Normally, I don’t pay a lot of attention to Power Rankings. Essentially, they’re just someone’s opinion of how a team is going to perform during the season and then the comments of those articles are full of people wondering why their favorite team is so low or how another team rated so highly.
Nov 16, 2014; Chicago, IL, USA; A detailed view of the Minnesota Vikings helmet during the first half at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports
Power rankings are fun to debate and interesting to glance at, but MMQB’s Peter King recently released his power ratings for the 2015 NFL season that made my jaw drop a little bit.
While the Minnesota Vikings are an up-and-coming team, I never expect them to be rated highly. In fact, I’m usually pleased of the boys in purple crack the top 20 on those lists. But when I saw where Peter King had the Vikings ranked, I had no choice but to take a second to let it sink in.
King has the Minnesota Vikings ranked as the 6th best team in the NFL for the 2015 season.
Seriously.
Here is what he had to say to justify the position:
"“This is reliant on so many things. Adrian Peterson showing up number one. But finding a consistent pass-rush is key too, as is the continued maturity of Teddy Bridgewater. I pick the Vikes here because if you ask me for one rising team if two or three vital things go right, I’m picking Minnesota.”"
There’s no doubt that some things will have to go right for Minnesota to reach that level during the 2015 NFL season. To jump from a 7-9 record in 2014 to being projected as a top-6 team in the league for the 2015 season is pretty darned bold.
The two key factors in the Vikings being a good team will be remaining healthy and having the young players on the team continue to develop. If those two things happen, Minnesota is a team that could surprise some folks.
Then again, injuries and disappointment could also happen.
We’ll just have to wait and find out. But the one thing that is for certain is that it’s nice for the Vikings to be getting a little bit of love these days.
Next: Minnesota Vikings 2015 Game By Game Previews
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