Oct 9, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings fans Syd Davy cheers on his team against the Houston Texans at U.S. Bank Stadium. The Vikings win 31-13. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports.
The following questions are about current Minnesota Vikings topics, answered by VikingsTerritory. Today is the September 19th edition, addressed in a from-the-hip fashion. If you have questions, please email them to DustinBakerNFL@gmail.com.
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.
Answer: We’re oddly optimistic after Minnesota’s triumph over San Francisco. So, we say Vikings 27-24.
Think of it this way: if the Vikings can defeat the San Francisco 49ers, they can defeat any team in the business not named the Kansas City Chiefs. That — and Minnesota handled the 49ers somewhat suspense-free. Had Aaron Jones not fumbled on the goal line, Kevin O’Connell’s team seemed en route to a rout.
Of course, the Texans are an excellent team, too, but it feels a little silly to believe Houston vastly outpaces Minnesota per talent. Both teams are hot, but let’s choose the Vikings under the pretense that Brian Flores throws blitz looks at C.J. Stroud that are unfamiliar to the young signal-caller.
A: Let’s be bold and roll with 4-1.
It’s likely a pipe dream to believe Minnesota will strut into the bye week completely unblemished — it would feel like the 2016 season — but this team is so well-coached at the moment that 4-1 is achievable. Perhaps a safer guess is 3-2, but we will be bold and say 4-1.
A win over Houston, a road loss to Green Bay (because this can’t really be that grand, can it?), and a win in London over the New York Jets because the Vikings never lose overseas.
Minnesota has built up a bit of house money after starting the season 2-0. It was supposed to be a six- or seven-win team, according to oddsmakers.
Answer: Oh, absolutely. We’d bet money on it.
In fact, Love practiced on Thursday and has not been ruled out of the Packers’ meeting with the Tennessee Titans on Sunday. He may actually play this weekend.
While Green Bay may ultimately take the safe approach and sit Love in Week 3, we entirely expect Love to be ready for Packers-Vikings at Lambeau Field. This is just how Vikings football works: the least favorable outcome is probably on the way.
Thankfully, Love isn’t totally unstoppable like Aaron Rodgers all those years.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the purple team, with 4-7 episodes per week. His MIN obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL.
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.