5 reasons the Minnesota Vikings will win it all in 2017
By Tyler Haag
The Minnesota Vikings have a good shot to capture the franchise’s very first Super Bowl win if everything works out during the 2017 playoffs.
It is easy to be pessimistic about the Minnesota Vikings given all of the heartache the team’s fans have endured over the past 50 years. But this season seems different.
Here are five reasons the Vikings will go to the Super Bowl and win it all this year.
The defense is really good
Harrison Smith and Xavier Rhodes were just named First-Team All-Pros, Everson Griffen is a Second-Team All-Pro, Anthony Barr is a Pro Bowl linebacker and the Vikings’ defense gave up a conversion on only 25% of their third downs this season.
They are number one in points allowed, yards allowed, and tied for first in yards per play allowed. There are a large number of different statistics you could choose from, but it may be best to say this defense is flirting with historic greatness this season.
Case Keenum is having an amazing season
Keenum has been very impressive this season for the Vikings. A career backup who was called into action for the Minnesota this season and has delivered with a 1.5% interception rate (which is tied for number four in the NFL this year), a 98.3 passer rating (seventh), a 67.6% completion percentage (second), 22 Touchdowns, just seven interceptions and oh yeah, led the Vikings to a division title and a number two seed in the NFC playoffs.
Honestly, it’s hard NOT to believe it’s Case Keenum’s year.
The rest of the NFC’s perennial contenders are having down years
The Green Bay Packers, Dallas Cowboys and Seattle Seahawks are all at home for this year’s tournament. The Philadelphia Eagles do not look like a number one seed without Carson Wentz and the Vikings have beaten the rest of the playoff field, save the Carolina Panthers, whom Minnesota has still beaten twice in their past three meetings.
Minnesota Vikings
Home-field advantage in the playoffs?
With Philadelphia still reeling from the loss of Wentz, the path to Minneapolis could very well run through… Minneapolis. The Vikings are 7-1 at home this season and have given up an average of 12.5 points per game and at least 21 of the points given were fourth quarter, garbage time points.
The crowd noise is a very real issue for opposing quarterbacks and if Minnesota’s offense gets the lead early, it is going to be very difficult to come back and win.
Kai Forbath is not that bad
Most Vikings fans would tell you they never trust the kicker and/or the special teams in general because of the atrocities committed by the unit in previous years. This year might feel the same, but the kicking game has not been all that bad!
Next: Vikings' 5 best offensive plays of 2017
Forbath is ninth in the NFL in field goals made, tied for fourth in field goals made over 50 yards, and fourth in field goals made from 30 to 39 yards. If you don’t ask him to kick over 55 yards, Forbath is very consistent.