Vikings record prediction!

With the official NFL  schedule released, many fans are now making predictions on how their team is going to do. I figured I would do the same.

The Schedule

Bold represents a home game for the Vikings, an asterisk means the game is played in prime time, on a holiday, or internationally.

  1. Sept. 11 vs. Green Bay Packers – 3.25 PM
  2. Sept. 19 at Philadelphia Eagles – 7:30 PM – MNF*
  3. Sept. 25 vs. Detroit Lions – 12:00 PM
  4. Oct. 2 at New Orleans Saints in England – 8:30 AM  – UK*
  5. Oct. 9 vs Chicago Bears – 12:00 PM
  6. Oct. 16 at Miami Dolphins – 12:00 PM
  7. — BYE WEEK —
  8. Oct. 30 vs. Arizona Cardinals – 12:00 PM
  9. Nov. 6 at Washington Commanders -TBD-
  10. Nov. 13 at Buffalo Bills – 12:00 PM
  11. Nox. 20 vs. Dallas Cowboys – 3.25 pm
  12. Nov. 24 vs. New England Patriots – 7:20 pm –Thanksgiving/TNF*
  13. Dec. 4 vs. New York Jets – 12:00 PM
  14. Dec. 11 at Detroit Lions – 12:00 PM
  15. -TBD- vs. Indianapolis Colts – -TBD-
  16. Dec. 24 vs. New York Giants – 12:00 PM – Christmas Eve*
  17. Jan. 1 at Green Bay Packers – 3:25 pm
  18. -TBD- at Chicago Bears – -TBD-

Schedule from thevikingage.com

Now, my predictions for each game.

Sept, 11: Week 1, Vikings vs. Packers, 3:25 PM

In a exciting week one matchup, the division rival Green Bay Packers come to the Bank and face the Vikings with an extended Aaron Rodgers but no Davante Adams or Zadarius Smith. With Aaron Rodgers having a stick of butter as his #1 WR due to the refusal of the front office to select a single good skill player in the draft, Aaron Jones will have to carry the slack. With Zadarius Smith, Danielle Hunter, and a revamped defense, the Vikings should be able to handle the Packers somewhat easily. With Kirk Cousins and Justin Jefferson in a more pass-oriented offense should be good for both of them. If all goes well, the offense will cruise and the defense will do its job in a win.

Sept. 19: Week 2, Vikings @ Eagles, 7:30 PM

With AJ Brown coming to the Eagles and Devonte Smith coming into his sophomore season, this Eagles offense will be a challenge for the Vikings secondary to handle. Along with the Eagles solid run game and decent defense, I think that this will be a hard fought, slow, defensive game for both sides. I do think Dalvin Cook will have a great night and that will be the reason that the Vikings will win.

Sept. 25: Week 3, Vikings vs. Lions, 12:00 PM

I do think that the Lions will be a way better team than they were last year and I think that they will make the playoffs. But the lions weak secondary will not be enough to stop the Vikings offense. I simply think that the Vikings offense will torch the Lions defense in a blowout win.

Oct. 2: Week 4, Vikings vs. Saints, 8:30 AM, London

With some monster running backs and wide receivers facing off, this game will come down to defense. This will be a exciting game with lots of back and forth. Ultimately, I think that the Vikings defense won’t be enough to stop Kamara, Michael Thomas, and the rest of the Saints offense. The Saints will give the Vikings their first loss in London.

Oct. 9: Week 5, Vikings vs. Bears, 12:00 PM

The Chicago Bears are bad. That’s all their is to it. They have an inexperienced quarterback, an awful receiving core, an okay running back, no offensive line, and an average defense. The Bears don’t have the skill or the coaching to beat the Vikings. The Vikings will easily beat the Bears.

Oct. 16: Week 6, Vikings @ Dolphins, 12:00 PM

This will be a game that could be a variety of things. Slow, fast, close, a blowout? There’s a lot of ways this game could go. If the Vikings can contain Tyreek Hill and Mike Gesecki, the offense should be comfortable and score early. In the end, I think it will be a shootout victory for the Vikings.

Week 7: Bye

 

October 30: Week 8, Vikings vs. Cardinals, 12:00 PM

With Deandre Hopkins returning from his suspension in week 7, he should still be easing into things. The Cardinals have a lot of questions on both sides of the ball. Will Rondale Moore breakout? Will Isaiah Simmons shine? Who will step up on the offense? Will James Conner be decent again? All these questions and their answers will be a determining factor in this game. Ultimately, I think Dalvin Cook will star with over 150 rushing yards in a Vikings win.

