Category: Projections

Vikings picked to finish last in NFC North by Bleacher Report

In his look at each division’s last place finisher, Bleacher Report analyst Maurice Moton has the Vikings finishing last in the NFC North.

There are a lot of reasons to be down on the 2024 Minnesota Vikings. The team couldn’t stop the turnovers last season, tanking their season. They lost their best pass rusher (Danielle Hunter) and their starting quarterback (Kirk Cousins) in free agency. The NFC North is one of the toughest divisions in the NFL, with the Lions making the NFC Championship game last season, and both the Packers and Bears building formidable teams.

With that context, Maurice Moton of Bleacher Report has picked the Minnesota Vikings to finish last in the NFC North this season. In his article, going division-by-division to pick the last-place team, the Vikings get the short end of the stick for theirs. Questions at quarterback are the main factor, as Moton says:

(…) The Vikings lost quarterback Kirk Cousins in free agency and signed Sam Darnold, who has had issues with turnovers in his six seasons.

Rookie first-rounder J.J. McCarthy may not be ready to take the reins under center after serving as more of a game manager than a playmaker at Michigan over the last two years.

Head coach and offensive play-caller Kevin O’Connell may be able to get the best out of Darnold as he did with Cousins. Darnold will make plays with Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison and T.J. Hockenson on the receiving end.

However, the Vikings will likely have to live with Darnold’s stretch of erratic plays, which may hurt them in several close games.

If there’s a silver lining in the Vikings’ being picked last, it’s that Moton still has some faith in the team’s success. While they’re picked to bring up the rear in the NFC North, Moton has them tied with the Cleveland Browns of the AFC North as having the best record of all last-place finishers: 8-9. Based on Moton’s projections, that record would be good for second in both the NFC East and NFC South.

That 8-9 mark would likely have the Vikings picking outside the top 10 and going over the O/U line placed for them by most Vegas sportsbooks. So, while Moton may not like them within the context of the division, he clearly still has some faith in them. With guys like Justin Jefferson, Aaron Jones, T.J. Hockenson, and Jordan Addison still in the fold, it’s easy to see why.

NFL insider believes Vikings will go over projected win total

According to Sports Illustrated senior writer Conor Orr, the Minnesota Vikings going over their projected win total in 2024 is “easy money”.

The 2024 off-season has been one with a lot of turmoil and turnover for the Minnesota Vikings. Gone are some of the key figures of the past few seasons — names like Kirk Cousins and Danielle Hunter, among others. In their place are two rookie first-round picks in J.J. McCarthy and Dallas Turner, and a former first-round quarterback in Sam Darnold.

That turmoil and turnover, along with a strong division with the likes of Detroit and Green Bay, have some down on the Vikings’ prospects for next season. The oddsmakers at DraftKings have the Vikings’ projected win total sitting at 6.5, with many thinking the team may struggle to go over. However, that opinion is not the consensus, at least according to an NFL insider.

Conor Orr, Sports Illustrated senior NFL writer, recently put out his 100 predictions for the 2024 NFL season, and in it he is projecting a strong showing for this year’s Vikings team. Even going so far as to say that the Vikings exceeding 6.5 wins is “easy money”:

This is easy money, folks. The Vikings are going to start Sam Darnold and have some soft pockets on their schedule. Kevin O’Connell is a swashbuckler of a coach and this offense can move mountains.

While the quarterback situation in Minnesota could be concerning, there are many pieces around whoever winds up being at the helm. The Vikings offense features All-Pro wide receiver Justin Jefferson, up-and-coming receiver Jordan Addison, dual-threat running back Aaron Jones, and a strong offensive line.

Those factors likely play a big role in Orr’s confidence in Minnesota despite shaky circumstances at the most important position.

Predicting the 2023 NFL season results for each division

2023 NFL regular season final standings prediction for each division

The 2023 NFL season has arrived, and not a moment too soon. All 32 fan bases are ready to cheer their teams in meaningful football games in what looks like one of the most wide-open seasons the league has seen in some time.

This is my final preseason prognostication of how the season will play out for each team, broken down by division.

Division winners are noted with an X, while wild card teams get a *

Detroit Lions Podcast: Season predictions and Week 1 matchup preview

Detroit Lions Podcast: Season predictions and Week 1 matchup preview, plus Isaiah Buggs and Mike Evans talk

The Detroit Lions play meaningful football on Thursday night, and the Detroit Lions Podcast is ready for action. The unusual game schedule forced a change in the live recording of this week’s show, which breaks down the Lions matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Before the season predictions and Chiefs talk, there is a good discussion on the Isaiah Buggs saga. It’s a look into the way head coach Dan Campbell is handling the players and the expectations for the team.

There’s also a diversion into the Mike Evans trade potential. Would the Buccaneers move the All-Pro wideout, and for what in return? Would the Lions be interested, and what would paying Evans mean for the rest of the roster?

Then it’s onto the season predictions for the Lions offense, defense and finally, the season record.

 

The audio-only version of the show is available from your favorite podcast provider.

