Minnesota Vikings: 3 Early bold predictions for the 2020 season

1. Vikings will claim NFC North, return to playoffs

One final prediction for the Vikings going as the 2020 NFL season is set to kick off is that Minnesota will return to the top of the division standings and will ultimately return to the postseason this year.

During the 2019 season, the Vikings finished the regular season schedule with a record of 10-6 overall, finishing second behind the Green Bay Packers in the division while claiming the second NFC Wild Card spot in the playoffs. Minnesota ended up upsetting the New Orleans Saints in the Wild Card Round, before falling to the San Francisco 49ers in the Divisional Round to see its season come to an end.

For Minnesota, which returned the playoffs last year after failing to do so the year prior in 2018, it hopes to make it two playoff appearances in a row this season while hopefully being able to claim the division rather than entering the postseason as a Wild Card team.

At a first glance when it comes to the Vikings, they should be in a good position to not only return to the playoffs once again, but should be able to do so as the champions of the NFC North as well.

Looking at the division, Minnesota should be viewed as the early favorites to claim the NFC North title in 2020 over the Packers, Chicago Bears and the Detroit Lions. The Vikings have been able to retain some key players mainly on offense and that might be enough for them to overpower the other three teams in the division.

Over the past handful of years, Minnesota has followed up a solid season by failing to reach the postseason the next year. Since last tallying back-to-back playoff appearances in 2008 and 2009, the purple and gold have failed to stretch their season beyond the regular season in two straight years.

In 2020, the Vikings will hope to end that streak and get back to the playoffs. And they should be able to do so as the champions of the NFC North while claiming the first division title since 2017.