Nice post Gonzo but your schedule is your schedule. No one knows who is going to be good & who is going to be bad. Of course we all have a pretty good idea but things change every year. There are surprise teams every year. The Titans, if you played them early you win, if you play them now you got your hands full. The Steelers & Ravens in the AFC Championship last year & now neither one of them will probably not even win their own division or make the playoffs. The Saints & Colts are good teams, yes they have had a little luck along the way to remain undefeated. Vegas makes the lines but they don’t play the games. I don’t give a rats ass if we go into the Superdome as 14 point underdogs. Our guys are as good as anyones. Bottom line: We will get our chance to prove ourselves.

This is a great post. I have been looking at the standings for days trying to figure out some way to say exactly what you said, Gonzo. I originally thought the reason the Vikings hadn’t beat anyone was because there were more bad (or sub .500) teams this year, but there are 16 below .500 and 16 above—naturally. So that didn’t work. But this does. And it bodes well for the playoffs. While the Vikings may have played the Packers during a time when they couldn’t keep their quarterback upright, they still beat them twice, decisively. It’s who you play and when you play them. The Saints caught the Eagles at the right time. The Cards caught the Vikings on the right day. That’s the way it goes. And you just have to be ready to tee it up when the playoffs start. The Vikings should be ashamed or afraid to play no one.

Yet Green Bay, who is 9-4 against mostly the same teams as the Vikings, got blown out by CIncinatti, and lost to 1-12 Tampa Bay, in addition to being beaten by Minnesota twice, are described as “surging” and being a likely Super Bowl contender whom no one wants to face in the playoffs.

Good post and I’d agree, but I still have to say that playing in the Superdome would be huge advantage for the Saints. That place will be insane and that team/city is unified more than ever. On a neutral field, I’d like the Vikes chances better, but in the SuperDome and with Childress calling the shots, I wont hold my breath. With the Vikes weakness in the secondary, and the Saints utilize the 4 or 5 receiver sets, it only takes a couple plays. That Cards game showed me our coaches have no idea how to roll a safety over the top of the receivers. Hope I’m wrong.

If we were to consider teams that we have played that are likely to make the playoffs, the AZ Cardinals should almost be included in the above list. But when I think of the game where the Cardinals & Vikings played, I think that the Vikings played that game with the idea and almost intent that they would meet again in the playoffs. They may have limited their playbook, who knows..

Playing the Pack for a 3rd time, would not necessarily scare me. Favre played some of his best ball this year going up against the Packers. It would be at home in the dome, and we have improved just like they have improved. So, I would predict a closer game than the game at Lambeau, but also a win like when we won in the Metrodome. I would think we would win by a TD in that game.

I understand that by criticizing, your forcing us all to look at a different point of view. I believe the 9 wins thus far this season is a good way of looking at how we have done against those particular teams. AZ is likely to make the playoffs at the top of their division, but their division as a whole is weak. If we were to take the Cardinals and put them into any other division, they would maybe not make the cut & get into the playoffs. (However, going by their record & games remaining, their playoff hunt looks promising) If we were to look at the season of 2008, the Cardinals had the worst record out of all the teams from the NFC that made it to the playoffs. Teams that had the wildcard had better records than the Cardinals (9-7). Surprisingly, this team managed to make it all the way to the big game. I do not remember much of last year’s playoffs, but I would undoubtably guess that the Cardinals were considered the one’s favored to lose each game.

Going forward for the Vikings, our next two games are against mediocre teams. Prior to playing the Cardinals, we had some rather easier games (Lions, Seahawks, Bears). We were on a streak of wins, due to poor teams. The Panthers have a banged up roster with most players on injured reserve. Bears are out of the playoff run, and we did a pretty good beating to them. In my mind, they are must-win games, and I believe the Bears will be playing for pride & jobs over anything else. NY Giants will be a challenge, but the game may not mean much to us. I think our starters should play a few series on each side of the ball to keep us motivated and in the correct mindset. Our 2nd & 3rd stringers should take over to get a few reps in to make sure they are ready for playoffs if they are needed.

Even though Arizona doesn’t have 9+ wins, I think it’s neglectful not to include them, especially since the Vikes could very well face them again in the post-season.

while the Vikings just take care of business and win out, including the playoffs and super bowl. I for one don’t care how they get it done just so long as they get it done. You are always going to have the homers from other teams trying to justify how their team is better than yours even though you play the same schedule, beat them twice, and have a better record than them.

they’re surging at just the right time! :D If we have to face them again we will defeat them for a 3rd time this year. Mark my words!

Vikings will likely be facing the Cardinals in a divisional playoff round. Except, this time , the game will be played in the Metrodome.

Then they will either host the Eagles, in Minnesota or go New Orleans to entertain the Aints.

I have no clue who we will meet in the Superbowl. Any suggestions?

first, breaking their pass defence down. 3 potential pro bowlers in their secondary coached by ex-steelers. a true olb. and lets face it an average d-line facing 4 injured viking o-line starters. then, an obvious banged up ap, deny it if you will, and a missing harvin. combine this with the potential desire not to overly gameplan a team we will obviously deal with in jan.. i believe chilly underestimated kurt, who played collegeball in my city,and his abilitiy to tame his migraines and concussions to play thru the symptoms. the real test was to see how they would bounce back. as that nostidamus prediction stated they truely passed thru those tigers know didn’tthey…

Like meeee! j/k DC

Every game counts, to a point. You have to out- weigh the things that are more important to your team in the playoffs? Toward the end of regular season, when certain goals and achievements already accomplished.

It is foolish to risk your key players to injuries and fatigue out on the field. NFL Coaches would rest their key players and keep them fresh and healthy for the playoffs. The more important question is how much rest do those players need, without getting too rusty or losing focus, to make a run in the playoffs?

You have to out- weigh the things that are more important to your team in the playoffs*

My heart goes out to friends and family of Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver, Chris Henry.

Does anyone else other than me, see the importance of Harvin, on reaching our Superbowl goal? I have not pushed the panic button but, we do need to realize how important he has been up til now. I fear that if this Migraine issue isnt resolved soon enough, this could really challange our game plan moving forward. Harvin is one of Bretts favorite targets, and a major threat on 3rd down and red zone situations…THOUGHTS ANYONE???