Sixty-some-odd years of never winning the big game has hardened Minnesota Vikings fans into eternal optimists with a never-say-die attitude. The sky is falling just hours after news broke that Justin Jefferson will miss at least four games with a hamstring injury, but once the dust settles there will be a wave of positivity. It’s the Minnesota way and it’s going to look something like this:
The Bears aren’t very good and the Vikings are talented enough without Jefferson to win at Soldier Field on Sunday. A victory would put Minnesota at 2-4 and no worse than two games out of the final playoff spot with a bunch of beatable opponents ahead.
Well what about the 49ers on Monday, Oct. 23? That’ll be tough, but maybe lightning strikes and the Vikings improve to 3-4? Even if they lose, 2-5 looks bad but the Vikings definitely have a chance to beat the struggling Packers at Lambeau in Week 8 and then they have five straight against the Falcons, Saints, Broncos, Bears and Raiders. All of those are winnable and they might have Jefferson back by the Saints game.
Anything is possible and Vikings fans will be quick to note how even 2-5 could turn 8-5 if all goes right.
Purple fans will convince themselves (some of us included) that the metrics suggest the Vikings should be much better than their 1-4 record indicates. Just look at how good Pro Football Focus makes them look.
Overall, PFF says Minnesota is the 7th-best team in the NFL. Their offense ranks 5th by PFF metrics and their pass blocking is 2nd-best in the league. What? Yes, that’s a real stat! It gets better: The Vikings’ run blocking is No. 1 in the NFL, per PFF.
The defense ranks 16th, which is middle of the pack and good enough to win games if the offense stops fumbling the football. And their special teams ranks 12th. Those are all signs of a team that can’t be held down for long.
There is a lot of ammo to give Vikings fans hope. Jefferson is down but that gives rookie Jordan Addison, who was described by quarterback Kirk Cousins as “the real deal,” a chance to blossom into a beast. He has 27 targets through five games. Jefferson had 52 balls thrown his way and those are going to have to go somewhere else, many of them likely Addison’s way.
There’s no way T.J. Hockenson continues to drop passes like he has in losses to the Charges and Chiefs, right? He’s the highest-paid tight end in the league and he’ll show up with Jefferson down.
And in what world do the Vikings stink when the offensive line is actually good? This is like the Upside Down and all of the wacky things needed to derail a talented team are happening. Murphy’s Law has been a staple through five games and that can’t won’t last.
All those fumbles and so few recoveries by the Vikings? That tide will turn.
And there aren’t many more games against elite quarterbacks like Jalen Hurts, Justin Herbert and Patrick Mahomes. Few teams beat those guys and now the Vikings get their filling of Justin Fields, Jordan Love, Derek Carr, Desmond Ridder, Russell Wilson and Jimmy Garoppolo.
Are the Vikings really dead and it’s just a matter of writing the 2023 obituary?
Not so fast. The Vikings are wounded, but it’ll take more than Jefferson’s hamstring to kill those who bleed purple
