Two years ago, the Minnesota Vikings were one of the best teams in the NFL. They added standout quarterback Kirk Cousins in free agency heading into 2018 and expected to be Super Bowl contenders. It never came together, and now people are wondering if the window of contending is closing for this group. It is a huge year for Minnesota, which still has plenty of talented pieces dotting its roster. The current NFL odds are hedging their bets as the Vikings are a slight underdog to make the playoffs in 2019.
NFL Odds at BookMaker.eu
Vikings odds to make the playoffs
Yes +110
No -130
Vikings Playoff Odds Analysis
It is easy to envision a scenario in which everything comes together for the Vikings this year and they win the NFC North. However, that is certainly no guarantee, especially with the powerful Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers also in the division. They will play those two teams twice apiece this year, along with the Detroit Lions. The Vikings’ non-divisional schedule will feature the Atlanta Falcons, Oakland Raiders, New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, Kansas City Chiefs, Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos, Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Chargers.
Minnesota Vikings Odds
The Vikings finished 8-7-1 last season and finished short of the playoffs. Cousins did not live up to the lavish contract the team gave him in free agency, as he did not turn out to be the upgrade expected on Case Keenum. Cousins is back for his second season and needs to be better. He has a pair of excellent wide receivers in Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen. The running game should be solid with Dalvin Cook leading the way. The Vikings drafted Irv Smith to pair with Kyle Rudolph at tight end, so the skill positions look good. The biggest concern is the offensive line and its ability to keep Cousins clean. Minnesota drafted center Garrett Bradbury in the first round of the draft to try to shore up the position.
The Vikings defense should be strong once again. The team thought it was losing star linebacker Anthony Barr in free agency but he changed his mind and re-signed with the team, which was an important development. Linval Joseph, Everson Griffen and Danielle Hunter lead a talented defensive line, while linebacker Eric Kendricks, safety Harrison Smith and cornerback Mike Hughes are other key pieces. The Vikings are led by head coach Mike Zimmer, who likes to send a lot of exotic blitzes and does a good job of making opposing quarterbacks uncomfortable. He has the personnel to have a dominant group in 2019.
On paper, the Vikings have to be feeling good about their chances, but the team looked similar last year and never gained enough traction.
Key Stats or Trends
If Cousins can turn into a star, this roster has everything it needs to be successful in 2019. However, that is a serious question mark, especially considering how badly Cousins struggles when under pressure. He was given one of the biggest quarterback contracts ever and needs to live up to that billing.
Thielen and Diggs will give him ample opportunities to rack up the yards on the outside, while the early returns on Irv Smith are good. The Bears won the division a year ago and the Packers have a new offensive system for Aaron Rodgers heading into 2019, so it certainly seems like a three-way race. The Vikings also figure to be in contention for a wild card berth, but the oddsmakers have pegged this correctly by making them slight underdogs to qualify for the postseason this year.
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