Vikings Are Evidently Incredibly Fraudulent — and — Incredibly Special

picking the giants
Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports.

Vikings Are Evidently Incredibly Fraudulent — and — Incredibly Special

There cannot be middle ground, so the 2022 Minnesota Vikings are both — incredibly fraudulent and incredibly special at the same time, according to NFL Network and, in particular, Kyle Brandt.

The Vikings completed the largest comeback in NFL history on Saturday, surrendering 33 points to the Indianapolis Colts by halftime while tossing up a goose egg on offense. That’s right. Minnesota trailed 33-0 to the 4-8-1 Colts, and several fans left U.S. Bank Stadium out of anger and disappointment.

But somehow, the Vikings came back to win 39-36, thanks to four touchdown passes from Kirk Cousins and a defense than held Indianapolis to three points in the 3rd Quarter, 4th Quarter, and overtime.

Vikings Are Evidently Incredibly Fraudulent — and — Incredibly Special

Such tomfoolery prompted NFL Network’s Kyle Brandt to aptly summarize the 2022 Vikings experience on Good Morning Football Monday, “Are the Vikings a huge fraud, or are they a genuinely special team? The answer is: ‘yes.'”

Vikings Are Evidently Incredibly Fraudulent -- and -- Incredibly Special
Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports.

And for consistent onlookers of the team, this brand of Vikings indeed seems to align with both adjectives — fraudulent and special. The Vikings are a blistering 10-0 in one-score games, absolutely refusing to allow opponents satisfaction when contests are tight. In 2022, Minnesota is unbeatable when a game goes down to the wire.

Here’s the full spiel from Brandt:

On the other hand, Kevin O’Connell’s team has the DNA to get utterly smashed by the opposition, evidenced by Week 2 at the Philadelphia Eagles, Week 11 versus the Dallas Cowboys, and Week 15 against the Colts in the 1st Half. The Vikings can do it all: beat the mighty Buffalo Bills in New York, stifle Aaron Rodgers, author the greatest comebacks known to man, and resemble a 1-16 team on some afternoons.

Vikings Can Fix Mired Defense en Route to Division Title
David Reginek-USA TODAY Sports.

Various NFL pundits have also caught on to the Vikings naughty point differential. Of all teams in NFL history with at least 11 wins through 14 games of a season, the Vikings +2 point differential — meaning Minnesota has outscored opponents collectively by just two this season — is the lowest in NFL history.

And this one:

Whether the Vikings turn out closer to frauds or a special Super Bowl-bound contender hellbent on destiny, they will do so with a first-year head coach who won the NFC North right off the bat. It’s a tremendous omen for the future. The Vikings may not be good enough to conquer titans of industry like the Eagles on the road or the Chiefs in the Super Bowl, but they have a marvelous building block with O’Connell at the helm.

Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports.

Plus, who knows? If Minnesota can circumvent 33-points leads or beat the Bills on the road, they genuinely have to blueprint to do anything, especially in unison with the “any given Sunday” mantra.

A clearer verdict on “fraud vs. special” should be on display this weekend at home against the New York Giants. New York is jostling for playoff position, and Minnesota is a 3.5-point favorite to win.

The two teams could meet in three weeks, too, as the Giants are now in the driver’s seat to grab the NFC’s sixth or seventh playoff seed.


Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sal Spice. 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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