At 3-4 With a Favorable Schedule, the Vikings' Playoff Hunt is Back On
The Vikings' upset victory over the 49ers on Monday night might've changed their season's entire trajectory. After starting 0-3, they've now won three of their last four games and are right back in the thick of the NFC wild card race. With the schedule opening up, this team has a chance to really start rolling if it can continue to stack together performances like the one we saw against San Francisco.
Put simply: The season is back on.
During the Vikings' disappointing start — in which they lost four one-score games largely to due to turnover woes and missed opportunities — speculation began brewing about the possibility of trading away key players like Danielle Hunter or even Kirk Cousins (which was always unlikely due to his no-trade clause).
That can now be put to bed. Even if the Vikings lose in Green Bay on Sunday, two days before the trade deadline, their win over a legitimate contender like the 49ers presumably ended any internal talks of selling. If the Vikings beat the Packers, we may even see GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah make a move to add to this roster before next Tuesday.
The Vikings are 11th in ESPN's Football Power Index, one spot behind the Lions. They're 16th in DVOA, with a better mark than they had last year as a 13-4 team. Even their point differential is better this year.
It'll take more than one win to determine whether or not the Vikings are actually a good team, but there are enough pieces in place to think this recent turnaround might be sustainable. The offensive line is playing at a very high level, which is huge for Kirk Cousins. Jordan Addison looks like a potential star — and Justin Jefferson has a chance to be back on the field in a few weeks. Defensively, Danielle Hunter leads the NFL in sacks and Brian Flores has cooked up masterful game plans that led to six takeaways over the past two games.
Another reason to buy in on these Vikings is the schedule. They've faced the Eagles, Chargers, Chiefs, and 49ers in their first seven games. Now they only play one team with a winning record (the Falcons) between now and Week 16. Even with three out of their last four games coming against the Bengals and Lions (twice), the Vikings' remaining strength of schedule is the league's sixth-softest, according to ESPN's FPI.
That's a big reason why FPI gives the Vikings a 55 percent chance to make the playoffs — a number that would jump into the 60s with a win over the Packers on Sunday.
There's plenty of reason to believe this Vikings team is better than the 2022 version. It's up to this year's group to prove that by taking advantage of the schedule and continuing to win games.
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