Questions Answered: Who to Cheer for on Sunday, Akayleb Evans, 2-Horse Race for OPOY
Questions Answered: Who to Cheer for on Sunday, Akayleb Evans, 2-Horse Race for OPOY
The following questions are about current Minnesota Vikings topics, answered by PurplePTSD. Today is the November 26th 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.
[brid autoplay=”true” video=”1190805″ player=”26281″ title=”WATCH%203%20ways%20to%20fix%20the%20Green%20Bay%20Packers” duration=”89″ description=”Sure there’s still a fighting chance here. But losing at home in this manner mere days after a season-saving win pretty much puts the death knell on the Packers’ playoff hopes. If that is indeed the case, there’s a lot that needs to be fixed ahead of the 2023 season. Here’s a look at three things the Packers must do.” uploaddate=”2022-11-22″ thumbnailurl=”https://cdn.brid.tv/live/partners/17660/snapshot/1190767_sd_1669078874.jpg” contentUrl=”https://cdn.brid.tv/live/partners/17660/streaming/1190767/1190767.m3u8″ width=”16″ height=”9″]
Q: Which teams should Vikings fans cheer for on Sunday?
A: The Packers, Buccaneers, and Saints.
Follow our methodology here, as it’s a little goofy. The Vikings should want the Packers to win — it feels weird putting that out in open space — because it would add another loss for the Eagles, who the Vikings are fighting for homefield advantage throughout the postseason. If Minnesota wants the playoffs to run through U.S. Bank Stadium, it must finish with a better record than Philadelphia (or Dallas if the Cowboys catch up with the Eagles).
Then, Vikings fans should want the Buccaneers to bolster their lead in the NFC South with a win over Cleveland. Why? Well, nobody wants Tampa Bay to slide into the wildcard spots for a potential Vikings trip in Round 1 of the playoffs. Would you like to face Tom Brady in the Vikings first postseason game? That’s a nope in these parts.
Finally, the Saints play the 49ers, and the Vikings would be best served with San Francisco losing another game. They’re going to win the NFC West, but in the event the Vikings drop a couple of more games, Vikings fans don’t want the 49ers to lock up the No. 2 seed over Minnesota. Keep the 49ers at a distance.
Green Bay, Tampa Bay, and New Orleans is the cheer-for menu on Sunday.
Q: Will the Vikings get Akayleb Evans back for the Jets game?
A: In all likelihood, yes.
The Vikings coaching staff was cautious with Evans because of the concussion. However, Minnesota has a lengthy layoff because of the Thanksgiving game, giving Evans extra time to pass concussion protocol.
Duke Shelley played decent against the Patriots, but Evans is probably a better starting corner until Cameron Dantzler returns.
Q: Is Justin Jefferson back on track to win the Offensive Player of the Year award?
A: Yes and no.
Jefferson bounced back emphatically from the awful Cowboys experience, tabulating 9 receptions for 139 yards and a touchdown against New England.
But Tyreek Hill is still the frontrunner by a whisker to win Offensive Player of the Year. Per sportsbooks, Hill has +250 odds to win the award, whereas Jefferson is at +275 as of November 26th.
It’s a two-horse race. If Jefferson avoids quiet games among the next six contests, he’ll win the thing.
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).