury setback – they grabbed up 8yr vet, 335 lb Cam Robinson at LT, tagging him up with RT Brian O’Neal and you have 700 lb of power, footwork, and intelligence.
They have a young core of players.
WR Star Justin Jefferson is only 25.
WR Addison is a mere 22 years old.
LB Ivan Pace is 24, and Safety Cam Bynum is 26.
Having a young group of stars on the team like this, shows that they have a great base and a drive for the future. The game is still fresh and new to them and they’re filled with hope and ambition. Along with the fact that they drafted JJ McCarthy, who is only 21 years old, as their potential franchise QB, shows they are ready to go in a fresh direction, when he is healed and ready.
The QB position is looking solid, and I think that people who think that Sam Darnold is not a good quarterback, tend to overlook the fact that he’s never had any kind of offensive guys around him remotely close to the talent Minnesota has given him. Pair that up with a great offensive minded coach like Kevin O’Connell, the 27 yr old QB has surprised more than a few people with his play this season. Darnold currently sits at 6th in yds /attempt, 5th in TD passes and 7th in passer rating.
Quietly having a fantastic season.
Is it probable or even likely, that the Vikings will win the Super Bowl this year?
No.
Because they are still a young team and they are still getting their feet under them. But every year there’s a team that takes the league by surprise. And quite honestly, why not Minnesota?
12-2 isn’t a bad start and the Vegas Odds continue to come down.