Minnesota Vikings – Page 3 – Syndication Server

Vikings keep moving up NFL power rankings ahead of Week 12

The Vikings are surging upward in the power rankings.

Following the Vikings’ 23-13 win over the Titans in Nashville this past weekend, Minnesota has moved up ESPN’s latest power ranking. Entering the weekend, the Vikings were the eighth-best team. But after the win, Minnesota has moved up to No. 6.

“Adofo-Mensah is the general manager of a team that has surprised the NFL by starting 8-2 despite the season-long loss of rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy (knee). His 2024 draft hasn’t helped much, similar to the 2022 and 2023 drafts, but Adofo-Mensah’s free agent class — including linebackers Jonathan Greenard, Andrew Van Ginkel and Blake Cashman, along with cornerback Stephon Gilmore — has been fantastic. There was never a high likelihood that Adofo-Mensah would be fired this winter, but the team’s performance raises the chances that he will receive a contract extension.”

The Detroit Lions are ESPN’s top team in the NFL following the Chiefs’ loss to the Bills. The Vikings’ next opponent, the Bears, are ranked No. 23 in the power rankings.

A familiar face could be the Vikings playoff opponent in opening round

As of now, the Vikings are projected to face Kirk Cousins and the Atlanta Falcons.

It’s not impossible for the Vikings to receive a first-round bye, but with the Detroit Lions extremely hot, Minnesota will need some magic to win the NFC North. If the Vikings can’t beat out the Lions, they would likely get a five—or six-seed in the playoffs.

According to the latest playoff predictor, the Vikings would be the fifth seed and get the chance to play a familiar face in the first round on the road. They would have to go to Atlanta to play the fourth-seed Falcons, who obviously have Kirk Cousins as their starting quarterback.

Cousins has had an up-and-down season with Atlanta in his first season away from the Vikings. Cousins was benched this past weekend after the Falcons were down late to the Denver Broncos.

In 2024, Cousins has passed for 2,807 yards and thrown for 17 touchdowns and nine interceptions. For Viking fans, beating Cousins in the first round would be a dream scenario.

Former Viking Jared Allen named Pro Football HoF semi-finalist

The former Minnesota Viking legend is on the short list to become a hall of famer.

Former Minnesota star defensive end Jared Allen, who played for the Vikings from 2008 to 2013, was one of 25 players who became semifinalists for the 2025 Hall of Fame class.

Allen came to the Vikings from the Kansas City Chiefs where he started his career. He played for the Chiefs from 2004-2007. After he left Minnesota, he played two seasons with the Chicago Bears before playing one final season with the Carolina Panthers.

Allen is considered one of the greatest players ever to wear Purple and Gold. He finished his Minnesota career with 85.5 sacks, which ranks fourth in franchise history. In 2011, he led the entire league with 22 sacks, which is a single-season Vikings franchise record. In that season he finished second in NFL Defensive Player of the Year voting behind Terrell Suggs.

Allen’s 136 career sacks rank 12th in NFL history. During his time in the league, he was named to five Pro Bowls. It seems like a matter of time before Allen gets his gold jacket.

Kevin O’Connell stands atop the 2022 NFL head coach class

On Sunday, during their NFL broadcast, the NFL on CBS shared a graphic showcasing all the coaching hires from that cycle.

New NFL head coaches are hired every year, and they come into the fold bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. They expect to turn their new teams around immediately, and while some do find success, others do not. In 2022, we saw a whopping 10 new head coaches hired.

Kevin O’Connell is head and shoulders above the rest despite all the competition.

On Sunday, during their NFL broadcast, the NFL on CBS shared a graphic showcasing all the coaching hires from that cycle. Of the 10 hires, Dennis Allen, Nathaniel Hackett, Lovie Smith, and Josh McDaniels have already been fired. Three other hires from the cycle, Brian Daboll, Doug Pederson, and Matt Eberflus are on hot seats and could be fired this season of after the season.

Of the successful coaches, Todd Bowles, Mike McDaniel, and O’Connell, Minnesota’s hire stands above the rest. His winning percentage of .628 and 27 overall wins have him pacing well above his classmates.

This should make Vikings fans realize just how good they got it when they hired the former NFL quarterback turned offensive coordinator.

Updated Vikings playoff and division odds following Week 11

ESPN has released its updated playoff predictors, and the Vikings are starting to feel comfortable about the playoffs.

