Minnesota Vikings: 3 Vital statistics for 2019 season

It proved to be a disappointing 2018 for the team from the Twin Cities. What needs to be addressed if the Minnesota Vikings are to rebound this season?

It was supposed to be a big year for the Purple Gang in 2018. There was certainly more than one prognosticator forecast the Minnesota Vikings to make an appearance in Atlanta in Super Bowl LIII.

A team that finished with 13 wins in 2017 and a club that reached the NFC title game for the first time since 2009 apparently didn’t need to make a lot of changes this offseason. But the club made a heavy investment into free-agent quarterback Kirk Cousins, who inked an incredible three-year $84 million deal that was fully guaranteed.

But this past season turned out to be a major disappointment in the Twin Cities. Mike Zimmer’s club never really found itself and would finish a somewhat-distant second to the 12-4 Chicago Bears in the NFC North.

The Vikings finished 8-7-1 and were swept by the division champions in 2018. That included a 24-10 home loss in Week 17, a game in which Zimmer’s team had a chance to clinch a playoff spot with a victory.

This is a new season and general manager Rick Spielman and the organization was very diligent, especially in April’s draft. The club addressed the offensive line via free-agent guards Josh Kline (Tennessee Titans) and Dakota Dozier (New York Jets). The Vikings used a first-round selection four months ago on North Carolina State center Garrett Bradbury, one of 12 picks by the club.

So can the Vikings rebound and have a solid season? Here are three numbers that may be relevant to the club making some improvements.