10 bold predictions for the 2022 Minnesota Vikings
By Chris Schad
The Vikings will lose their first two games
The Vikings may be a better team in 2022, but it’s going to require some patience. Kevin O’Connell was wise to hold his starters out of preseason games to reduce the risk of injury but it may lead them to a slow start to begin the season.
Minnesota will open the season with a home game against the Green Bay Packers. You could argue that the Vikings are getting the Packers at the right time as they will be adjusting to life without Davante Adams. But this is still a good team that may revolve around its running game and defense to stay afloat.
The Vikings will then travel to the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 2. Vikings fans may be scarred from a certain NFC Championship Game, but the Eagles might be just as scary this time around. A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith create a strong pass-catching duo to test the secondary and the matchup between Jordan Davis and Garrett Bradbury could be a massacre in the trenches.
With Cousins being the ultimate creature of comfort, a transitional phase and an 0-2 start is a real possibility. But it doesn’t mean the Vikings will be a bad team and they’ll have a chance to rebound as the season goes along.