After a successful first half that resulted in a 6-2 record, how will the rest of the Minnesota Vikings’ 2017 season turn out?
There is a possibility that some people predicted the Minnesota Vikings to win six of their first eight games this year. But those predictions likely included the Vikings having a healthy Sam Bradford and Dalvin Cook for each week as well.
After Cook went down with a torn ACL in Week 4 and Bradford’s knee injury prevented him from finishing Minnesota’s Week 5 game against the Chicago Bears, very few probably predicted that the team would be as successful in 2017 as they have been.
However, there is still a whole second half of a season for the Vikings to play and the team continuing to build off their early success is nothing close to a guarantee (especially after 2016). Minnesota’s journey back to the playoffs will begin with the team playing four of their next five games on the road and then finishing with two of their final three matchups at home in U.S. Bank Stadium.
Since predictions are kind of fun and people seem to enjoy them, let’s go over a few things that could possibly happen over the next eight weeks of the Vikings’ season.
The Vikings will make the playoffs and earn a first-round bye
Minnesota’s upcoming schedule may look a little frightening, but it is not as tough as some may lead on to believe. Only two of their final eight games are against teams who currently have a winning record and one of those matchups (versus the Los Angeles Rams) will be played at U.S. Bank Stadium in front of an insanely loud home crowd.
The Vikings may have to travel on the road for a majority of the next eight weeks, but five of their final eight games will also be played indoors. Under Mike Zimmer, Minnesota has an 11-4 record in games played indoors against teams not named the Detroit Lions (1-4 indoors versus the Lions).
Being that only four teams in the NFC currently have two losses or less this year, the Vikings finishing with a 12-4 record or better this season seems like it would be good enough to earn them a spot in the playoffs and a first-round bye.
Adam Thielen will finish the year with at least 1,000 receiving yards
In his fourth season as a member of Minnesota’s active roster, Thielen has arguably been the team’s most impressive player in 2017 so far. After eight games, the receiver has already caught 48 passes for 627 yards and one touchdown.
With Stefon Diggs missing a few weeks of the season with a groin injury, Thielen has seen a lot more balls thrown his way this year. In each of his last three games, the receiver has been targeted at least 10 times by Vikings quarterback Case Keenum.
With only 373 more yards to go, Thielen will easily finish the year with over 1,000 receiving yards and become the first Minnesota pass catcher to do so since Sidney Rice back in 2009.
Teddy Bridgewater will start at least four games this season
After a long, grueling recovery process from the major knee injury he suffered in 2016, Bridgewater will reportedly be added to the Vikings’ active roster anytime now. After he is activated, it should not be much longer before he is back as Minnesota’s starting quarterback.
Case Keenum as done a decent job in his six starts for the Vikings this year, but he is not the guy to take the team deep into the playoffs.
Against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Cleveland Browns this season (combined record of 2-14), the quarterback threw five touchdowns, just one interception, and averaged 328.5 passing yards per game. But in his four other starts this year, Keenum has just one touchdown pass, two interceptions, and threw for an average of only 203.3 yards per game.
If Minnesota wants to get a top seed and actually make some noise in the postseason this year, the team needs to switch to the more talented Bridgewater. The Vikings at least need to see him out on the field for a few games as his contract is up at the end of the season and the team needs to figure out if they want to re-sign the young quarterback or not.
If not in Week 11 against the Los Angeles Rams, expect Bridgewater back starting under center for the Vikings in their Thanksgiving matchup with the Detroit Lions in Week 12.
Seven members of the Vikings will make the 2017 Pro Bowl
In 2016, six players from Minnesota’s roster were invited to the Pro Bowl. This season, not only will that total increase to seven, but the Vikings will even send two players from their offense to the NFL’s annual all-star game.
Following an impressive first half of the season, Minnesota left tackle Riley Reiff will earn his first-career trip to the Pro Bowl after continuing to play at a high-level for the remainder of the year. In addition to becoming the first Vikings player to finish a season with at least 1,000 receiving yards since 2009, Adam Thielen will also get an invite to the Pro Bowl for the first time in his young career.
Defensive end Everson Griffen, defensive tackle Linval Joseph, linebacker Anthony Barr, cornerback Xavier Rhodes, and safety Harrison Smith all went to the Pro Bowl in 2016 and all five of them will be going in 2017. However, if Minnesota ends up playing in the Super Bowl, there will be no Vikings at the Pro Bowl this year.
Next: Is Sam Bradford's 2017 season over?
Hard to imagine that most of Minnesota’s fans would not mind that happening though.