Minnesota Vikings are Legitimate Super Bowl Contenders
After an impressive performance last year, the Minnesota Vikings are locked and loaded for a long post season run in 2016.
Led by the fifth-ranked scoring defense in the entire NFL and stable offense led by star running back Adrian Peterson, the Minnesota Vikings surprisingly took home the NFC North divisional crown last season. The Vikings’ run to the playoffs snapped a dominant four-year streak where the Green Bay Packers won the division.
Related Story: 2016 NFL Draft: Best Selection Made by Each Team
They were set up to have post season success, until a late-game missed field goal by kicker Blair Walsh against the Seattle Seahawks ruined their chance at a deep playoff run. Despite the ugly finish to the year, the Vikings are an incredibly talented team who are undoubtedly set up for future success. However, could that success be coming sooner than expected.
In his latest Monday Morning Quarterback, Sports Illustrated’s Peter King sat down with Adrian Peterson, and they talked about the Vikings’ chances. King and Peterson talked about his home state of Texas and how the Vikings’ star back is helping his hometown with their catastrophic floods. They also spoke about Peterson’s retirement plans.
But for me, it was Peterson’s comment about the Vikings’ chances to compete in 2016 that stood out the most. One final comment stuck right at the end of the interview, Peterson is extremely optimistic about the Vikings in this upcoming season.
"“We are going to have a good chance to win it this year—win everything,” Peterson told King. “Sit back and watch. Sit back and watch. You can be like, ‘I thought you guys were at least a couple of years away.’ Nope. You sit back and watch, this year.”"
While he does not specifically mention it, Peterson and the Vikings clearly have their eyes on the Super Bowl this season. In my opinion, that should be the goal for this incredibly talented team that appears ready to take the next step.
The Vikings have been building towards this goal for many years, and their talented squad is finally starting to come together perfectly. For Minnesota, it all starts on the defensive side of the ball.
Their defensive unit is filled with exciting young players who consistently make plays. Linebackers Anthony Barr and Eric Kendricks are consistent play-makers at the position. Chad Greenway may not be as great as he once was, but he is still a rock-solid third linebacker who will play an important role.
The Vikings do not have a bunch of sexy pass rushers up front, but their duo of Linval Joseph and Shariff Floyd at defensive tackle is among the best in the NFL. Also, led by Everson Griffin, the Vikings have an impressive stock of talent at defensive end.
More from NFL Spin Zone
- Dallas Cowboys made the trade everyone else should have made
- Pittsburgh Steelers rookie sleeper everyone should be talking about
- Anthony Richardson putting jaw-dropping talent on display immediately
- Denver Broncos’ stud wide receiver might be out for a while
- Washington Commanders: Three takeaways from win over Ravens
In the defensive backfield, Harrison Smith is the star at safety, while Xavier Rhodes is turning in to a shut down cornerback on the outside. Terence Newman can start across from Rhodes at the other cornerback position, but the Vikings would love to see Trae Waynes or rookie Mackensie Alexander nail down that spot. Some serious talent for the Vikings in the secondary.
Defensively, the Vikings have as much (if not more) talent than any team in the NFL. They are loaded with young players with upside and strong, stable veterans on that side of the ball.
Offensively, Peterson is the focal point. His production could slip at any time, but Peterson still appears to be in prime physical shape. I fully expect him to be as productive as usual this season. Plus, adding powerful offensive linemen Alex Boone and Andre Smith to the mix is only going to help Peterson’s ability to succeed in the Vikings’ offense.
The defense is fantastic, and Peterson is obviously a star, but if the Vikings are going to take the next step and become Super Bowl contenders, it all comes down to the play of Teddy Bridgewater.
The Vikings’ quarterback has been solid through his two years in the NFL, but he is far from the elite players at the position. The Vikings have brought Bridgewater along slowly, protecting him from making mistakes at every opportunity.
This has saved Bridgewater from being a failure, but if they fully unleash him and he succeed, the Vikings are going to have something special. Bridgewater is an incredibly talented player who has some massive upside as an NFL quarterback. If he can take the next step in his progression, then this team is going to be incredibly difficult to beat.
Adding a nice stock of free agents and an incredibly talented rookie class to the mix is going to help. With an extremely talented and deep roster, the Vikings should be considered among the elite.
More nfl spin zone: NFL Draft Redo: Re-Picking the 2014 First Round
If head coach Mike Zimmer allows Bridgewater to progress at the quarterback position, they are going to be among the best. Not only are they the favorites to win the NFC North again this season, the Minnesota Vikings are strong contenders to reach the Super Bowl.