Analyst Predicts Massive Vikings Bounce Back in Second Half of the Regular Season
Heading into 2025, there was a boatload of excitement in Minnesota surrounding the Vikings.
Minnesota was coming off a 14-win season in 2024, and they were getting ready to unload an exciting young QB in J.J. McCarthy on the rest of the NFL while seemingly addressing big needs on the offensive and defensive lines in free agency.
However, as the season got started, and players started dropping like flies due to injuries, including McCarthy, the excitement began to wane. Now, though, as we arrive at the midway point of the regular season, some of that excitement has begun to come back after Minnesota’s big road win over the Detroit Lions.
And one analyst has a big prediction for the Vikings as we head into Week 10.
Can the Vikings Still Win the NFC North?
At 4-4, the Vikings still have a long road ahead of them in order to clinch a playoff berth. However, Sullivan of CBS Sports thinks Minnesota can not only make the playoffs this year but win the NFC North outright.
Sullivan unleashed five bold predictions this week, and one of them was titled, “J.J. McCarthy powers Vikings to NFC North title.”
Here’s the rationale from the man himself:
“Minnesota is +1700 to win the NFC North as it sits at 4-4, which is last place in the division. While that paints a gloomy picture, there’s a world where the Vikings rise above the rest of their rivals. In his return after missing time with a high ankle sprain suffered in Week 2, J.J. McCarthy looked good in Week 9, leading the Vikings to an upset win over the Lions in Detroit. He was good — not great — and that’s the scary part for the rest of the division.”
McCarthy has not had the smoothest start to his NFL career, but the majority of it has been out of his control. He missed the entirety of his rookie season because of a meniscus tear, and this year, he missed five games because of a high ankle sprain.
However, with McCarthy under center, the Vikings are 2-1 this year. While the numbers won’t wow anybody, outside of the Atlanta Falcons game, during which he got hurt, the young quarterback has stepped up and made all of the big plays down the stretch of games to get Minnesota to wins.
McCarthy led a ferocious fourth quarter comeback against the Chicago Bears in his NFL debut, and this past weekend, he countered every punch the Detroit Lions had on the way to a 27-24 win for Minnesota.
Currently, Minnesota is a game and half out of first place in the NFC North, but they still have both games against the current division leaders, the Green Bay Packers, ahead of them on the schedule. One of those games is just a few weeks away on November 23 at Lambeau Field.
The Vikings also have another game against the Bears in a couple weeks, and they will play the Lions at home before concluding the regular season at home against the Packers.
A path still is in front of them to take the NFC North, but they will need McCarthy to continue coming through in clutch moments to get it done.
First things first, though, Minnesota needs to start a winning streak against the Baltimore Ravens this weekend.
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