Minnesota Vikings Preview and Prediction

Team Preview

The Minnesota Vikings have gone through a lot in the past couple of NFL seasons. Let's rewind to the 2015 season when the Teddy Bridgewater-led Vikings finished with an 11-5 mark before losing in heartbreaking fashion to the Seattle Seahawks in the wild card round of the postseason. Fast-forward to the preseason of the following year (2016-17 season) and Bridgewater suffered a freak, non-contact injury that caused him to miss the entire season and at least the start of the upcoming one.

Believing the team could still compete for a playoff spot last year, the Vikings traded for Philadelphia Eagle quarterback Sam Bradford. The move certainly helped Minnesota as the team posted a 8-8 record last season. The record left the team short of the playoffs, but that's not the thing that worries me for the start of the 2017-18 season. It's the fact that the Vikings started 5-0, then lost eight of their final 11 games.

Bradford again will lead the charge this season, at least to start the season. A year ago, Bradford passed for 3,877 yards and 20 touchdowns while only tossing five interceptions. His 71.6 completion percentage was the best in the NFL as the team's passing game ranked in the middle of the league. If Bradford can put up similar numbers to what he did last year and the Vikings are winning some games, the team might then play it cautious with Bridgewater and give him the entire year off again.

At wide receiver, 2015 fifth-rounder Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen lead the way after each recording over 900 receiving yards last year. Thielen scored five touchdowns while Diggs added three. I'd expect each receiver to put up similar numbers again this season, especially if 2016 first round pick Laquon Treadwell can become a presence alongside them. Michael Floyd could take the WR corps to a new level following a four-game suspension to open the season.

Tight end Kyle Rudolph enjoyed a breakout season of his own last year, piling up 840 yards and seven touchdowns on 83 receptions. Expect Rudloph to be targeted often in the red zone as he was Bradford's most trusted target a year ago, earning a team-high 132 targets.

The reason the Vikings did not make the postseason a year ago? A lot of that had to do with their running game, or lack thereof. The Vikings ranked dead last in rushing yards per game (75.3). To fix the problem, Minnesota let longtime RB Adrian Peterson walk away in free agency and drafted highly-talented RB Dalvin Cook in the second round of the 2017 NFL Draft. The draft pick was a surprising one after the team signed Latavius Murray to a three-year deal. Cook seems to have the starting spot locked up but I'd expect Murray to receive a good amount of touches per game as well. Jerick McKinnon, the team's leading rusher a season ago, may be limited to playing on third down but also could find a role in the passing game after collecting 43 receptions last year.

On defense, the duo of linebacker Eric Kendricks and safety Harrison Smith leads a unit that allowed the third-least amount of yards per game last year. The defense allowed just 208 yards per game. Kendricks collected 109 total tackles while Smith added 91.

Joining Kendricks at LB is Anthony Barr (70 tackles) while Linval Joseph (77 tackles, 4 sacks) mans the defensive line. Fellow d-lineman Danielle Hunter broke out for a 12 ½-sack season while Everson Griffen and Brian Robison added 8 and 7 ½ more sacks, respectively.

Andrew Sendejo (69 tackles), Trae Waynes and Xavier Rhodes round out the talented secondary while Mackensie Alexander and Terence Newman should also play vital roles in trying to shut down opposing passing games. If the defensive core can stay healthy, the team should be in a position to win each game.

2017-18 Schedule/Predictions 1 - vs New Orleans Saints (L) 2 - at Pittsburgh Steelers (L) 3 - vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers (L) 4 - vs Detroit Lions (L) 5 - at Chicago Bears (W) 6 - vs Green Bay Packers (L) 7 - vs Baltimore Ravens (W) 8 - at Cleveland Browns (W) 9 - BYE 10 - at Washington Redskins (L) 11 - vs Los Angeles Rams (W) 12 - at Detroit Lions (L) 13 - at Atlanta Falcons (L)

14 - at Carolina Panthers (L) 15 - vs Cincinnati Bengals (W) 16 - at Green Bay Packers (L) 17 - vs Chicago Bears (W) Season Record: 6-10, 2-4 NFC North

The NFL schedule makers did not do the Vikings any favors and its possible that Minnesota doesn't earn a win until a week five matchup with the Chicago Bears. Weeks 7-11 is a stretch of games the Vikings are going to need to win if they want to be in the playoff hunt. But, I think the tough start to the schedule and a brutal three-game road trip in weeks 12-14 will be too much to overcome. If the season plays out as I expect it does, the next offseason could be very interesting for the Minnesota Vikings.

Next NFC Team Up - New Orleans Saints

Sources not listed in article: ESPN - stats; Ourlads - depth chart; Playoff Predictors - schedule/record projections.

#MinnesotaVikings