Why is everyone so high on the Vikings this year?

[BadBoyBenny]

They added a lot of quality journeymen starters on defense, but no one has seen how those guys will play together as a team. What has their coaching staff done to show that they can bring a bunch of free agents together and make a cohesive unit out of them?

Culpepper appears to be one of the best QB's in the league, with or without Moss; but we haven't seen him successful in too many big (playoff level) games yet.

They have an average running game, and no effective power game to help them close out a game that they are leading.

If this team was in the AFC they would be fighting for a wildcard at best.

[kyro]

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If this team was in the AFC they would be fighting for a wildcard at best.

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This alone makes them an NFC contender.

[mblax10]

The defense is improved, they have speedy recievers to go with Culpepper and look at their schedule:

Sep 11 Tampa Bay 1:00pm
Sep 18 @Cincinnati 1:00pm
Sep 25 New Orleans 1:00pm
Oct 2 @Atlanta 4:15pm
Week 5 BYE
Oct 16 @Chicago 1:00pm
Oct 23 Green Bay 1:00pm
Oct 30 @Carolina 1:00pm
Nov 6 Detroit 1:00pm
Nov 13 @N.Y. Giants 1:00pm
Nov 21 @Green Bay 9:00pm
Nov 27 Cleveland 1:00pm
Dec 4 @Detroit 1:00pm
Dec 11 St. Louis 1:00pm
Dec 18 Pittsburgh 1:00pm
Dec 25 @Baltimore 8:30pm
Jan 1 Chicago 1:00pm

@Atlanta looks like the only game they wouldn't be a favorite, and I think the Falcons are over-rated

[BadBoyBenny]

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@Atlanta looks like the only game they wouldn't be a favorite, and I think the Falcons are over-rated

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Oct 30 @Carolina 1:00pm
Dec 18 Pittsburgh 1:00pm
Dec 25 @Baltimore 8:30pm

Here are 3 that I bet Vegas has them at even or dogs. Obvoiusly the Pitts and Balt games will have more to do with how the season plays out since they are so late in the year.

Their soft schedule has more to do with a crappy division, which won't help them in the playoffs. I could see them being dogs against Green Bay in Lambeau also, thought I think Greem Bay is headed for a fall.

As for the Falcons, my opinion is that it depends if their D Line can live up to last year's performance.

[Clarkmeister]

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@Atlanta looks like the only game they wouldn't be a favorite, and I think the Falcons are over-rated

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Wanna bet? Methinks you don't bet on football much.

[Sluss]

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look at their schedule:

Sep 11 Tampa Bay 1:00pm W
Sep 18 @Cincinnati 1:00pm L
Sep 25 New Orleans 1:00pm W
Oct 2 @Atlanta 4:15pm L
Week 5 BYE
Oct 16 @Chicago 1:00pm L
Oct 23 Green Bay 1:00pm W
Oct 30 @Carolina 1:00pm L
Nov 6 Detroit 1:00pm W
Nov 13 @N.Y. Giants 1:00pm W
Nov 21 @Green Bay 9:00pm L
Nov 27 Cleveland 1:00pm W
Dec 4 @Detroit 1:00pm L
Dec 11 St. Louis 1:00pm L
Dec 18 Pittsburgh 1:00pm W
Dec 25 @Baltimore 8:30pm L
Jan 1 Chicago 1:00pm W


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I look at this schedule and see 8-8 and that doesn't even count the dumbass game they have every year where they blow it against a team they should kill. (Which looks like it might happen week 10)

[CarlSpackler]

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The defense is improved, they have speedy recievers to go with Culpepper and look at their schedule:

Sep 11 Tampa Bay 1:00pm
Sep 18 @Cincinnati 1:00pm
Sep 25 New Orleans 1:00pm
Oct 2 @Atlanta 4:15pm
Week 5 BYE
Oct 16 @Chicago 1:00pm
Oct 23 Green Bay 1:00pm
Oct 30 @Carolina 1:00pm
Nov 6 Detroit 1:00pm
Nov 13 @N.Y. Giants 1:00pm
Nov 21 @Green Bay 9:00pm
Nov 27 Cleveland 1:00pm
Dec 4 @Detroit 1:00pm
Dec 11 St. Louis 1:00pm
Dec 18 Pittsburgh 1:00pm
Dec 25 @Baltimore 8:30pm
Jan 1 Chicago 1:00pm

@Atlanta looks like the only game they wouldn't be a favorite, and I think the Falcons are over-rated

[/ QUOTE ]

No offense, but this is the most ridiculous post I've seen in a while. The Vikings should be a small dog in Week 2 at Cincinnati. If they're not, yours truly will definitely be loading up on the Bengals. I'm not even going to get into the rest of the games on their schedule, but they will definitely be dogs in at least 3 other games besides the Falcons.

The big myth about the NFC North right now is that it's a weaker division than last year. If anything, it's going to be stronger. The Packers had some key losses on the interior line, and have some holdout issues, which is going to translate into a 7-9 to 9-7 season. I think they'll be a little down this year. The Lions will be improved this season. Last year, Detroit had a plethora of injuries and they were still only a few plays here and there from making the playoffs. Even if Harrington doesn't get the job done this year, Garcia should be at least serviceable, as he's familiar with the offense. Detroit has a legitimate shot at winning the division. The Bears will also be much improved this season just with Grossman being healthy. Think about it - Chicago was rolling out freakin Craig Krenzel, among others, at qb last season. I don't see Minnesota winning at Chicago, where they always struggle.

The Vikings defense looks alot better on paper, but Fred Smoot is the only guy they signed who has been healthy and in his prime. While their defense will be improved, they lost the best WR in football, and their best all around RB in Onterio the Whizzinator. The return of a healthy Bennett and Kleinsasser should offset the loss of OTW, but there's no way they can replace Moss' production. I see Culpepper having a down year this season, and wouldn't be surprised to see him have a 20 turnover season.

Finally, the biggest need they didn't upgrade was their coaching staff. There's a reason Tice is the lowest paid coach in the league. I see the Vikings as an 8-8/9-7 team. If everything falls into place, they could go 10-6, at best.

[Patrick del Poker Grande]

They've been underachieving ever since they blew it in the NFC Championship in 1998. This year, they've finally paid some attention to defense. They're getting Kleinsasser back, which is bigger to the offense than many people realize. They've got a solid group of guys on defense and it's just a matter of them coming together as a unit under Cotrell. They're automatic to win the division. I'd like to say they'll be in the Super Bowl this year or next, which I think I will... but they do seem to find a way to [censored] it up at the end.

[bugstud]

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They're automatic to win the division.

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they have to remain healthy to do this. if they lose Williams or Culpepper, they are in deeeeeeeeep trouble. FWIW I don't think they are a lock regardless...but that's just me.

[IggyWH]

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if they lose Williams or Culpepper, they are in deeeeeeeeep trouble.

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Uhhh... isn't this the same for every contender?