Vikings Could End Bizarre Streak on Saturday
Does it feel like the Minnesota Vikings always lose in the preseason?
Vikings Could End Bizarre Streak on Saturday
It should — the purple team has not won a preseason game in five years.
So, when Minnesota hosts the Las Vegas Raiders on Saturday, a 10-game losing streak is on the line. In fact, the last time the Vikings won a preseason game was the day Donald Trump announced that he’d like the United States to buy Greenland.
On August 18th, 2019, the Vikings chipped off the Seattle Seahawks at U.S. Bank Stadium, a 25-19 win and one of the peaks of Kyle Sloter mania. And then that was it. Minnesota, for some reason, stopped winning preseason games altogether, dropping the next 10, an active and strange streak.
Of course, there are no guarantees whatsoever that Minnesota will get off the schneid this weekend. The preseason losing streak isn’t exclusively a “Mike Zimmer thing” or “Kevin O’Connell problem” — both coaches are accountable for the somewhat meaningless losing skid. It’s just weird, on the whole, that the Vikings cannot win a preseason contest.
To their credit, the Vikings rarely play first-team players, especially under O’Connell, which might explain the doldrums. Some franchises give starters at least one series just to get the juices flowing, creating an early-game advantage for the opposition. But Minnesota does not embrace that strategy, fancying a clean bill of health over starters’ preseason minutes.
This go-round, fans will intently watch the quarterbacks as Minnesota has its preseason quarterback battle for the first time in a decade. Kirk Cousins left this offseason via free agency to the Atlanta Falcons, and veteran Sam Darnold, plus rookie passer J.J. McCarthy, will replace the 35-year-old. Most expect all four Vikings quarterbacks — Sam Darnold, J.J. McCarthy, Nick Mullens, and Jaren Hall — to see action on Saturday, though those theories are merely speculative. Head coach Kevin O’Connell has been tight-lipped about his exhibition plan.
Fans will also monitor position battles like WR3, defensive tackle, cornerback, and the punter spots. The Vikings have 20 days to trim the roster from 91 players to 53. Training camp has shed light on various roster competitions, but the preseason is the next forum.
And naturally, folks want to see if Minnesota can simply find a way to win a preseason game. Hearts won’t melt if the Raiders prevail, but O’Connell’s squad has to come out on top of a warm-up game sooner or later.
Thankfully, preseason wins and losses virtually never transfer to regular season successes or failures. But no matter how one dices it, the losing streak is a head-scratcher.
Sportsbooks must recognize the 10-game losing skid because Las Vegas is favored to win by 3.5 points.
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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