Nov. 6: Week 9, Vikings @ Commanders, -TBD-

The Commanders front 7 will pose a very difficult challenge for the Vikings o-line and they will struggle. Kirk will have to get rid of the ball fast and it will be a tough challenge for the offense. But the Commanders offense isn’t great and the Vikings defense should take care of them pretty easily. The Vikings win.

Nov. 13: Week 10, Vikings @ Bills, 12:00 PM

This will be a tough week for the Vikings. Having to contain the Bills explosive offense and beat their defense will be a challenge. It’s a challenge the Vikings won’t be able to get past. Diggs will have a revenge game and Josh Allen will torch the Vikings defense.

Nov. 20: Week 11, Vikings vs. Cowboys, 3:25

The Amari Cooper-less Dallas Cowboys come to town to face off with the Vikings again in what will be an amazing matchup. With CeeDee Lamb hopefully blossoming into a star we will see 2 of the best young receivers in the league. With Zeke coming off a down year time will tell if he bounces back or not. I think it all comes down to Ezekiel Elliot. If Zeke shines, the Cowboys will win. If he gets shut down, the Cowboys will lose. I think that Zadarius Smith and Danielle Hunter will shut Zeke down resulting in a Vikings win.

Nov. 24: Week 12, Vikings vs. Patriots, 7:25, Thanksgiving, Thursday Night Football

With a high-stakes, prime time game on Thanksgiving Day will be a big game for the Vikings. The Vikings receiving core will have a favorable matchup against the Pats. Although, going against the best coach of all time is never fun. Mac Jones has shown that he can win games without top tier receivers. I think that Mac Jones will have a career night in a classic thanksgiving game and a Vikings loss.

Dec. 4: Week 13, Vikings vs. Jets, 12:00 PM

The Jets had a promising draft and their future looks bright. But this isn’t the future, this is now. The Jets have no Quarterback, young and promising rookies in starting spots, and have a lack of leadership and experience. The Vikings will roll over the Jets no problem.

Dec. 11: Week 14, Vikings @ Lions, 12:00 PM

With the Lions being the Lions, they will definitely need this game to make the playoffs. Since the Lions will need this game, they will definitely lose. I don’t know why, how, or have any reasoning, but the Vikings will win.

-TBD-: Week 15,  vs. Indianapolis Colts,  -TBD-

With a new quarterback, a blooming running back, a solid defense and an experienced coaching staff, the Colts could be a surprising team for some people. They are a solid all around team with a nice mix of youth and experience.  I think that a weakness that the Vikings can exploit will be the secondary. With Stephon Gilmore being the only solid DB on the roster, they will have trouble covering all of the Vikings weapons. Even if the Colts defense held its own, the offense would struggle. I think the Vikings simply are better in all aspects and that they will handle the Colts easily.

Dec. 24: Week 16, Vikings vs. Giants, 12:00 PM, Christmas Eve

The Vikings don’t have a good track with games around Christmas, *cough* Alvin Kamara *cough*, but they do have a favorable matchup against the Giants. With no James Bradberry, who on earth will stop Justin Jefferson? The answer? Nobody. Jefferson will have the best game of his career just in time for the holidays.

Jan. 1: Week 17, Vikings @ Packers, 3:25 PM, New Years Day.

The Vikings will celebrate a happy new year in the frozen tundra known as Lambeau Field. Knowing the Midwest, there will be at least 25 inches of snow that will have to be shoveled before the game. The Vikings have notoriously struggled at Lambeau field and I think the struggle will continue. The Packers will get a win against the Vikings.

TBD: Week 18, Vikings @ Bears, TBD

With the Vikings playing in another notoriously cold stadium in the last week of the season. Assuming that the Vikings will still need to try in this game, it should be a relatively easy matchup once again for the Vikings. With the Bears most likely trying to tank for a better pick, the Vikings should be able to win easily.

Season Overview:

Record Prediction: 13-4

Honestly, the Vikings will definitely drop a game or two somewhere in the schedule so I think we will end up around 12-5 or 11-6. I do think that the division will have 3 teams with winning records, the Vikings, Packers, and Lions, while the Bears will sink into mediocrity. Overall, expect a good season for the Vikings. If there aren’t any big injuries to any major players, the season should be a fun one for all Vikings fans.