The Road to the Super Bowl
Here’s where things get interesting for the Minnesota Vikings. Sometimes it’s not the best team that makes it to the Super Bowl, but rather the one that gets the right team at the right time. For the Ravens, their journey had a little bit of muscle and a little bit of good karma.
The Ravens won their division and got to host a playoff game after winning the AFC North with a 10-6 record. Their reward was a date with the Indianapolis Colts, who rolled out rookie quarterback Andrew Luck and got shelled 24-9. The following round, the Ravens would get the top-seeded Denver Broncos but would escape with a double-overtime win after Rahim Moore got burned on a 70-yard touchdown pass to Jacoby Jones with 31 seconds left.
That win established a wave of momentum that ran into Foxborough and embarrassed the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship and when the lights came on in the Super Bowl, they were able to contain Colin Kaepernick and claim the second championship in franchise history.
Entering the stretch for the Vikings, they have a great chance of making the playoffs despite their record with a 56.5% chance according to Football Outsiders. If the Vikings can get into the dance, they have the chance to steal the girl in a playoff field that could be more wide open than you think.
Los Angeles and New Orleans are the cream of the crop, but both played the Vikings and had their matchups come down to the wire. In addition, the Vikings would likely have to go play the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field in the wild card round, but would also be facing a quarterback making his first playoff start in Mitchell Trubisky. Sensing a pattern yet?
It may be improbable, but the pieces are there if the Vikings are jumpstarted by the implementation of Stefanski. If the Minnesota Vikings get it going, there is more than enough reason this team can surprise some people and make a deep run into the playoffs.
Yes, Lloyd. I’m telling you there is a chance.