The Vikings managed one playoff win last season, but can Kirk Cousins lead Minnesota to a deeper postseason run this year?
Mike Zimmer always has the Vikings in the thick of things in the NFC North, but he hasn’t been able to lead his team to a Super Bowl. That has to be the goal for Minnesota as they enter the 2020 regular season.
To accomplish that goal, the Vikings will need to improve on last year’s regular season record of 10-6. That will require Kirk Cousins to keep the offense humming at a high level even after losing Stefon Diggs in the offseason. The presence of Adam Thielen and Dalvin Cook gives the unit plenty of talent at the skill positions, but there might be some early struggles while adjusting to life without Diggs.
Zimmer’s defense should continue to be among the best units in the NFL. Losing Everson Griffen will hurt the team’s pass rush, but Danielle Hunter returns as one of the most underrated edge rushers in the league. Losing Xavier Rhodes might seem like a major issue, but his performance was slipping. Even if the talent level on defense has decreased slightly, Zimmer has the coaching acumen to make up for it.
The challenge for the Vikings this year is still to go from good to great. The outcome of the following five bold predictions should give a great indication on Minnesota’s chances of making that jump.
5. The Vikings will win the NFC North
The Packers won the division by three games in 2019, but they’re a prime candidate for regression in 2020. That, combined with the Vikings’ ability to improve modestly, should make Minnesota the right pick to win the NFC North in 2020. A final mark of 11-5 should be good enough for Zimmer’s team to secure the victory.