Questions Answered: Booth’s Injury, Waiting on Reagor, a Playoff Path
Dustin Baker
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The following questions are about current Minnesota Vikings topics, answered by PurplePTSD. Today is the October 8th edition, addressed in a from-the-hip fashion. If you have questions, please email them to [email protected].
Also, please note: These are opinion-based responses. Some answers will be incorrect from time to time. But we’ll try to keep that to a minimum.
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Q: Do you expect the Vikings to quickly fold Andrew Booth into the defense after his injury recovery?
A: No — not quickly.
Even before his Week 1 quad injury, Booth was listed as the team’s CB5 or CB6. Fellow rookie Akayleb Evans passed him on the depth chart before the season began. Ergo, Booth should be gradually acclimated to the Vikings defense. He wasn’t a stellar performer in the preseason.
It’s essential for him to see action soon — he’s questionable for Week 5 — and begin his rookie maturation, but we don’t expect to him see oodles of defensive snaps, even when healthy.
Q: If Jalen Reagor hasn’t been used much on offense through four games, is this just kind of the way it’s going to be?
A: Reagor’s usage would spike on offense if the Vikings encounter injury at WR.
So, let’s hope he “isn’t needed,” meaning Justin Jefferson, Adam Thielen, and K.J. Osborn stay upright. The Vikings have many mouths to feed on offense, and Reagor is basically a perk — one that returns punts.
Perhaps Kevin O’Connell finds more unique ways to use Reagor as he adjusts to the Vikings offense, but don’t expect too much.
Q: How likely are the Vikings to reach the playoffs if they beat the Bears on Sunday?
A: About 78% or higher.
Since the NFL expanded to six teams in the playoffs 32 years ago, 77.5% of teams that start a season 4-1 reach the postseason. Minnesota is 3-1 through four weeks. Beating the Bears on Sunday would firmly plant the franchise in the postseason driver’s seat. If they started 4-1 and missed the playoffs, that would mark a colossal meltdown.
Moreover, the NFL allows seven teams per conference now, so the odds are even better.
On the other hand, if Minnesota dinks around and loses to Chicago, that since-1990 stat falls to 49.1%. About half of 3-2 teams in the last three decades visit the playoff tournament.
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Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sally from Minneapolis. His Viking fandom dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ and The Doors (the band).