Vikings Called a Super Bowl Contender — with an MVP Candidate
It’s not a fringe theory anymore.
Vikings Called a Super Bowl Contender — with an MVP Candidate
The Minnesota Vikings are considered legitimate Super Bowl contenders following a Week 4 triumph on the road at the Green Bay Packers. Kevin O’Connell and friends survived a late advance from the Packers after a climbing to a gaudy 28-0 1st-Half lead.
And that was after the Vikings defeated the New York Giants by 22 in Week 1, the Super Bowl runner-up San Francisco 49ers by six the next week, and the Houston Texans by 27 in Week 3. It was as if the Vikings needed a signature win at its foremost foe’s building to convince the NFL body politic.
They did so, and folks are now buying into the Super Bowl stakes for Minnesota. Yahoo Sports‘ Frank Schwab published an article Sunday, the latest to sing the Vikings’ praises.
“There’s no mistaking what is happening with the Vikings anymore. They’re not just one of the best teams in the NFL, they might be the best team in the league based on the early returns,” Schwab wrote. “If there was any wonder about the Vikings’ standing in the NFL’s hierarchy after a 3-0 start, they erased it after what happened at Lambeau Field.”
Quarterback Sam Darnold has totally rekindled his career through four contests in Minnesota, leading the business in touchdown passes (11) and ranking third leaguewide per EPA+CPOE, an efficiency metric measuring expected wins added. He’s balled out, shoving the Vikings in front of the scoreboard for all but three minutes of the 2024 season.
“Now the Vikings’ résumé looks a little different. No team has a trio of quality wins like the Vikings, and all three were unquestionable. The 49ers, Texans and Packers were all considered potential Super Bowl contenders, and the Vikings looked great against all three. That must make the Vikings Super Bowl contenders themselves,” Schwab continued.
The Vikings’ defense, meanwhile, ranks second in the NFL EPA/Play, only trailing the Seattle Seahawks, who play the Detroit Lions on Monday Night Football.
Schwab also confirmed Darnold’s status as an MVP candidate: “If you removed the preseason expectations and started with a clean slate in the opener, you’d see a highly efficient offense led by a quarterback who should get early MVP buzz, with a defense that has been arguably the best in the league. And it’s a team that has had decisive victories over three straight quality opponents. That looks like a championship contender.”
Minnesota’s next stop? Across the pond in London for a date with the New York Jets, a team that confusingly lost by a point to the Denver Broncos on Sunday.
The Vikings have a +1700 moneyline to win their first Super Bowl as of September 30th, odds that were situated at +8000 four weeks ago.
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 Vikings 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.
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