Revised Vikings Record Predictions after Chargers Disaster
Before the start of the regular season, we asked our writers to predict the end-of-season wins and losses for the Minnesota Vikings, an exercise that ended with a group verdict of 11-6. Well, it seems the panel got that wrong, as the team sits at 3-4 after seven games. So, we asked for revisions.
We asked our staff to re-predict the Minnesota Vikings’ win-loss record after Thursday Night Football, and let’s just say the mighty have fallen.
The franchise has 10 weeks to turn the season around. Here’s what our writers expect to see.
Vikings Record Forecasts after Latest Meltdown
Re-prognosticating Minnesota after a rocky seven games.
Kyle Joudry: 9-8
Preseason Prediction: 11-6
I’ll remain somewhat optimistic. Give me the Vikings at 9-8 to finish the season … but outside the playoffs. Just good enough to make things interesting down the stretch, but outside of the draft’s top ten. Complete unsatisfying in true Vikings fashion.
Cole Smith: 9-8
Preseason Prediction: 11-6
I have seen worse iterations of the Vikings start more poorly than this and still find themselves in the playoff race in December (2005, 2020, 2023, etc.). J.J. McCarthy’s return will hopefully give the team an emotional spark. Can the free-agent acquisitions added last March step up and help this team live up to its potential? I’m eternally optimistic with this team, so I’m eternally disappointed.
Ted Schwerzler: 9-8
Preseason Prediction: 12-5
9-8. There’s still enough talent on this team to compete every week, but this could go extremely pear-shaped if J.J. McCarthy looks like he did in Week 2 against the Falcons.
Josh Frey: 9-8
Preseason Prediction: 10-7
The season is not quite lost by any means, especially if J.J. McCarthy can come back and utilize some of his athleticism to evade pressures that have resulted in Carson Wentz’s sacks over the past five weeks. Minnesota’s defense is also too talented to look as bad as it has over the past six quarters. Hopefully, they’ll look back on this stretch as the bottom point of Minnesota’s season.
Henrique Gucciardi: 8-9
Preseason Prediction: 12-5
It’s hard to make the playoffs when you’re 3-4, and the Vikings have a lot of problems to overcome (injury aside). How J.J. McCarthy develops and how the team behaves in the final 10 games will determine the vibe of the 2026 season.
Dustin Baker: 8-9
Preseason Prediction: 10-7
McCarthy will return in one week, and he’ll show the planet that his Week 2 turd wasn’t his eternal ceiling. Bad games happen. That was a bad game. He’s not doomed.
Along with his offensive tackles in the lineup before too long, McCarthy will play competently enough to begin repairing the Vikings’ recent time-of-possession woes, which will help the defense stay off the field. There’s just no way this defense is suddenly horrible.
The rebound won’t be enough to fetch a playoff berth because seven or eight NFC teams have already passed Minnesota, but the season won’t feel like leprosy by early January. Feels like leprosy now.
Janik Eckardt: 7-10
Preseason Prediction: 10-7
The 2025 Vikings have proven over the last eight weeks that they are not a playoff team. Expecting them to keep their pace and go 4-6 in the remaining games is realistic.
Tony Schultz: 7-10
Preseason Prediction: 14-3
We have to look at today and the current outcomes of these games. Unless there is an absolute 180 by the Vikings in the injury department and quarterback play, the best I see the Vikings finishing is with four wins at most. Thus, a 7-10 season that hopefully nets a top 10 pick.
Ali Siddiqui: 7-10
Preseason Prediction: 12-5
The schedule is very tough the rest of the year. The biggest key the rest of the way is developing J.J. McCarthy.
Adam New: 6-11
Preseason Prediction: 11-6
A lot depends on the health of J.J. McCarthy and the OL, but with some good teams left to play, it’s hard to see too many wins. Flores’ defense must rediscover its mojo against inexperienced QBs like Jaxson Dart, who would appear to be the best chance.
Wesley Johnson: 6-11
Preseason Prediction: 10-7
The Vikings might luck into three more wins. To date, they’ve played the 32nd-most difficult schedule. The team looks lost and searching for an identity — something you don’t want halfway through the season.
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