Super Bowl Bound? (5 Grafs for the Minnesota Vikings)
“They’re frauds. They’ve been lucky. They’re not half as good as their record says. They’re going to crash and fall fast and hard. Their 10 wins are flukes. Their defense will break. Kirk Cousins can’t win in the playoffs. It’s over!”
-Vike Kingshater
These words from a fictional Vikings hater have also been stated by several highly respected football analysts and sports commentators in recent weeks responding to the Vikings having the second best record in the NFL right now. For the most part, I don’t mind that my favorite team is dismissed in the media, their record disregarded, and their success disrespected. I do like it when the Vikings are underestimated and fly below the radar. However, it may be time to share a perspective about this season’s team: They are absolutely Super Bowl contenders and just may be the NFC’s best chance for a win in that event. Following are five paragraphs asserting two things: The Vikings are for real and they are likely heading for their first Super Bowl victory.
1
Kirk Cousins is a legit, stellar quarterback
Of all the shade thrown at the Vikings, none is as potent as what is believed to be true about Kirk Cousins. But here’s the thing: Cousins is a stellar quarterback. As each season is its own animal, let’s judge Cousins on his play this year and this year alone. We don’t expect Tom Brady or Aaron Rogers to be who they were in their best years every year. They go through ups and downs. Let’s do the same for Kirk. He’s not putting up the numbers that he has in the past, but he’s playing better than ever. Suggesting that he cannot win deep into the playoffs based on his previous seasons’ gameplay is ludicrous. Those versions of Kirk Cousins are not playing this year. Kirko Chainz has never played before this year. And this season’s Kirk Cousins can play, has played, and has beaten the best quarterbacks in the game. Say all you want about the supporting cast, somebody had to throw those passes that Justin Jefferson miraculously hauled in. And Kirk’s arm is as good as the best quarterbacks in the game.
2
The Dallas game was the fluke
Much has been said about the Vikings 10-2 record. Many have called the close games flukes, especially when the Buffalo Bills fumbled in the end zone leading to a Vikings touchdown. But how about playing against 12 defenders (also in the Bills game) and still winning the game? Or how about a referee running into a defensive player (Washington game) preventing that defender from intercepting a pass that then becomes a touchdown, and still winning the game? Every game has odd quirky components; the Vikings have won them all. If any game that happened this year was a fluke, it was the Dallas game in which the Vikings weren’t able to do anything. A fluke is an unlikely chance occurrence. A good team at home somehow not playing anywhere near their ability is a fluke. A 40-3 victory for Dallas was totally unlikely, and Dallas took full advantage of that chance occurrence. This was odd. This was the fluke.
3
The defense is solid
The Minnesota Vikings defense has been described as “bend, don’t break” by defensive coordinator Ed Donatell. Many commentators, even some Viking fans, have criticized this defense as soft, giving up too many yards, and not being sustainable into the harder games of the playoffs. But here are two questions to place perspective on this: Did the defense break? Have the Vikings won 10 games? The answers are: No, the defense has not broken; and, yes, the Vikings have won 10 of 12 games. Winning any game in the NFL is difficult. The games may get more competitive in the playoffs because they are one and done, but that only intensifies the need for such a “bend, don’t break” defense. It is not the time to scrap this defense that has worked so far and contributed to the success the Vikings have achieved.
4
The close games are playoff training
Another criticism of this year’s team that has led to the shade cast upon it has been that the Vikings cannot sustain these one-score games. Why not? Yes, teams in the playoffs are more difficult. But one defining characteristic of playoff games is that they are usually close, decided by a single score, often a field goal. The Vikings know how to win close games. They’ve been practicing for the playoffs all season. They have become masters of the single score game. Fans may not be ready for this reality, but the team has embraced this identity and it will serve them well through January.
5
The Vikings have exceeded this season’s expectations
When the Vikings hired a new general manager and head coach they looked at this season as a “competitive rebuild” which would temper expectations. Three-fourths of the way through the season, the Vikings have lost only two games and succeeded beyond these early expectations. Head Coach Kevin O’Connell has created a solid team culture with disciplined players who appear to really be enjoying playing together. Having already greatly exceeded this season’s expectations, is it too far a stretch to suggest this success can continue all the way through gaining the number one seed, through the playoffs, and winning the big game? I say, it’s not too far a stretch, rather, it should be expected.
Final thoughts
Perhaps the most unexpected element leading to this year’s success is Coach Kevin O’Connell. No one expected a rookie coach to take a team as far as he has. But consider this: O’Connell came most recently from last year’s Super Bowl winning team. How much of that team’s success was due to Coach O’Connel’s contributions as their offensive coordinator? This may never really be known, but it’s a good bet that his contribution was major.
Ultimately, all the necessary pieces for the Vikings to win a Super Bowl are in place: excellent coaching, a stellar quarterback, supporting cast that includes an incredible wide receiver (Justin Jefferson), a “bend, don’t break” defense, and a positive culture where each member of the team has each other’s backs. Despite all the disrespect from the so-called experts, this just may be the year the Vikings not only reach the Super Bowl, but walk away with the Lombardi trophy.