Questions Answered: Thielen and MNF, Vikings Playoff Hopes, The Weirdest MIN-CHI Stat
The following questions are about current Minnesota Vikings topics, answered by VikingsTerritory. Today’s is the December 20th edition, addressed in a from-the-hip fashion. If you have questions, please email them to [email protected].
Also, please note: These are opinion-based responses. Some answers will be incorrect from time to time. But we’ll try to keep that to a minimum.
Q: Will Adam Thielen play tonight?
A: We lean toward yes – to the tune of about 95%. The verdict is up to the Vikings medical staff as of Monday afternoon.
Thielen, given the self-effectuated choice, would play, but the trainers must clear him. The staff did it for Dalvin Cook 11 days ago, so it would not be crazy for Thielen to receive the same treatment.
Chicago’s secondary is depleted, meaning Thielen and teammate Justin Jefferson should feast in the Windy City. If the 5% no-Thielen scenario transpires, well, K.J. Osborn must step up – just like he did in Week 14 versus Pittsburgh.
Q: How did Sunday go for the Vikings playoff hopes?
A: Not good – not good at all.
Everyone and their fourth cousin predicted the Tampa Bay Buccaneers would vanquish their Saints troubles – at home, no less – but they did not, losing 9-0. The Buccaneers looked moronic on offense, embarrassed by a near-elite New Orleans defense.
The win for the Saints gives Sean Payton’s team control back of its proverbial playoff destiny. If the Saints win out (Dolphins, Panthers, Falcons), they will likely seize the seventh seed in the NFC playoffs, disallowing the Vikings faint hopes.
Winning in Tampa for the Saints really threw a true wrench into the Vikings playoff math. Now, Minnesota must cheer against New Orleans, hoping they lose one or two games in the next three weeks. Or – the Vikings could just win their final four games and cross fingers for the tiebreaking scenarios. But Minnesota winning the next four games seems unlikely. Therefore, help with New Orleans losing is mandatory.
Q: Vikings-Bears is always weird. Do the stats reflect it?
A: Well, yes. The Vikings have won 51.3% of all football games in this millennium – 13th-best in the NFL since 2000.
However, at Soldier Field, the Vikings have won 25% of the time in the last 20 years. That drop-off is horrendous.
And here’s another head-scratching stat: In the last 24 Vikings-Bears games, whichever team led at halftime – ultimately won the game. Since 2008, neither team came back on its opponent when trailing at halftime.
Ergo, the trend will continue tonight, handing the game to the halftime score-leader. Or the statistic will be flipped on its head.
The head-flipping would be fitting for a crazy Vikings season, wouldn’t it?
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sally from Minneapolis. His Viking fandom dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ and The Doors (the band).
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