FoxSports: Vikings one of NFL's most improved teams this offseason

[comet52]

I'm not sure I would call the Vikings "improved." We're going from Kirk Cousins to Sam Darnold. Just that by itself makes the claim seem ridiculous. 

What's more, people who don't pay attention think of this team as a 7 win team. That's how many games we won. But this was a 10 to 11 win playoff team who lost its starting QB and used 4 different QBs the last half of the season. 

So, is this a better team? Probably not. But do we improve from 7 wins? Probably a little. The key is that we're now set up to make a serious run in 2025.

You said our win total was going to move up after we drafted a qb but it remains at 6.5. This number is set by people who do pay attention.

[MaroonBells]

You said our win total was going to move up after we drafted a qb but it remains at 6.5.  This number is set by people who do pay attention.

The point is setting O/Us before rosters are complete is kinda stupid. Either way I'd get in now, before the chain-smoking men in the lime-colored leisure suits, stinking of English Leather and $3.99 prime, stumble out of Carrot Top long enough to see what's really up.

[StickierBuns]

The point is setting O/Us before rosters are complete is kinda stupid. Either way I'd get in now, before the chain-smoking men in the lime-colored leisure suits, stinking of English Leather and $3.99 prime, stumble out of Carrot Top long enough to see what's really up.

[comet52]

The point is setting O/Us before rosters are complete is kinda stupid. Either way I'd get in now, before the chain-smoking men in the lime-colored leisure suits, stinking of English Leather and $3.99 prime, stumble out of Carrot Top long enough to see what's really up.

Are you having a bad acid trip? Help is available.

I don't know what would move that win total significantly but I don't think JJM starting the season on the bench is it.

[StickierBuns]

Are you having a bad acid trip?  Help is available.

I don't know what would move that win total significantly but I don't think JJM starting the season on the bench is it.

Yep, agreed. 6.5 is about right. Maybe 7 is the better figure and it might move there. Darnold is Darnold to Vegas. This is a transition year for Minnesota, but they have enough bald faced talent to win 7 or 8 games even with Darnold.

[comet52]

Yep, agreed. 6.5 is about right. Maybe 7 is the better figure and it might move there. Darnold is Darnold to Vegas. This is a transition year for Minnesota, but they have enough bald faced talent to win 7 or 8 games even with Darnold.

There is a belief that KOC will make Darnold better. I would believe it when I see it if you know what I mean. I wrote recently that Darnold doesn't just have happy feet, he has a whole happy body that wiggles and squirms like a jello mold when he's under pressure. It will require a coach who can fix his brain to cure that, or the NFL's best pass blocking oline which I don't think we currently have.

But when the schedule comes out this week there will be rest factors and an adjustment either way might happen to the win total if the sharp bettors see an opportunity.

[MaroonBells]

Are you having a bad acid trip?  Help is available.

I don't know what would move that win total significantly but I don't think JJM starting the season on the bench is it.

Trust me. I got it straight from the hookah-smoking caterpillar in Snoop Dogg’s green room. Even if the Vikings get swept by the North and drop winnable games against the Rams and Jags, and win only the games in which they should be favored (teams ranked below them in NFL.com's power rankings, for example), they still win 7 games. Personally, and it could just be the Nitrous talking, I think they steal one of those six games against the North.

[comet52]

Trust me. I got it straight from the hookah-smoking caterpillar in Snoop Dogg’s green room. Even if the Vikings get swept by the North and drop winnable games against the Rams and Jags, and win only the games in which they should be favored (teams ranked below them in NFL.com's power rankings, for example), they still win 7 games. Personally, and it could just be the Nitrous talking, I think they steal one of those six games against the North.

Actually when I look at the opps, keeping in mind that one home game will be in London, I think the tipping point from 6-7 wins might be whether they go 1-5 or 2-4 vs. the North.

Anyway if a hookah-smoking caterpillar has given you the call, I'd say to call Alice when she's 10 feet tall.

[hogjowlsjohnny]

I will be the dissenter here and stumble out in my chartreuse leisure suit, stinking of Brut, and bet the over at 6.5 wins based on the expected improvement of the defense, two rookie QB opponents in the North, and the surrounding offense of the Vikings only requiring a game managing QB who takes care of the ball to win. Scheduling shouldn't move the odds much because we already know the opponents. I am more bullish on the Vikings this year than the general public, talking heads, and most Vikings fans.
I also think the number 10 pick in the draft has an even chance of being the day one starter given the importance of ball security and Darnold's past.
Ideally JJ sits and learns. But it is a lot easier to sit a QB behind a hall of fame QB like in GB, or even a QB like Cousins. But not so much Darnold. I have confidence KOC won't put him in until he's ready. But he may be ready sooner than people think.

[RS_Express]

Can this guy be busted for writing while intoxicated? Whatever you think of Cousins, there's no way Darnold and a rookie JJM are going to outperform what Kirk did in '22-'23. The OL is the same crew minus Risner, so how is that improved? On defense, I'll agree that Edge+ILB have gotten better as a group, but S is the same guys with Harry another year slower, IDL is still a vacuum, and Khyree Jackson and Shaq Griffin are depth and a maybe starter, not a CB revolution.

The biggest improvement the Vikings can hope for this year is one you can never count on: health. IF JJM+Sam start all 17 games, and Jefferson and multiple defensive starters don't miss chunks of the season, the Vikings will improve on 7-10 just by not playing Mullens. But with a healthy Cousins this was a playoff team last year. I'd be surprised if they make it this year.