 

Predicting the 22 remaining Detroit Lions roster cutdowns

The Detroit Lions have 75 players on the active roster as of noon Monday and have to be down to 53 by 4 p.m. Tuesday

It’s almost time for the Detroit Lions initial 53-man roster to be set for the 2023 regular season. The team has already trimmed several players from the 90-man preseason limit, but there are more cutdowns to be made.

As of 12 p.m. ET on Monday, the Lions have 75 players still on the active roster. That leaves 22 more players to be removed from the active roster before 4 p.m. on Tuesday.

Note that CB Emmanuel Moseley and QB Hendon Hooker are not currently on the active roster, so they don’t factor in. WR Jameson Williams begins serving his suspension after the cutdowns, so he’s not involved either. 

12 players projected to make the Lions practice squad

These 12 players from the Lions’ final preseason game roster should make the team’s 16-man practice squad

One of the first orders of business for the Detroit Lions following the conclusion of the roster cutdowns and initial waiver claim period is to form the 16-man practice squad. Teams can start signing players to the practice squad after Wednesday, August 30th at 12 p.m. ET.

Most teams prefer to stock the practice squad with players who were on the roster for the final preseason game. The Lions did that last year and are expected to do so once again.

Here are 12 Lions expected to be cut by Tuesday’s 4 p.m. deadline who should make the practice squad.

Video: Detroit Lions Podcast predicts the 53-man roster and more

Video: Detroit Lions Podcast predicts the 53-man roster and wraps up the preseason

A special weekend edition of the Detroit Lions Podcast is now available for streaming or download. This show, recorded live on Saturday, puts a bow on the Lions preseason and spins forward to the task of getting down to 53 players.

The first part of the show covers Friday night’s triumph in Carolina in the final exhibition game. Which players stood out and which ones faltered a little? There is also a discussion on the injuries from the game.

Then comes the 53-man roster projection. Position by position, who makes it and who does not? There is a focus on team constitution; the concept of keeping a sixth WR or a fifth RB and the ripple effects that would have at other positions, as an example.

Lions predicted to win the NFC North division title

Connor Orr from SI predicts the entire NFL season and gives the Detroit Lions a division title and playoff berth

During the offseason, football fans and analysts enjoy predicting how each team will perform in the upcoming season. However, accurately predicting each team’s record is as challenging as navigating construction zones in Michigan. The Detroit Lions have generated a lot of excitement going into the season due to their unconventional coach in Dan Campbell and a talented roster that could potentially secure a playoff spot.

Recently, Connor Orr from SI contributed to the hype by predicting that the Lions will finish the season with an 11-6 record, win the NFC North, and secure a spot in the playoffs.

Here’s where I’ll jump in the stream of the “trendy” teams. Could the Lions realize their potential, or will they end up in the bin alongside a handful of other clubs we perpetually thought were going to turn the corner but never did? (Looking at you, Chargers since 2018.) After a bit of a gantlet (Chiefs, Seahawks) to open the season, the Lions’ schedule settles in and includes a long stretch of games against teams vulnerable to the run. This is where they could rack up some Ws.

Orr’s analysis shows that the Lions will start the season strongly with victories against two of the toughest teams in the league, the Kansas City Chiefs and the Seattle Seahawks. If the Lions can secure these wins, it will solidify their hype as a genuine playoff contender.

However, predicting divisional games is trickier. Orr predicts that the Lions will finish with a 3-3 record within the division, winning all their home games but losing on the road. It is unclear how the other teams in the division will perform this season. Will the Green Bay Packers succeed without Aaron Rodgers? Can Justin Fields elevate the Chicago Bears? Will the Minnesota Vikings continue to be a dark horse?

It’s exciting to speculate on how others view your favorite team. Orr’s predictions are favorable for the Lions, but it’s important to remember that anything can happen during the season. Fans shouldn’t rely too heavily on these predictions as they are not gospel. If the Lions do follow Orr’s predictions, it will undoubtedly be an electric season for fans at Ford Field.

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Updated 53-man roster projection after the Lions 2nd preseason game

With one preseason game left and a little over a week before roster cutdown day, here’s the current projection for how that initial 53-man roster will look for Detroit.

Roster cutdowns around the NFL come in just over a week. The Detroit Lions, like all NFL teams, will have to get down to an initial 53-man roster from the current 90. With just one roster cutdown this year, it builds the dram of who makes it and who does not.

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With one preseason game left and a little over a week before roster cutdown day, here’s the current projection for how that initial 53-man roster will look for Detroit.

Updated Lions 53-man roster projection after two weeks of training camp

Updated Detroit Lions 53-man roster projection after two weeks of training camp

Detroit Lions training camp will wrap the second week of action on Saturday. It’s a good point to recalibrate the depth chart and reevaluate the 53-man roster projection.

There are a few changes to the prediction after 10 days of practice. Injuries have caused some unfortunate shifts, as have on-field performances — positive and negative. There are some leanings here that reflect what I’ve seen and heard in training camp, too.

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