Why The Vikings Can Win It All THIS YEAR

Will the defense be better?

Maybe I should have reworded this question because it would be difficult for the Vikings not to improve here given how bad the defense was last season. But the state of Zimmer’s preferred side of the ball is one of the top preseason storylines given the influx of talent added there. So let’s break down all of the new starters there:

Michael Pierce may be the most impressive addition so far. His strength is unreal and his pass rushing is better than he gets credit for. It’s easy to imagine teams making the same mistake they once did against Linval Joseph, choosing to run right up the middle on the Vikings on important downs, then being stonewalled by Pierce.

Dalvin Tomlinson has drawn praise from coaches and seems to be off to a fine start. Same for Sheldon Richardson, who will open as a backup.

Stephen Weatherly probably hasn’t been as dominant as the Vikings hoped, and that, combined with DJ Wonnum’s improvement, has made it possible that Wonnum starts over Weatherly.

On the back end, Patrick Peterson has been as advertised and has clearly taken on a leadership role with the cornerbacks, often talking with them one-on-one after they’ve made a mistake. Whether he can avoid the kinds of penalties that plagued him a year ago remains to be seen, but Zimmer feels like he has bought into the system.

Opposite him will probably be Bashaud Breeland, the seventh-year cornerback who has been more consistent than Cameron Dantzler. And behind them is Xavier Woods, who fills some big shoes left by Anthony Harris but has drawn ample praise for his ability to communicate and get the defense lined up.

With all of that added talent combined with Zimmer’s prowess here, it would be hard to imagine this defense not finishing in the top 10.

4. Minnesota Vikings to make the playoffs: (+115, or 23-20)

This one scares me a bit. I’ll admit that the thought of Kirk Cousins clinching a playoff berth and then giving his teammates air hugs through a plexiglass divider feels a tad unrealistic at the moment. But still, there’s plenty to like about the Vikings.

We know how they want to play: run game, play-action and defense. The problem is their defense was crushed by injuries last year. Defensive end Danielle Hunter and nose tackle Michael Pierce combined to play zero snaps. Both players are back for 2021, and the team also added Dalvin Tomlinson and Sheldon Richardson up front.

Losing Gary Kubiak as their offensive play caller will hurt, and the Vikings’ offensive line is a question mark pretty much every season. But they should still be mediocre to above average on that side of the ball, and the defense has a chance to be a top-five unit. I think they find a way to sneak in as a wild-card team.