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We all know why: a bad defense that will only improve so much and an offense, although incredibly dangerous at times, will have some issues on that offensive line. I see the D losing us games again this season that the offense, although they will battle mightily, just cannot repeat those last minute, one score victories like they did last year. And unfortunately, 9 wins is the kind of mediocrity that hurts you in the Draft selection (I say this in the context of QBOTF).
Would love to be wrong and I often am. Its why they play the games, as the NFL is amazingly consistent in how unpredictable each season is year-to-year.
I'll say 9 is the floor with 11 being the ceiling. We'll win just enough games to put us out of the range to draft an elite QB prospect in the first round next year. It's the Viking way.
I'm in that 9-11 range...
Barring anything catastrophic.
I am thinking 12. Every few years the media loses their shit over the Lions. And every year the Lions show they are still in their 65 year (and counting) rebuild. Green Bay shouldn't be a threat. The Bears are the Bears.We should see 5-6 wins from division games alone. If we were to take a game from one the heavy hitters, we could be looking at 13-14 wins. Chiefs, 49rs, and Chargers are all home games.
It's easy to get excited about this team.
I'd say 10 wins this year, maybe up to 12 wins possibly. This will show me that the team is ultimately moving in the right direction...
I don't think it is as talented as last years team, I think the leadership and talents of guys like Cook, Thielen, Peterson and Kendricks are going to be greatly missed. I think the biggest reason we won the close games last year was Cousins, he was extremely clutch in the big moments, if he can continue to build on what he did last year then I think we have a chance to be a 10+ win team. The other significant factor is which Flores we get, do we get the guy who is a solid DC or the vengeful, egomaniac that players reported him to be, I think he was a big risk hire, but hopefully what he has gone through has changed him for the better.
Departures
RB Dalvin Cook, LB Eric Kendricks, CB Patrick Peterson, CB Duke Shelley, Edge Za’Darius Smith, CB Chandon Sullivan, WR Adam Thielen, DT Dalvin Tomlinson
Additions
WR Jordan Addison, EDGE Marcus Davenport, DL Dean Lowry, CB Byron Murphy, TE Josh Oliver, LB Troy Reeder, CB Joejuan Williams, CB Mekhi Blackmon
Quote: @"JR44" said:
I don't think it is as talented as last years team, I think the leadership and talents of guys like Cook, Thielen, Peterson and Kendricks are going to be greatly missed. I think the biggest reason we won the close games last year was Cousins, he was extremely clutch in the big moments, if he can continue to build on what he did last year then I think we have a chance to be a 10+ win team. The other significant factor is which Flores we get, do we get the guy who is a solid DC or the vengeful, egomaniac that players reported him to be, I think he was a big risk hire, but hopefully what he has gone through has changed him for the better.
Departures
RB Dalvin Cook, LB Eric Kendricks, CB Patrick Peterson, CB Duke Shelley, Edge Za’Darius Smith, CB Chandon Sullivan, WR Adam Thielen, DT Dalvin Tomlinson
Additions
WR Jordan Addison, EDGE Marcus Davenport, DL Dean Lowry, CB Byron Murphy, TE Josh Oliver, LB Troy Reeder, CB Joejuan Williams, CB Mekhi Blackmon
There were LEGIT times last year where our defenders had no idea where they were supposed to be lining up. Kendricks wasn't comfortable all year. Hunter looked out of place a ton. Corners 15 yards off the line routinely. All we need is cohesiveness on D and we'll be a better unit even if they start with less talent. None of us know if that happens this year but we can hope.
From Packer Central - FWIW
Around the NFC North: Minnesota Vikings - Sports Illustrated Green Bay Packers News, Analysis and More
Season outlook:
The Vikings continue to follow what GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah described last year as a competitive rebuild. This offseason, with an eye on 2024 and beyond, they cleaned up their future salary cap outlook by moving on from veterans like Adam Thielen, Eric Kendricks, and several others. In free agency, their marquee moves were short-term deals for Marcus Davenport, Josh Oliver, and Byron Murphy Jr., a trio of second-contract players in the prime of their careers.
Even after parting with Thielen, Dalvin Cook, and six starters from last year's porous defense, the Vikings believe they can repeat as NFC North champions in 2023 and perhaps make a run in the playoffs. Why? Because their offense has a chance to be among the league's best in year two of the Kevin O'Connell era. Kirk Cousins should have a greater command of O'Connell's system this year, and he'll be throwing to a loaded pass-catching corps that includes Justin Jefferson, T.J. Hockenson, K.J. Osborn, and first-round rookie Jordan Addison. The addition of Oliver, an elite run-blocking tight end, is sneakily huge for a team that struggled to be efficient on the ground last season.
Defensively, there's nowhere to go but up. O'Connell brought in Brian Flores to overhaul the team's scheme and mentality on that side of the ball; the Vikings promise to be a much more aggressive defense in 2023. With Danielle Hunter back for another season and second-year players Akayleb Evans and Brian Asamoah set to emerge, this could at least be a competent unit. And if the offense is both efficient and explosive, competence on D might be good enough.
Obviously, some regression is coming to a team that went 11-0 in one-score games last year on its way to 13 wins. Still, there's a chance they get notably better as a team and win another 11 games. That feels like the ceiling with a difficult schedule. There are also more than enough question marks — interior pass protection, cornerback play, pass rush depth — that it's not hard to envision the Vikings taking a big step back and winning seven or eight games this year. - Will Ragatz Inside the Vikings
Quote: @"StickyBun" said:
We all know why: a bad defense that will only improve so much and an offense, although incredibly dangerous at times, will have some issues on that offensive line. I see the D losing us games again this season that the offense, although they will battle mightily, just cannot repeat those last minute, one score victories like they did last year. And unfortunately, 9 wins is the kind of mediocrity that hurts you in the Draft selection (I say this in the context of QBOTF).
Would love to be wrong and I often am. Its why they play the games, as the NFL is amazingly consistent in how unpredictable each season is year-to-year.
I wanted you to jump that shark and call it 14-3. B)
Quote: @"comet52" said:
@"StickyBun" said:
We all know why: a bad defense that will only improve so much and an offense, although incredibly dangerous at times, will have some issues on that offensive line. I see the D losing us games again this season that the offense, although they will battle mightily, just cannot repeat those last minute, one score victories like they did last year. And unfortunately, 9 wins is the kind of mediocrity that hurts you in the Draft selection (I say this in the context of QBOTF).
Would love to be wrong and I often am. Its why they play the games, as the NFL is amazingly consistent in how unpredictable each season is year-to-year.
I wanted you to jump that shark and call it 14-3. B)
Ha, I'm only a fool for the QBs. No pollyanna running through these veins.
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