{"id":18009,"date":"2021-07-13T13:56:40","date_gmt":"2021-07-13T13:56:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.betonline.ag\/news-room\/?p=18009"},"modified":"2021-07-13T13:56:42","modified_gmt":"2021-07-13T13:56:42","slug":"minnesota-vikings-2021-win-prediction","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.betonline.ag\/news-room\/nfl\/minnesota-vikings-2021-win-prediction\/","title":{"rendered":"MINNESOTA VIKINGS 2021 WIN PREDICTION"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

BY ADAM GREENE<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If the pattern holds true, Zimmer will have the Vikings back in the Wild Card this season. Here\u2019s the problem. I don\u2019t think it will. There was always something helping Zimmer\u2019s Vikes along the way, whether it be Mike McCarthy\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

MINNESOTA<\/strong> VIKINGS<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Last season:<\/strong> 7-9, 3rd<\/sup> place NFC North<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2021 odds:<\/strong> over 9 wins -130, under 9 wins +100<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

2021 NFL Draft:<\/strong> Christian Darrisaw, OT, Virginia Tech \u2013 Round 1, Kellen Mond, QB, Texas A&M \u2013 Round 3, Chazz Surratt, LB, North Carolina \u2013 Round 3, Wyatt Davis, OG, Ohio State \u2013 Round 3, Patrick Jones II, DE, Pittsburgh \u2013 Round 3, Kene Nwanwu, RB, Iowa State \u2013 Round 4, Camryn Bynum, CB, California \u2013 Round 4, Janarius Robinson, DE, Florida State \u2013 Round 4, Ihmir Smith-Marsette, WR, Iowa \u2013 Round 5, Zach Davidson, TE, Central Missouri \u2013 Round 5, Jaylen Twyman, DT, Pittsburgh \u2013 Round 6<\/p>\n\n\n\n

UDFAs:<\/strong> Turner Bernard, LS \u2013 San Diego State, Tuf Borland, LB \u2013 Ohio State, Christian Elliss, LB \u2013 Idaho, Zeandae Johnson, DT \u2013 California<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Acquisitions:<\/strong> Patrick Peterson, CB \u2013 Free Agent, Sheldon Richardson, DL \u2013 Free Agent, Stephen Weatherly, Edge \u2013 Free Agent, Mackensie Alexander, CB \u2013 Free Agent, Beshaud Breeland, CB \u2013 Free Agent, Nick Vigil, LB \u2013 Free Agent, Dalvin Tomlinson, DL \u2013 Free Agent, Tye Smith, CB \u2013 Free Agent, Mason Cole, C \u2013 Trade, Parry Nickerson, CB \u2013 Free Agent,  Xavier Woods, Safety \u2013 Free Agent<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Key Losses:<\/strong> Anthony Harris \u2013 Safety, Kyle Rudolph \u2013 TE, Riley Reiff \u2013 LT, Shamar Stephen \u2013 DL, Dan Bailey \u2013 K, Eric Wilson \u2013 LB, Mike Hughes \u2013 CB, Sean Mannion \u2013 QB, George Iloka \u2013 Safety, Brett Jones \u2013 C, Hardy Nickerson \u2013 LB, Chris Jones \u2013 CB, Ifeadi Odenigbo \u2013 Edge, Mike Boone \u2013 RB<\/p>\n\n\n\n

PRESUMED STARTERS<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

QB:<\/strong> Kirk Cousins<\/p>\n\n\n\n

RB:<\/strong> Dalvin Cook<\/p>\n\n\n\n

WR:<\/strong> Adam Thielen<\/p>\n\n\n\n

WR:<\/strong> Justin Jefferson<\/p>\n\n\n\n

WR:<\/strong> Chad Beebe<\/p>\n\n\n\n

TE:<\/strong> Irv Smith Jr.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

LT:<\/strong> Christian Darrisaw<\/p>\n\n\n\n

LG:<\/strong> Dakota Dozier<\/p>\n\n\n\n

C:<\/strong> Garrett Bradbury<\/p>\n\n\n\n

RG:<\/strong> Ezra Cleveland<\/p>\n\n\n\n

RT:<\/strong> Brian O\u2019Neill<\/p>\n\n\n\n

LDE:<\/strong> Danielle Hunter<\/p>\n\n\n\n

LDT:<\/strong> Michael Pierce<\/p>\n\n\n\n

RDT:<\/strong> Delvin Tomlinson<\/p>\n\n\n\n

RDE:<\/strong> D.J. Wonnum<\/p>\n\n\n\n

OLB:<\/strong> Nick Vigil<\/p>\n\n\n\n

MLB:<\/strong> Eric Kendricks<\/p>\n\n\n\n

OLB:<\/strong> Anthony Barr<\/p>\n\n\n\n

CB:<\/strong> Cameron Dantzler<\/p>\n\n\n\n

CB:<\/strong> Patrick Peterson<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SS: <\/strong>Harrison Smith<\/p>\n\n\n\n

FS:<\/strong> Xavier Woods<\/p>\n\n\n\n

K:<\/strong> Greg Joseph<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P:<\/strong> Britton Colquitt<\/p>\n\n\n\n

FORECAST<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since we\u2019re in the NFC North, the specter of Aaron Rodgers, and his future, looms large in pretty much every team\u2019s 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\u2019ll have to get by the rest of their schedule first. It won\u2019t be easy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u2019d go with Cincy. So 1-3 might be generous.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Final Record Prediction:<\/strong> 6-11<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The NFL season begins on Thursday, Sep. 9 and the Week 1 Schedule is already up and taking bets at BetOnline.AG<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Follow our BetOnline Twitter accoun<\/a>t for the latest sports news and betting odds, and stay tuned on the Instagram feed<\/a> for more good information too.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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