After underachieving in 2021, the Minnesota Vikings made major changes in the offseason, and there’s positivity surrounding them heading into 2022.
With newly appointed head coach Kevin O’Connell coming over from the defending Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams, the public has been bullish about the upside of this team.
In a division headlined by the Green Bay Packers, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Vikings challenge for the division crown. The Detroit Lions should be improved, but the Chicago Bears are still on the downward trajectory of their rebuild.
Even if they don’t manage to unseat the Pack atop the NFC North, the Vikings are a good bet to make the playoffs in a fairly wide-open NFC. After finishing 2021 with an 8-9 record, the Vikings have a middle-of-the-pack schedule in terms of their strength of opponents this year.
It’s expected their offense has another gear, which likely comes down to the efficiency of Kirk Cousins at quarterback. He’ll have plenty of weapons on offense, which should be centered around explosive wideout Justin Jefferson and tackle-breaking running back Dalvin Cook.
O’Connell should bring an offensive mindset to this Vikings team that has the potential to find success if they utilize these skilled position players. With names like Jefferson and Cook on offense, you can understand why people are drawn to a Vikings team that should see improvements on both sides of the ball.
Most Handle – Make or Miss the Playoffs:
- Miami Dolphins – to make the playoffs
- New York Jets – to make the playoffs
- Minnesota Vikings – to make the playoffs
The Vikings have generated the third-highest handle percentage to make the playoffs, with 95% of the money in favor of them qualifying. In addition, 96% of tickets have trended in that direction too, which saw the line open at +100 but has since shifted to -130 for Minnesota to make it.
In what’s expected to be a much more progressive team in 2022 after parting ways with old-school coach Mike Zimmer, the Vikings are a trendy pick to make the playoffs. It’s an important year for the direction of the franchise as Cousins gets an offensive-minded coach.
Don’t be surprised if the Vikings not only qualify for the postseason but also do damage once they get in.
