USA Today Calls The Minnesota Vikings A ‘Playoff Sleeper’

The Minnesota Vikings are a young up-and-coming team.  There’s no denying the talent that they’ve acquired through the draft and in free agency have paid off as the squad hopes to compete for a division championship or a wild card playoff spot in the near future.  It’s that kind of excitement that has many news publications raving about the team’s future potential.

According to a recent article on the USA Today website, author Steven Ruiz explained that he sees one the Minnesota Vikings as one of the teams that isn’t getting a lot of attention, but could make a lot of noise during the 2015 NFL season.

He described four squads as ‘sleeper teams poised to break into the 2015 NFL playoffs’.  The teams that were included were the New York Giants, New York Jets, Minnesota Vikings and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.  Each team was given a description of why they could be a playoff contender in 2015.

The title for the Minnesota Vikings was “The Young Team That Grows Up”.

Nov 30, 2014; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings fan Addison Hartung smiles during the game against the Carolina Panthers at TCF Bank Stadium. The Vikings won 31-13. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports

The author compares the team to the 2014 Detroit Lions, 2013 Carolina Panthers and 2011 San Francisco 49ers.  Those are all teams that built up through the draft and making smart moves in free agency.  It’s that kind of development that the Minnesota Vikings have lacked in the past.  In recent history, the team tried to win by bringing in veterans to try to make a run at the playoffs.  Now, it’s up to the youth of the team to shine.

Here is what is said in the article from USA Today about why the Minnesota Vikings are ready to take the jump:

"“Even if Adrian Peterson doesn’t play another snap in a Vikings uniform, Minnesota is ready to compete for a spot in the playoffs. It starts with head coach Mike Zimmer, who has earned a reputation as an excellent developer of talent. In players like CB Xavier Rhodes, DT Sharrif Floyd, S Harrison Smith, LB Anthony Barr and DE Everson Griffen, Zimmer has plenty of talented pupils to help turn the Vikings defense into a monster.”"

What do you guys think?  Are the Vikings a team that could surprise people this year or do they need a little more time to grow and develop before they should be considered legitimate threats to be a playoff team?  Let me know in the comments below.

Next: Minnesota Vikings 2015 Game By Game Previews

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