3 mistakes the Vikings cannot repeat from the 2020 NFL season

Start the season winning games

While this sounds simple enough, this was a major issue in 2020. For the first six weeks of the season, the Minnesota Vikings crawled to a 1-5 record leaving them with no choice but to spend the rest of the season digging themselves out of a hole.

The Vikings fell to quite a few formidable opponents during this span, but they were also blown out 40 – 23 in week 6 by the winless Atlanta Falcons who just fired their head coach. The Indianapolis Colts held the Vikings to less than 200 yards of total offense in week two. The Vikings turned over the ball three times in half of those games. Kirk Cousins was sacked 14 times and threw 10 interceptions.

The Vikings very well could’ve started the season 3-3, but they lost close games to the Colts and the Seattle Seahawks by a combined total of merely two points.

The only victory the Vikings were able to snag during this period came against the Houston Texans in week four, and the Vikings were very lucky to walk away victorious. Former Texans’ wide receiver Will Fuller V caught a fourth-down touchdown pass with 1:10 remaining in the game, but it was called back after a booth review determined the ball slightly moved as Fuller landed on the ground.

Following the bye in Week 7, the Vikings would tighten things up and win five of their next six games. However, losing a very winnable game to the 2-7 Dallas Cowboys in Week 11 would further demonstrate that this Vikings squad was not ready to compete against playoff-caliber teams.

Needless to say, the Vikings can’t afford to dig themselves a hole like that again, especially with another tough schedule in 2021.