S/P Pt. 2: Vikings Figure Out Who they Are as Season Enters into the Grind
On September 8th, the Vikings will venture over to New York to take on the Giants. The starter’s pistol will sound and the 2024 season will be underway. Will the Vikings figure out a way to overcome the widespread doubt?
In the opening piece, I projected a modest 2-2 record for Minnesota after the opening four weeks. Moving ahead means projecting how the Vikings will do once they really start to form their identity. Games 5-8 will tell us an awful lot about whether Minnesota can make anything out of their 2024 season.
Vikings Figure Out Who they are as Season’s Grind Picks Up
Week 5 — New York Jets (8:30 am, London Game)
Minnesota plays well across the pond. Does that continue against Aaron Rodgers’ Jets, a team with some notable talent all over the field?
Receiver Garrett Wilson, running back Breece Hall, defensive tackle Quinnen Williams, corner Sauce Gardner: all of these guys are top playmakers at their position. No doubt, the Jets game is going to be a difficult one; most will probably roll with Gang Green to pickup the English victory. Allow me to zig while others zag, though, by insisting Minnesota pulls off some magic.
Prediction: Vikings 28 — Jets 27
Week 6 — Bye (Take a Nap)
Week 7 — Detroit Lions (Noon)
Been a while since anyone could say this while being serious, but Dan Campbell’s Detroit Lions look like the best team in the division. Do they struggle, though, coming off of their brutal loss in the NFC Championship Game?
Brad Holmes has done some fantastic work and so, too, has Mr. Campbell. Jared Goff works perfectly with OC Ben Johnson and the skill is abundant, with Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jahmyr Gibbs leading the way. Plus, Marcus Davenport is now on their defense, complementing Aidan Hutchinson and Alim McNeill up front. The positive is simply that Minnesota is at home and coming off of a bye. Give me the upset. By defeating these teams, the Vikings prove that they’re better than most have given them credit for leading into the season.
Prediction: Vikings 23 — Lions 17
Week 8 — at Los Angeles Rams (Thursday Night Football)
Primetime for Mr. O’Connell versus his mentor: Sean McVay.
Los Angeles is coming off a great season where Puka Nacua exploded and Kyren Williams proved to be a great runner. Making things tough, though, is that Aaron Donald has decided to retire, meaning the Rams’ best player is no longer inspiring nightmares in opposing QBs. Minnesota has a shot at proving they’re a top team but I think they wilt on TNF, showing some inconsistency as the season marches on. Matthew Stafford has a good day at the office even as he gets hits a lot.
Prediction: Rams 30 — Vikings 21
Week 9 — Indianapolis Colts (Noon)
Provided his health cooperates, Anthony Richardson will be the main man for the Colts. He’s 6’4″, 244 and ran a 4.43 forty, so Minnesota will need to be sharp.
Helping the sophomore passer is a collection of talent led by running back Jonathan Taylor, receiver Michael Pittman Jr., and tight end Mo Alie-Cox. Plus, the offensive line has some excellent talent while their defense is still seeing DeForest Buckner put in some tip-top work. The Vikings remain maddeningly inconsistent, falling at home to fall to .500. The Vikings are a talented but inconsistent team, leading to the modest record.
Cumulative Record: 4-4
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF helped with this piece.
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K. Joudry is the Senior Editor for Vikings Territory and PurplePTSD. He has been covering the Vikings full time since the summer of 2021. He can be found on Twitter and as a co-host for Notes from the North, a humble Vikings podcast.