The Minnesota Vikings are one of the bigger Jekyll and Hyde teams in the league, and have been for some time. Their veteran-laden lineup has Pro Bowl talent on both sides of the ball, but when it comes to putting it all together in a season, it has yet to happen for the Vikings.
And this season shouldn’t be the exception to that rule.
Minnesota’s odds of winning the Super Bowl are currently at +3300. Only Buffalo (+6000) and Tennessee (+4000) have longer odds.
New to sports betting? A $100 wager on the Vikings to win the Super Bowl would return a profit of $3,300 should they run the table.
NFL futures odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full set of today’s betting odds. Odds last updated Friday at 5:15 p.m. ET.
Can the Vikings pull it off?
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One thing that Minnesota has going for it is a defense that can contain opposing offenses. The Vikings defense gave up just 31 touchdowns this season — fewer than two per game and fewest of any NFC playoff team. The defense isn’t as dominant as it has been in previous seasons, but still held opponents to 21 or fewer points in 10 games.
The Vikings also have a penchant for stringing together wins. Over the last five seasons, Minnesota has had winning streaks of four or more games in all but one of them, including two streaks of five straight wins and one of eight.
This season, Minnesota won four straight in October to go from 2-2 to 6-2 and virtually cement its playoff position. This is a team capable of getting on a hot streak.
Or is it just too tall a task?
The biggest problem with the Vikings, however, is that they didn’t win the NFC North. And it doesn’t help that a loaded NFC forced a 13-3 New Orleans team to play on wild-card weekend.
The 10-6 Vikings know two things. 1) They have to go on the road to play a 13-3 team in the first round of the playoffs (New Orleans) and 2) if they win that game, they have to go back on the road to play another 13-3 team (San Francisco). And if the Vikings get through that and the other half of the NFC bracket holds, it would mean a third trip to a 13-3 club, to face Green Bay in the NFC title game.
Then there’s the whole Saints looking for revenge for the Minnesota Miracle to postseasons ago, as well.
Minnesota has the horses to some damage with Kirk Cousins, Dalvin Cook, Adam Thielen, Stefon Diggs and Kyle Rudolph on offense and Danielle Hunter, Linval Joseph, Everson Griffen, Anthony Barr, Eric Kendricks, Harrison Smith and Xavier Rhodes on defense — but the path through the NFC is just too daunting to expect that the Vikings can make the run needed to get to the Super Bowl, much less win it.
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