Bleacher Report Takes Shot at Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings last won the NFC North in 2022, the first year under Kevin O’Connell’s command. In 2023, Kirk Cousins’ injury ended all hopes of winning the division, but last season, the franchise was just one win away.
Bleacher Report Takes Shot at Vikings
Surprisingly, despite the quarterback turnover from the established passer Cousins to bust Sam Darnold, the Vikings entered Week 18 with a 14-2 record. Usually, that is enough to win the division, but the Detroit Lions were just as good and clinched the North at home with a second victory over O’Connell’s enterprise.
Following the 14-3 season, the club is obviously aiming to capture the division crown in 2025. Bleacher Report, however, isn’t optimistic.
BR’s Moe Moton predicted the fourth-placed team in each division, and the Vikings got the undesirable nod in the North.
His explanation, “The Minnesota Vikings will go from one of the league’s biggest surprise playoff teams in 2024 to a disappointing squad this year. Though head coach Kevin O’Connell has proved himself to be a quality play-caller, he can’t wave a magic wand to expedite first-year starter J.J. McCarthy’s development.”
There’s little doubt that the squad will go as far as McCarthy takes them. He doesn’t have to be Superman to take a stacked team into the playoffs, but he still needs to be an average quarterback, and first-year starters are total mysteries. Sure, the sophomore could just be promising from the get-go, but he might need a few weeks, months, or even years to reach that level. Therefore, being cautious this offseason is a reasonable approach for Vikings fans.
More from Moton: “The 22-year-old is coming off a lost rookie year in which he needed multiple surgeries to repair a torn meniscus from last August. He has to get back into playing shape while building a rapport with his teammates. The Vikings have the supporting cast to help McCarthy’s learning curve with Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison and T.J. Hockenson in the pass-catching group. Minnesota attempted to strengthen the offensive line by adding rookie first-round guard Donovan Jackson, four-time Pro Bowl center Ryan Kelly and guard Will Fries.”
There’s reason for optimism, too. The passer enters an offense that is loaded all over the place, featuring a revamped offensive line, a new running back duo, and a talented receiving trio. Also, O’Connell is mentoring the young signal-caller, which automatically increases his projections by a few touchdowns.
Moton concluded, “The defense may be better than last year’s unit that ranked fifth in scoring and 16th in total yards with Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave on the front line. However, McCarthy’s inexperience could cost the Vikings some games against formidable opponents. Since he became head coach, O’Connell’s rushing offenses have ranked 19th or worse. Without a complementary ground game, the QB could struggle through the first half of the season before he finds his rhythm. The Vikings will hover around .500 until McCarthy makes significant strides.”
The defense is strong on paper, perhaps even better than last year, thanks to the mentioned upgrades on the defensive line. Still, concerns persist in the secondary, with multiple unproven players set to play major roles.
The rushing attack deserves a mention. With McCarthy under center, O’Connell needs to conduct a more balanced offense, but he has yet to coach a good ground game. The new line and the addition of Jordan Mason could help.
Long story short, the roster is better than last year, and the elite coaching staff is still around. If McCarthy can come close to Darnold’s level, the Vikings won’t finish fourth in the division. Because of that “if,” however, fans can’t be too enraged, especially because there’s no projected bad team in the NFC North.