The Preseason and Vikings Fans’ Expectations
Nate Powalie
|
Football is back. Well, almost. The preseason is here, and how the exhibition goes will shape the fans’ expectations of teams in the 2022 campaign.
For Minnesota Vikings fans, it’s no different. Attached here is what the Vikings’ depth chart looks to be for their first preseason game when they take on the Raiders Sunday.
Preseason Sentiment for Fans’ Expectations
But why and how does the preseason shape regular season expectations for fans? Well, for all teams, the preseason allows players to prove that they belong on an NFL roster. It also gives the starters a chance to set a baseline of what they have in store.
What to Look Forward to and How to View Expectations
The preseason hype and fans’ expectations, however, must come with question marks. Sometimes the preseason can prove doom and gloom and lead to an unsuccessful season. While other times, it could be just the opposite result. Or you could have an inverse result from the preseason to the regular season (a la Cleveland 2017).
The benchmark for fans’ expectations is set to help determine what fans want to see in the regular season, of course. And in this article here, the Vikings’ preseason storylines include what fans expect from their big-name pieces.
What’s Different About 2022
This preseason, however, for fans, will add a new wrinkle to the expectations for the Vikings. Kevin O’Connell is a rookie head coach who brings in a new system. As a result, this will take some time for Kirk Cousins and the rest of the offense to adjust. And they will be without a key piece for the preseason, unfortunately, Tight End Irv Smith Jr. is still recovering from thumb surgery on August 2, but Minnesota hopes he’ll be back in time for the regular season opener against Green Bay.
So how valuable is the preseason to fans’ expectations? That can depend. From bettors to play time to stat heads, the preseason might not have much worth. But for Vikings fans, the expectations are often shaped by the preseason play. And it will always be Super Bowl or bust as the Vikes look to win their first Lombardi trophy.
Final Thoughts
2022 is sure to be an exciting year in the NFL. For the Minnesota Vikings, the goals are high from their loyal fanbase. And I’m sure there will be a large chip on the shoulder for the players wearing the purple and gold.
You must be logged in to post a comment.