Minnesota Vikings Schedule Prediction: The Purple Start Strong

Adam Thielen
Dec 20, 2020; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Adam Thielen (19) celebrates his touchdown in the first quarter against the Chicago Bears at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports

Earlier in the offseason, I published a four-part season prediction series on The Vikings Gazette. The idea was to break down the schedule, offering up an educated guess for how the year might go. I’m republishing it on Purple PTSD since the season will soon be here. Some of the details are now a little off, but hopefully these pieces can still offer some insight and entertainment. Enjoy.

You can find the full schedule on the official Vikings Twitter account.

Game #1: Sept. 12, Noon, at Cincinnati

Zim gets to go against his former team on the road. We get to see Danielle Hunter go against Riley Reiff (advantage = Hunter). We get to see Joe Burrow after Jefferson said he has more swagger than Kirk Cousins. One wonders if Cousins will be even more motivated to show that he is a top-tier QB. The only way for Cousins to actually quiet the critics rests in going out and leading us to wins (and lots of them). The Bengals have great talent at receiver, but there’s simply no way they should hang with the Vikings. This should – emphasis on should – be win #1.

Prediction: Vikings 31 – Bengals 20

Game #2: Sept. 19, 3:05 p.m., at Arizona

Week 2 is going to be a tough test. It’s our second week in a row on the road and it comes against an up-and-coming team in the NFC. Kyler Murray is a handful, and Deandre Hopkins will be a real test for Pat Pete. Moreover, the word on the street is that the J.J. Watt – Chandler Jones duo are going to be formidable. The news about Christian Darrisaw may be encouraging, but this is a tough test. For Minnesota to be successful, they’ll need to make Arizona one-dimensional on offense and then find a way to neutralize a pass rush that will be too much for the young tackles. I’d be happy to be wrong here, but Arizona’s strengths align with our weaknesses. I’m expecting a tough game.

Prediction: Arizona 28 – Vikings 24

Game #3: Sept. 26, 3:25 p.m., Seattle

We live in a topsy-turvy world, folks. When it comes to Minnesota versus Seattle, I always expect heartbreak. It happened last year; we dominated the game and still lost. It’s actually astonishing how we continue to find ways to poop the bed in Seattle. Fortunately, this game is at home, so we’ve got the chance to poop the bed in Minnesota. I can’t believe I’m saying (writing?) this, but I’m rolling with Minnesota here. Maybe it’s the poor sleep last night or the abundance of caffeine I’ve had before working on this piece, but I think the Vikings finally breakthrough. Again, topsy-turvy world. I’m rolling with an unusual score prediction to commemorate this odd event.

Prediction: Minnesota 22 – Seattle 18

Game #4: Oct. 3, Noon, Cleveland

Two games on the road; two games at home. Well done, schedule makers. In Week 4, Stefanski has the chance to get revenge on the Vikings. He doesn’t really strike me as being particularly bitter; NFL coaches can be an odd bunch, but Stefanski seems like a level-headed, well-adjusted human being. In any case, expect Stefanski to have something special planned for Minnesota for no reason other than his intimate knowledge of how things work within our organization. Similar to the Arizona game, Minnesota will need to contend with a formidable edge rush duo. Cleveland boasts more talent in the secondary, though, and their run game will be a real test for Minnesota’s rebuilt defense. As much as I see these factors and acknowledge them as valid, I just can’t bring myself to take the Browns seriously. Vikings win.

Prediction: Vikings 35 – Cleveland 24

Minnesota Vikings Schedule Prediction Recap: Minnesota sits at 3-1 heading into Week 5.

This article originally appeared on one of our partner sites: VikingsGazette.com. Check out The Vikings Gazette and follow them on Twitter and on Facebook for more exclusive Minnesota Vikings content and analysis!

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