CBS Posts Magnify Vikings Vexation & Fan Futility
K. Joudry
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The Vikings are among the NFL’s best teams at snagging division titles. The Vikings are tied for last place in Super Bowl victories. Both realities exist alongside each other, strange bedfellows that underscore the challenge of cheering for Minnesota.
The Vikings vexation has been an ongoing issue during the Super Bowl era. For far too long, fans have felt a sense of futility. Over at the NFL on CBS social media account – which has 1.1 million followers – there has been some discussion about the issue. A pair of posts highlight the struggle.
Check out Exhibit A:
And Exhibit B:
The Vikings emerge as the disruptor to the correlation between the division and the ultimate crown. Generally speaking, teams that win their division are strong teams. Generally speaking, strong teams eventually find a way to breakthrough to win it all.
So far, the Vikings have defied convention.
Last season’s 13-4 Vikings perfectly encapsulate the issue. Climbing to such a gaudy win total suggests that Minnesota possessed an elite squad and yet the performance against the Giants underscored how off base that conclusion was. Kevin O’Connell’s opening season as a head coach devolved from NFC North champion to first-round flop in a hurry.
The upcoming season offers yet another opportunity to overcome the years of heartbreak. Currently, the Detroit Lions are getting all the hype, but if they keep losing players to gambling suspensions Minnesota may get catapulted back on top. Chicago has made improvements, but they’re likely a long way from contention and the Packers are a total wild card.
Minnesota’s schedule features great teams like the Eagles (Week 2), Chiefs (Week 5), 49ers (Week 7), and Bengals (Week 15). Sprinkle in a couple tough games against the Lions (Week 16 & 18) alongside the Chargers game (Week 3) and the team has a reasonably robust lineup of opponents. Asserting themselves as the top team in the North won’t be without struggle.
Minnesota is going to need the offense to rise from “Very Good” to “Elite” as their defense goes from “Disaster” to “Decent.” Doing so could very reasonably result in a win-range of 10-12 games, which should be more than enough to snag consecutive NFC North crowns for the first time since 2008 and 2009.
And the Lombardi? Well, let’s cross that bridge if/when we get there.
