Inside The Vikings

Stephen A. Smith is not a believer in the Vikings this season

"What's wrong with you?" Smith asked Dan Orlovsky on ESPN's First Take.

Will Ragatz

ESPN's Stephen A. Smith in 2021.
ESPN's Stephen A. Smith in 2021. / Tori Lynn Schneider / USA TODAY NETWORK
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It's safe to say Stephen A. Smith is not a believer in the Vikings this season. On an episode of First Take, ESPN's most prominent personality was taken aback when Dan Orlovsky said he wouldn't be shocked if Minnesota wins the NFC North.

"I would be stunned," Smith said. "Kirk Cousins is gone. They don't even have J.J. McCarthy. Minnesota? Minnesota?! What's wrong with you, man? I'm very concerned about you, Dan. You OK? Jordan Love's in the division, the Detroit Lions are knocking on the door of a championship, Caleb Williams got weapons. Minnesota? Really?"

Smith completely ignored Damien Woody saying "Sam Darnold might ball this year."

Orlovsky has said on the record multiple times that he's high on the Vikings this season. He was a big fan of what McCarthy did in the preseason opener, but even after the news emerged that the rookie needed season-ending surgery, Orlovsky still thinks Darnold could have a good year under Kevin O'Connell.

In a video he posted after the McCarthy news broke, Orlovsky said he'd sign O'Connell to a contract extension right now, he said he doesn't think this injury will be a huge detriment to McCarthy's development, and he said he thinks the Vikings could surprise people in 2024.

"I might be by myself still," Orlovsky said. "I honestly, deep down, believe Sam Darnold is capable of making this a playoff-caliber football team and quarterbacking this offense to a top-12 unit."

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Will Ragatz
WILL RAGATZ

Will Ragatz is a senior writer for Vikings On SI. He is a credentialed Minnesota Vikings beat reporter, covering the team extensively at practices, games and throughout the NFL draft and free agency period. Ragatz attended Northwestern University, where he studied at the prestigious Medill School of Journalism. During his time as a student, he covered Northwestern Wildcats football and basketball for SB Nation’s Inside NU, eventually serving as co-editor-in-chief in his junior year. In the fall of 2018, Will interned in Sports Illustrated’s newsroom in New York City, where he wrote articles on Major League Baseball, college football, and college basketball for SI.com.

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