Minnesota Vikings – 2015 Super Bowl Chances
The Minnesota Vikings won 5 games last season and it is going to be hard to improve on that total this season. Overall I think this team is poised to get to a more competitive level in the near future but with their top pick at QB not quite ready for prime time it will be at least another season before improvement shows up in the form of wins and losses.
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2014 Minnesota Vikings Preview
Coach: Mike Zimmer
2013 Record: 5-10-1
Vikings Betting Odds to win NFC North: 16/1
Vikings Betting Odds to win Super Bowl: 100/1
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Vikings Strengths
The most obvious strength of the team is running back Adrian Peterson. I know that he does not always have the most yards at the end of the season but when it comes to handing off the ball and getting yards he is the best for me – all due respect to Shady McCoy.
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For this team to succeed they need to get him going.
The best unit on the team is probably special teams for Minnesota. The kicker/punter combo of Blair Walsh and Jeff Locke is very good, with Walsh having shown some serious leg over the course of just two seasons. The return game is very productive too with receiver Cordarelle Patterson providing some excitement and making the Pro Bowl as a returner as a rookie.
I don’t think they are going to turn the corner just yet but youth is on their side and their future looks promising. If QB Teddy Bridgewater was the right choice he can lead a nucleus of young players whose best seasons are still ahead of them.
Other than Peterson, their best players are all pretty young.
Vikings Weaknesses
At the moment Matt Cassell is going to start the season at QB. Though that is probably not a bad idea for the development of Bridgewater it also means that the Vikings are not going to have a precision passing attack. Until Bridgewater is in and excels the Vikings will be in the lowest tier of quarterback play.
Pick your defensive unit. The Vikings didn’t retain Jared Allen losing their best at pressuring the quarterback.
As a replacement for Allen they are hoping that Everson Griffen can graduate to the next level. He is going to have to double his production without the aid of a bookend like Allen.
The defensive line is not going to be very disruptive.
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The linebacking group is only marginally better but it has more potential if top pick Anthony Barr can be an immediate disruptive presence. The other two slots will be filled by Jasper Brinkley and Chad Greenway, two productive players who almost never make a highlight reel.
They lack the high level of athleticism to gamble out there.
Minnesota Vikings 2014 Prediction: 6-10
Vikings 2014 NFL Schedule:
- 9/4/14 8:30 PM ET @SEA
- 9/14/14 4:25 PM ET NYJ
- 9/21/14 1:00 PM ET @DET
- 9/28/14 1:00 PM ET @CHI
- 10/2/14 8:25 PM ET MIN
- 10/12/14 1:00 PM ET @MIA
- 10/19/14 1:00 PM ET CAR
- 10/26/14 8:30 PM ET @NO
- BYE
- 11/9/14 8:30 PM ET CHI
- 11/16/14 1:00 PM ET PHI
- 11/23/14 1:00 PM ET @MIN
- 11/30/14 4:25 PM ET NE
- 12/8/14 8:30 PM ET ATL
- 12/14/14 1:00 PM ET @BUF
- 12/21/14 1:00 PM ET @TB
- 12/28/14 1:00 PM ET DET
Minnesota gets a nice soft start with St. Louis on the road for the opener.
Before the injury to Sam Bradford that was likely a loss but now I think they can take it and winning that first game can make a huge difference. Don’t get too caught up in it though as back to back games against New England and New Orleans will show this team’s true level.
They will probably be in the middle of the pack offensively and defensively this season. One spot I will be looking at is halftime lines. If they are in the lead I am more confident that new coach Mike Zimmerm will lean on Peterson. No more getting cute.
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