Vikings Get Bold NFC Championship Prediction
The Minnesota Vikings have NFC Championship upside, according to former NFL quarterback Dan Orlovsky, who now does analysis for ESPN.
Former QB Dan Orlovsky made a bold prediction: the Vikings could reach the NFC Championship Game. It’s a wild but welcome take with the regular season approaching.
Opinion about the purple team is mixed through NFL circles, with oddsmakers expecting Kevin O’Connell’s bunch to finish 8-9 or 9-8.
But don’t tell that to Orlovsky, who tweeted about Minnesota in the NFC Championship this week.
New Forecast Plops Vikings in NFC Title Game
Former NFL passer Dan Orlovsky wasn’t shy about pounding the table for Minnesota.
Dan Orlovsky Predicts NFC Championship for Vikings
Orlovsky didn’t respond to anything; his tweet was unprovoked and unsolicited.
He posted on X, formerly known as Twitter: “Ryan Kelly. Will Fries. Jonathan Allen. Javon Hargrave. Both lines are better. Top 5 play-calling tandem (O’Connell & Flores). If JJ is a league-average starter, the Vikings will be in the NFC title game.”
Predictably, the tweet inspired kudos from Vikings fans — and criticism from naysayers.
Ex-NFLer Ross Tucker replied to the remarks, “So you like a ‘league average’ starter to win multiple playoff games against top 10 QBs like Stafford, Hurts, Goff, Jayden Daniels, etc.?”
The Boldest Take Yet
Orlovsky’s declaration is the boldest Vikings-themed take of the offseason and summer. The club reached the postseason last year but flamed out against the Los Angeles Rams after finishing the regular season with a 14-3 record. Accordingly, some outsiders maintain a sour taste with Minnesota, wanting to see a playoff win from Kevin O’Connell to prove that he’s the real deal.
In fact, in the court of public opinion, Minnesota getting to the postseason with McCarthy in charge is quite the acknowledgement. Because the NFC North is so brutally competitive, many media outlets project the Vikings for third or fourth place in the division.
Why Orlovsky Can Be Right
Generally speaking, Orlovsky is correct. If McCarthy doesn’t play foolishly, the sky is the limit for the 2025 squad. General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah used the offseason to build the trenches — finally — on offense and defense, empowering his team to showcase its best offensive and defensive lines arguably since 2009.
The roster is Super Bowl-caliber. McCarthy is the great unknown.
Why Orlovsky Can Be Wrong
Orlovsky may end up looking silly with his tweet for two main reasons: a) Minnesota’s schedule is absolutely brutal per opponent strength. It ranks fifth most difficult per most strength-of-schedule ranking metrics. b) McCarthy could play, well, like a rookie. He’ll have ups and downs, and 22-year-olds rarely reach the NFC Championship.
It’s worth noting that Minnesota hasn’t reached the NFC Title game since 2017, and in the realm of Vikings history, the franchise is overdue for another appearance.
Injuries, too, could rattle the club. Wide receiver Justin Jefferson is already battling a mild hamstring malady. Yet, the injury fears apply to every NFL team. Sometimes, seasons are about attrition.
A Contrarian Vikings Prediction
NFL writer Logan Ulrich predicted the Vikings to miss the postseason altogether last week, an anti-Orlovsky angle.
He explained, “Last year, I thought the Vikings would be a middling team even with HC Kevin O’Connell getting a career best out of QB Sam Darnold. I definitely underestimated what Darnold’s career best could look like, but I also undersold the quality of the roster the Vikings have built, both on offense and defense.”
“Perhaps I’m guilty of both again this year, with first-year starter J.J. McCarthy taking over at quarterback following a true redshirt season. In a weird way, I feel like he’s less equipped to hit the ground running than Darnold, given his overall lack of experience, even though Darnold’s career before last year was inauspicious.”
Darnold had six years of experience before joining Minnesota’s roster. Of course, he was more equipped than McCarthy.
Ulrich added, “Minnesota has indicated it’s going to try to rely less on McCarthy and more on the surrounding talent, including a revamped offensive line and running game, but the NFC North is intensely competitive and McCarthy is going to be pushed into some big games in what will essentially be his rookie year. I think it’s fair to expect some bumps. As for the defense, the Vikings invested a lot in the line of scrimmage and have DC Brian Flores back for a third year concocting mad schemes.”
“Minnesota finished fifth in scoring defense last year and all the pieces are in place for a similar finish in 2025. Defense is more volatile year to year, however, and there are some potential weak points with aging players who are more prone to injuries and a thin secondary.”
In just 40 days, folks will begin to understand which forecast — Orlovsky’s or Ulrich’s — is closer to the truth when Minnesota travels to Soldier Field in Week 1 for a date with the Chicago Bears.
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