3 reasons the Vikings will beat the Bengals in Week 1

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - DECEMBER 17: AJ McCarron #5 of the Cincinnati Bengals at the line of scrimmage in the fourth quarter of the game against the Minnesota Vikings on December 17, 2017 at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - DECEMBER 17: AJ McCarron #5 of the Cincinnati Bengals at the line of scrimmage in the fourth quarter of the game against the Minnesota Vikings on December 17, 2017 at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
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Minnesota Vikings
(Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports) Kirk Cousins

Minnesota has something to prove

Last season, the Minnesota Vikings ended the year with a 7-9 record that included several disappointing losses to teams they could have beaten. They followed that up with an unimpressive performance for the starters in the preseason that saw the first-team offense unable to score a touchdown.

Minnesota should be entering this season with a chip on their shoulder. Finding any expert analyst willing to put the Vikings in a position to win the NFC North or return to the playoffs can be a difficult search.

It is definitely a good thing that this year’s Vikings squad barely resembles last year’s team. Several veteran players joined the secondary and young players were added to the offense to ensure the events of 2020 wouldn’t happen again for Minnesota.

Still, the Vikings will need to prove that things are different. Spending a lot of salary cap funds and investing in draft picks is good and all, but unless the team can put it all together on the field to win games, the efforts are wasted. The team should be hungry to prove they can be serious contenders this year.

Do you think the Minnesota Vikings will beat the Bengals on Sunday? If so, what is your biggest reason for believing that? Let us know your thoughts on the upcoming game in the comments section.

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