4 keys to victory for the Vikings vs. the Jaguars in Week 13

Here are four keys to victory for the Minnesota Vikings vs. the Jaguars in Week 13.

The Minnesota Vikings still find themselves in playoff contention after snatching victory from the jaws of defeat against the Carolina Panthers last weekend. This was further proof of just how much belief is still emanating from the locker room after a woeful start to the campaign and a win on Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars will get them back to a 6-6 record.

This hardly seemed possible at one stage. The Minnesota Vikings went into their bye week at 1-5 and with plenty of questions to answer about what sort of direction the organization was heading in. Thankfully, head coach Mike Zimmer and his staff made the necessary adjustments and lit a fire under their talented group to completely turn things around in recent weeks.

They would be unbeaten after the bye had it not been for a strange outing against the Dallas Cowboys. But with games against the Buccaneers, Saints, Bears, and Lions down the stretch, they need to put themselves in a strong position with a win against a Jacksonville team that is 1-10 and in pole position for another top-end 2021 NFL Draft pick.

Here are some keys to victory for the Vikings as they go in pursuit of achieving a .500 record for the first time in what seems like forever.

Key to Victory No. 1

Start fast

One of the main problems that emerged from last weekend’s close-fought victory over the Panthers was a slow start. The Minnesota Vikings looked sluggish throughout the first three quarters before coming on strong down the stretch, which is a trend that needs to change against the Jaguars.

Even though the Vikings gained their fifth win of the season, there is no doubt Zimmer would have been critical of the team’s performance in the early going. Jacksonville is lower on confidence than most, so if the home team can grab a foothold in the game during the opening exchanges, it should come with success.