MINNESOTA VIKINGS 2021 WIN PREDICTION

BY ADAM GREENE

There’s a saying, often attributed to Albert Einstein, that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. That pretty much sums up the Minnesota Vikings since being taken over by Mike Zimmer in 2014. They hover around mediocrity with a below average, yet overpaid quarterback, and get lucky with a playoff berth every couple of years.

If the pattern holds true, Zimmer will have the Vikings back in the Wild Card this season. Here’s the problem. I don’t think it will. There was always something helping Zimmer’s Vikes along the way, whether it be Mike McCarthy’s head coaching in Green Bay to Todd Gurley getting injured and Jared Goff regressing in Los Angeles. It never felt like, regardless of their regular season record, that Minnesota was a legitimate contender or really deserved to be in the playoffs. Regardless of how many flukey, last second games they won.

But, hey, all the Vikings have to do to prove all the naysayers wrong, of which I am one, is to win it all. Or, at least, win a playoff game without some crazy miracle.

MINNESOTA VIKINGS

Last season: 7-9, 3^rd place NFC North

2021 odds: over 9 wins -130, under 9 wins +100

2021 NFL Draft: Christian Darrisaw, OT, Virginia Tech – Round 1, Kellen Mond, QB, Texas A&M – Round 3, Chazz Surratt, LB, North Carolina – Round 3, Wyatt Davis, OG, Ohio State – Round 3, Patrick Jones II, DE, Pittsburgh – Round 3, Kene Nwanwu, RB, Iowa State – Round 4, Camryn Bynum, CB, California – Round 4, Janarius Robinson, DE, Florida State – Round 4, Ihmir Smith-Marsette, WR, Iowa – Round 5, Zach Davidson, TE, Central Missouri – Round 5, Jaylen Twyman, DT, Pittsburgh – Round 6

UDFAs: Turner Bernard, LS – San Diego State, Tuf Borland, LB – Ohio State, Christian Elliss, LB – Idaho, Zeandae Johnson, DT – California

Acquisitions: Patrick Peterson, CB – Free Agent, Sheldon Richardson, DL – Free Agent, Stephen Weatherly, Edge – Free Agent, Mackensie Alexander, CB – Free Agent, Beshaud Breeland, CB – Free Agent, Nick Vigil, LB – Free Agent, Dalvin Tomlinson, DL – Free Agent, Tye Smith, CB – Free Agent, Mason Cole, C – Trade, Parry Nickerson, CB – Free Agent,  Xavier Woods, Safety – Free Agent

Key Losses: Anthony Harris – Safety, Kyle Rudolph – TE, Riley Reiff – LT, Shamar Stephen – DL, Dan Bailey – K, Eric Wilson – LB, Mike Hughes – CB, Sean Mannion – QB, George Iloka – Safety, Brett Jones – C, Hardy Nickerson – LB, Chris Jones – CB, Ifeadi Odenigbo – Edge, Mike Boone – RB

PRESUMED STARTERS

QB: Kirk Cousins

RB: Dalvin Cook

WR: Adam Thielen

WR: Justin Jefferson

WR: Chad Beebe

TE: Irv Smith Jr.

LT: Christian Darrisaw

LG: Dakota Dozier

C: Garrett Bradbury

RG: Ezra Cleveland

RT: Brian O’Neill

LDE: Danielle Hunter

LDT: Michael Pierce

RDT: Delvin Tomlinson

RDE: D.J. Wonnum

OLB: Nick Vigil

MLB: Eric Kendricks

OLB: Anthony Barr

CB: Cameron Dantzler

CB: Patrick Peterson

SS: Harrison Smith

FS: Xavier Woods

K: Greg Joseph

P: Britton Colquitt

FORECAST

Since we’re in the NFC North, the specter of Aaron Rodgers, and his future, looms large in pretty much every team’s record. The Vikings, under Zimmer, have been a .500 team in spirit, if not in record, since he took over seven seasons ago. Rodgers being out of the division could once again move them up the standings, but they’ll have to get by the rest of their schedule first. It won’t be easy.

Minnesota is looking at a hard 1-3 start, with games at the Arizona Cardinals, and hosting the Seattle Seahawks and Cleveland Browns. They open at the Cincinnati Bengals and, if I was picking that game today, I’d go with Cincy. So 1-3 might be generous.

The truly brutal stretch comes at the end, in their final five games, when they host the Pittsburgh Steelers, then travel to the Chicago Bears, host the Los Angeles Rams, go to Green Bay and then have the Bears at home.

Final Record Prediction: 6-11

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