6 most surprising Minnesota Vikings seasons of all-time

4. 2012 Vikings

Coming off a forgettable 3-13 season in 2011, not much was expected out of the Vikings heading into their 2012 campaign. Especially with Minnesota rolling with second-year quarterback Christian Ponder as their starter and their star running back, Adrian Peterson, was coming off a torn ACL.

Luckily for the Vikings, they didn’t have to rely on Ponder’s play for most of the season as Peterson basically took total control of the offense. The Minnesota running back exploded for 2,097 rushing yards to help lead the team to a 10-6 record and a spot in the 2012 playoffs.

Some believed that Peterson was capable of having a decent campaign in 2012 despite tearing his ACL during the previous season. But no one could have predicted the kind of impressive numbers the Vikings running back ended up with that year.

Minnesota could have possibly had an even better season too if wide receiver Percy Harvin wasn’t lost in the middle of the year with an ankle injury. Through nine games, Harvin already had 62 catches, 677 receiving yards, and five total touchdowns.

Even without Harvin though, the Vikings had a respectable season in 2012 that just about no one thought was possible heading into the year.