Are The Vikings Good?

This topic is interesting. Most people would say no, but a small percentage of people (most Vikings fans) could say yes. But a lot of people say it is pretty complicated. They have positives and negatives to go along with them. But it is an interesting topic that is taken from many perspectives.

The big problem is the QB problem. The Vikings just don’t have a stable QB. After Josh Dobbs returned to earth, the Vikings’ quarterbacks have heavily struggled. It has been a gruesome situation, with them starting, Nick Mullens, Josh Dobbs, and Jaren Hall. Dobbs was incredible the first two weeks he was their QB1 but then played badly the next two weeks. Then Nick Mullens started the next two weeks and threw 6 interceptions in those games. Overall, Vikings quarterbacks (besides Kirk) have been pretty bad. That has been the problem for them this year. They have the receivers, but they don’t have the arm talent. It is very disappointing because they have the receivers but can’t support them.

Their receivers are amazing. Justin Jefferson is the best receiver in the league. When you watch him, it is obvious. And Jordan Addison is so talented. K.J. Osborn is also a top-tier wide receiver 3. They have other wide receivers that aren’t even in their top 3 that could easily be wide receiver 3’s. To be fair, they haven’t had Jefferson for a whole game since week 15. But the QBs should still give the team a chance. In the first two games Jefferson was back, it was the Nick Mullens show. But Mullens threw a lot of picks (6!) in the first two games Jefferson has been back, not giving Jefferson enough opportunities to receive the ball.

If they had the receiving game, then the running game wouldn’t matter much. But because the receiving game isn’t working well, the running game matters. And it is not great. Somehow Ty Chandler has been promoted to the RB1 but is not an efficient runner. Nobody on this team is, which is why Alexander Mattison was demoted to RB2. Before their week 17 game, the Vikings had averaged 3.9 yards per carry, tied for 4th worst in the league. That is just one stat that shows that the Vikings run game is bad.

But if there has been one positive spot (that is all positive) on this team, it is the defense. With their new defensive coordinator Brian Flores, they have improved from bottom-3 in the NFL to a top-7 defense. They blitz at one of the highest rates ever and it is working. The reason that they have one of the best defensive teams is actually because of their defensive coordinator. They didn’t make many offseason moves on the defensive side of the ball, and the ones that they did make were probably bad deals. So it was just the game plan that changed and unleashed some players (like Akayleb Evans, Jordan Hicks, Camryn Bynum) potential. Brian Flores has been a true blessing to this team. Danielle Hunter has also been incredible. As of before their week 17 game, he is third in the league with 15.5 sacks.

Overall, are the Vikings good? What these stats lead to is unfortunately no, because their defense is great but not incredible, and their offense is bad. But the answer to this question is very close. The Vikings aren’t bad, but aren’t good either.