Questions Answered: Pro Bowl Snubs, Comeback Hangover, Statement Win

The History of the Vikings Selecting at No. 23 Overall in the NFL Draft
Sep 25, 2022; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings running back Alexander Mattison (2) reacts center Garrett Bradbury (56) and offensive tackle Christian Darrisaw. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports.

The following questions are about current Minnesota Vikings topics, answered by PurplePTSD. Today is the December 22nd 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.

Questions Answered: Pro Bowl Snubs, Comeback Hangover, Statement Win

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Q: Who was the biggest Vikings Pro Bowl snub?

Questions Answered: Pro
Sep 19, 2022; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Minnesota Vikings offensive tackle Christian Darrisaw. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports.

A: Christian Darrisaw. Undoubtedly.

Darrisaw ranks second in the NFL among all tackles according to Pro Football Focus. Unfortunately for his sake, he must dethrone “big name” OTs like Trent Williams and Tristan Wirfs to get a nod.

Darrisaw is a Pro Bowl alternate, so he’ll still likely get the kudos. But his 2022 performance deserves automatic Pro Bowl recognition.

Q: Do you think the Vikings will have a comeback hangover like the one we saw after the win over the Buffalo Bills?

Nov 13, 2022; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Minnesota Vikings linebacker Eric Kendricks at Bills. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports.

A: We’d love to say, “of course not,” but you simply cannot with the 2022 Vikings.

We’ll maintain that “this is time” when they put it all together. But usually, when you feel a certain way about this brand of Vikings — they do the opposite.

Minnesota had a massive hangover against the Dallas Cowboys last month. It would not be surprising to see such a sequence again. But jot us down for no hangover this time.

Q: How about a ‘statement win’ for the Vikings this Saturday?

Oct 30, 2022; Seattle, Washington, USA; New York Giants Adoree Jackson and Dexter Lawrence. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports.

A: As LeBron James said a decade ago, “It’s about damn time.”

It would be wonderful for the Vikings to beat somebody by more than eight points. They just refuse to do it. Minnesota hasn’t beaten a team by more than one score in over three months. They’re 10-0 in one-score games.

The Vikings may play the Giants in Round 1 of the postseason in three weeks. Therefore, it would be nice to beat New York handily this time. We shall see.

Overall, the team is overdue — way overdue — for a statement win that doesn’t involve a ferocious comeback.


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 Sal Spice. His Viking fandom dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ and The Doors (the band).

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