The Minnesota Vikings sit on the season with an 8-2 record through 11 weeks of the season. The team is playing like one of the best in the NFL, not just the NFC, but what are their chances for the playoffs and winning the division?

ESPN has released its updated playoff predictors, and the Vikings are starting to feel comfortable about the playoffs.

ESPN currently has the Vikings’ playoff chances at 95% to make them. Barring a collapse of epic proportions; they are set for the playoffs. However, their odds of winning the division sit at just 10% so that is a bit of an uphill climb for Minnesota.

Some other interesting odds that they included were for the team to earn a Bye Week (7%) and to make the Super Bowl (11%). Both are pretty far-fetched for the team, but they are fun to monitor. With so many division games down the stretch for this team, starting this weekend with the Bears, things are likely to change.

Vikings’ Pat Jones II is setting himself up for massive payday in 2025

If the Vikings decide they cannot afford him, edge rusher Pat Jones II has earned himself a massive payday somewhere in 2025.

The Vikings’ defense has played a major role in their success in 2024. Brian Flores’s schemes for packages and pressure have him being considered for a head coaching job in 2025, but he isn’t the only one who may get a chance elsewhere.

If the Vikings decide they cannot afford him, edge rusher Pat Jones II has earned himself a massive payday somewhere in 2025.

The Vikings pass rusher has taken his time developing, but he is in his fourth year in the NFL. Entering this year, he had just five sacks in his career, but through ten games in 2024, he has seven. He has a chance to add to that total with seven games left on the schedule, and that is where he can parlay it into a bigger contract.

With the draft of Dallas Turner, the team isn’t likely to want to pay him that much or for the long term. Instead, his potential departure just means that Dallas Turner should see a jump in performance in 2025.

Would it make sense for Daniel Jones to be a Viking in 2025?

That raises the question: Would another reclamation project make sense for the Vikings?

The Minnesota Vikings signed Sam Darnold this offseason as a bridge option to start while they developed a rookie quarterback. The team secured the rookie, J.J. McCarthy, and everyone expected him to be the guy with Darnold having such low expectations.

What happened with Sam Darnold was that he played like a completely different player, and Kevin O’Connell got a lot of the credit for that. That raises the question: Would another reclamation project make sense for the Vikings?

The Giants announced they were benching Daniel Jones after his shaky efficiency and 24-44-1 record as a starter. He has the physical tools but never quite developed the mental ones to achieve much with the Giants.

The team isn’t likely to retain Sam Darnold, considering the contract he has likely earned himself, but replacing him with Jones to back McCarthy could work. For Jones, who better to work with than the guy who turned Sam Darnold into a fringe MVP candidate through the first five weeks of the season?

This could be a fun idea for all parties involved.

Vikings land injured CB in latest 2025 NFL mock draft from PFF

The mock used the recent draft order, which had the Vikings drafting 28th overall after the games of Week 11.

The 2025 NFL Draft is roughly six months away, yet it seems like it is right around the corner as discussions about the event heat up. Every media outlet, including us, has been putting out mock drafts.

In fact, we have a mock draft on Mondays every week here, and the latest can be found on our homepage.

The mock draft we discuss today is one from PFF’s NFL Draft podcast, The NFL Stock Exchange. The mock used the recent draft order, which had the Vikings drafting 28th overall after the games of Week 11. Connor Rogers ended up drafting a cornerback for the Vikings, Shavon Revel out of East Carolina.

Revel is out for the year with a torn ACL but was on pace to be a top-ten pick in the 2025 NFL Draft before the injury. He becomes a massive value for the Vikings, and his aggressive style would be a perfect match for Brian Flores and his defense.

The secondary isn’t an issue but it needs some youth injected into it, Revel does that.

Justin Jefferson passes Randy Moss in Vikings record books in Week 11

On Sunday against the Tennessee Titans, Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson was able to pass Randy Moss in the team’s record books.

On Sunday against the Tennessee Titans, Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson was able to pass Randy Moss in the team’s record books. He did so on a 31-yard reception in the first half on a scoring drive for the team.

Justin Jefferson passed Randy Moss, who had 6,743 receiving yards in his first five seasons with the team, for the most receiving yards by a player in Vikings history.

Jefferson has worked his way up the Vikings’ all-time receiving yard ranks as well this season. He recently passed Adam Thielen and now has his eyes on Anthony Carter, who is ahead of him.

For now, though, his prize will have to be finally passing Randy Moss in a Vikings statistical category. If he keeps things up, he should pass all-time in franchise receiving yards within the next two to three years.