Minnesota Vikings 2024-25 NFL Season Recap

Minnesota Vikings 2024-25 NFL Season Recap

Heading into the 2024-25 NFL betting season, oddsmakers pegged the Minnesota Vikings as underdogs in 15 of their 17 scheduled games, with 10 contests lined at a field goal or less. Consequently, their season win total was set at just 6.5—the lowest mark of the Kevin O’Connell era. Defying expectations, the Vikings shocked NFL bettors and thrilled their long-suffering fan base by winning 14 regular-season games, remaining in the hunt for NFC North supremacy until Week 18. However, a crushing defeat to the Lions in Detroit dashed their division title hopes. Despite the setback, confidence remained high entering their wild-card showdown with the Los Angeles Rams, a rematch of a Week 8 loss (30-20) to Sean McVay’s squad. Unfortunately, a disastrous performance from the offensive line, compounded by a pair of costly turnovers, kept Minnesota from ever being in a position to cover as 2-point neutral-field favorites.  In truth, cracks had begun to show during the final month of the regular season, with the Vikings eking out several wins they probably had no business securing. Reality finally caught up to them when it mattered most.

Of Minnesota's 14 total NFL odds wins, nine were decided by a single possession, suggesting linemakers had a solid read on this team before the season even began. While the Vikings obliterated their season win total expectations, their average margin of victory in those nine close games was just 4.0 points per contest. Had they lost half of those nail-biters, the narrative surrounding their 2024-25 campaign would look vastly different. Regression, both positive and negative, can be a cruel force, and the Vikings experienced a significant dose of the former this time around. Looking ahead, it's clear that several key areas need improvement before Minnesota can be considered a legitimate contender for its elusive first Super Bowl title. Aaron Jones, who gave everything he had by rushing for nearly 1,200 yards and scoring seven total touchdowns, will be on the wrong side of 30 next season. Even with his contributions, the Vikings' rushing attack ranked just No. 19 in the league. Defensively, Brian Flores’ unit was a brick wall against the run (No. 2) but a liability against the pass (No. 28). Expect GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah to aggressively pursue upgrades in the secondary through trades, the draft, and free agency to shore up this glaring weakness.

The most pressing issue the Vikings will be forced to deal with comes under center. Re-ink Sam Darnold to an expensive multi-year contract, or let someone else pay him the money and elect to go with J.J. McCarthy whom the front office selected in the first round with the tenth pick of last year’s draft? Quite the conundrum! Regardless of stinking up the desert in the wild-card loss to the Rams, Darnold put forth the best showing of his seven-year playing career by throwing for 4,319 yards and 35:12 TD/INT ratio all the while logging his highest passer rating (102.5) and QBR (60.6) at the NFL level. He built quite the rapport with Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison with the former going for 1,500+ receiving yards and 10 TD and the latter nearly surpassing his rookie marks in two fewer games played. The Super Bowl window remains open for this team, but problem areas do exist. Even so, linemakers are highly likely to paint a much different picture of the team’s potential for next season when futures odds hit the board at the crypto sportsbook.

Minnesota Vikings Wild Card Recap

The Minnesota Vikings' playoff run ended abruptly with an ugly 27-9 loss to the Los Angeles Rams in a wild-card matchup at State Farm Stadium. Struggling behind a porous offensive line, Sam Darnold was sacked nine times, tying an NFL playoff record. The Rams' relentless defense, led by rookie linebacker Jared Verse, set the tone early. His 57-yard fumble return touchdown in the second quarter widened the Rams' lead to 17-3, effectively swinging momentum and making it darn near close to impossible for the Vikings to cover the closing NFL spread. Darnold finished 25 of 40 for 245 yards but lost 82 yards on sacks, highlighting the Vikings' protection issues. The Vikings' offense was stagnant, managing just 269 total yards, much of it in garbage time. A pivotal first-half moment saw a Blake Cashman fumble recovery for a touchdown overturned, squashing a potential momentum shift. Cobie Durant’s first-half interception and the Rams’ dominant defensive front prevented Minnesota from establishing rhythm. Despite entering the postseason with a 14-3 record and hopes of a deep playoff run, the Vikings were outclassed from start to finish. Questions now surround Darnold’s future with Minnesota, as he played this season on a one-year deal. Head coach Kevin O’Connell acknowledged the team’s failure to meet playoff standards, emphasizing the need for growth moving forward.

2024 Minnesota Vikings Schedule, Results & Record

The Minnesota Vikings were established as an NFL expansion franchise in 1961. Initially, the team was conceived as a counter to the American Football League, which planned to place a franchise in the Twin Cities with prospective owner Max Winter. However, when Winter was offered an NFL franchise, he opted for the NFL, leaving the AFL behind.

The Vikings have yet to win a Super Bowl, but they enjoyed a golden era from 1968 through 1978, which solidified their connection with the state and its fans. During this period, the Vikings made four Super Bowl appearances between 1969 and 1976 but were unable to secure a championship. The legendary Bud Grant, now in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, coached those great Viking teams. Grant's first Super Bowl team was led by the dynamic quarterback Joe Kapp, while QB Fran Tarkenton led the Vikings in their subsequent three Super Bowl appearances.

The Vikings were particularly known for their formidable defenses in those days, with Hall of Fame legends like Paul Krause, Carl Eller, and Alan Page forming the backbone of the famous Purple People Eaters defense. Since that golden era, the Vikings have had several strong teams and near-misses but have never returned to the Super Bowl. Since 1998, the Vikings have lost four NFC Conference Championship Games and only been to the playoffs five times dating back to 2010. Their deepest penetration occurred in 2017 when they got shellacked 38-7 by the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC title game.

Minnesota Vikings Past Seasons (2000)

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