The Mike Zimmer era in Minnesota is over after 8 seasons. A new era under Kevin O’Connell begins with an offense led by Kirk Cousins and Justin Jefferson as the Vikings look to get back to the playoffs after missing out last season. It was a disappointing 2021 season, but with a new coach and another year of development for Jefferson, are the Vikings a real threat to make some noise in the NFC?
Minnesota Vikings breakdown
2021 record: 8-9
2021 ATS record: 9-8
2021 O/U record: 11-6
Key players in: Albert Wilson (WR), Za’Darius Smith (LB)
Key players out: Wayne Gallman (RB), Dede Westbrook (WR), Tyler Conklin (TE), Mason Cole (OL)
2022 NFL Draft class: Lewis Cine (S), Andrew Booth Jr. (CB), Ed Ingram (G), Brian Asamoah (LB), Akayleb Evans (CB), Esezi Otomewo (DE), Ty Chandler (RB), Vederian Lowe (OT), Jalen Nailor (WR), Nick Muse (TE)
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Minnesota Vikings 2022 NFL season odds
Odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook
Minnesota Vikings Super Bowl odds
The Vikings are in the middle of the pack to win the Super Bowl at +4000 odds.
Minnesota Vikings NFC Championship odds
Minnesota is +1800 to win the NFC. The Vikings’ last Super Bowl appearance came in 1977, so it’s been a while.
Minnesota Vikings NFC North odds
The Vikings are +265 to win the NFC North. The Packers are the favorites at -165.
Minnesota Vikings win total odds
The Vikings’ win line is 9 games. Over 9 is a -115 favorite, while the under comes with -105 odds. As for making the playoffs, Minnesota is -115 while they are -105 to miss out.
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Minnesota Vikings Schedule 2022
vs Green Bay Packers, September 11
at Philadelphia Eagles, September 19
vs Detroit Lions, September 25
at New Orleans Saints, October 2
vs Chicago Bears, October 9
at Miami Dolphins, October 16
BYE
vs Arizona Cardinals, October 30
at Washington Commanders, November 6
at Buffalo bills, November 13
vs Dallas Cowboys, November 20
vs New England Patriots, November 24
at New York Jets, December 4
at Detroit Lions, December 11
vs Indianapolis Colts, December 18
vs New York Giants, December 24
at Green Bay Packers, January 1
at Chicago Bears, January 8
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Minnesota Vikings 2021 season recap
It was a season to forget in Minnesota as an 8-9 record sent them home early and they were never a real threat to sneak into the playoffs. However, the silver lining of the season was Justin Jefferson’s step forward into the discussion of top-5 wide receivers in the game. Jefferson had over 1,600 yards and totaled 10 touchdowns, making him and Cooper Kupp the only receivers to have over 1,600 yards. The LSU product’s solid season was desperately needed with another down year from Adam Thielen and Dalvin Cook missing several games due to injury. Following the end of the season, Mike Zimmer’s 8-year run as the Vikings head coach came to an end, so it’s a new era in Minnesota for this upcoming season.
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Minnesota Vikings 2022 NFL season predictions
The Kirk Cousins era will continue in Minnesota as the quarterback signed a 1-year extension for the 2023 season. The veteran threw for over 4,200 yards and totaled 32 touchdowns in 2021 as the Vikings finished 14th in points per game. That is impressive when considering Minnesota’s lack of receiving depth and Thielen’s minimal production. Jefferson will now be in his third season with Cousins as his QB, so I expect another step forward for the rising star as his connection with Cousins should only be stronger.
The Minnesota defense was below-average in 2021 and a lot of that was due to their underachieving rookie class, but the Vikings took steps to improve their defense in the offseason with their 2022 draft selections. The Vikings will be better than they were in 2021, and a lot of that is due to the poor talent level in the NFC North, but expect a better record than 8-9 this season for Minnesota.
Best bet: Minnesota Vikings to make playoffs (-115)
Colin Cowherd is predicting the Vikings to soar past their win total as he believes they’ll finish 2022 with 13 or 14 wins. I’m optimistic about Minnesota, but not as absurdly as Cowherd. The Vikings brought back the majority of their players from last season with a few new additions to improve their defense, so there’s no reason to expect Minnesota to repeat last year’s disappointing season. The Vikings get the benefit of playing 4 games against the Lions and Bears since they are division foes, and that’s just the start of it. They have the 19th-hardest schedule for this upcoming season, and that means the Vikings could easily slip into an NFC wild-card spot. They could give Green Bay a run for their money for the NFC North title, but Minnesota should be in the playoffs one way or another.
Minnesota Vikings season record predictions
Based on their 2022 schedule, the Vikings are projected to be favorites in 9 games, underdogs in 5 games, and a push in 3 games. That means it’s very reasonable to think the Vikings can finish the 2022 season with a 10-7 record. An underdog win along the journey could bump them to 11-6, but the Vikings always seem to have a down week, so 10-7 is the safer bet.
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