5 NFL teams that will definitely disappoint fans in 2023

2. Minnesota Vikings (last year: 13-4)

The 2022 season was kind of a magical ride for the Minnesota Vikings.

Although it didn’t end well (a home playoff loss to the New York Giants), the Vikings were one of the league’s most drastically improved teams in 2022. Kevin O’Connell took over a roster that had undoubtedly been underachieving under Mike Zimmer in recent years, and O’Connell was able to come in and push all the right buttons offensively for this team.

The Vikings went from being the 14th-ranked offense in 2021 to being the 8th-ranked scoring offense in 2022, and they won an astounding 11 games that were decided by one score among their 13 regular season wins in total. As a matter of fact, the Vikings were 11-0 last year in one-score games.

And that is precisely the reason I think they could be in line to disappoint fans significantly this coming season.

Winning one-score games certainly requires you to be a good NFL team, but it also requires the ball to bounce your way at least a time or two. Think back to last year’s Vikings season in which they were able to pull off some borderline miraculous comebacks against teams like the Commanders, Bills, Colts, and others.

I’m not banking on the Vikings being that effective again in one-score games, and even the slightest change in record could put this team on the outside looking in of the NFC playoff race. Although their record indicates the Vikings were one of the NFL’s best teams last season, I think it was a bit more of a mirage and they could take a step back in 2023.