:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/46444414/usa-today-8584140.0.jpg)
A while back, we had a look at some of the early Power Rankings that experts around the internet had put together now that the majority of the NFL offseason is in the rear view mirror. Some of those rankings had the Minnesota Vikings in the mid-to-late teens, and one even had them down in the mid-20s. The consensus seemed to be that the Vikings were too low in the rankings.
Enter Peter King of SI.com, who has never been accused of being a huge supporter of the Minnesota Vikings. He put together his preseason Power Rankings in today's edition of the MMQB, and he's much higher on the purple and gold than any other source we've seen thus far.
How high? How about #6. Yes, King as the Vikings as one of the ten best teams in the National Football League as things stand right now. Here's what he had to say in his commentary.
6. Minnesota (7-9). This is reliant on so many things. Adrian Peterson showing up number one. But finding a consistent pass-rush is key too, as is the continued maturity of Teddy Bridgewater. I pick the Vikes here because if you ask me for one rising team if two or three vital things go right, I'm picking Minnesota.
Well, there are plenty of reasons to be high on the Vikings this season. . .the continued development of Bridgewater and a defense that should be the best in the NFC North that's going into their second year in Mike Zimmer's scheme, among others. But I think even the most ardent Vikings fan would have to consider this a bit of a surprise. King's rankings put the Vikings as the third-best team in the NFC. . .but, as the two teams in front of them are Seattle and Green Bay, if things shook out that way, the Vikings would still end up being a wild card team.
Still, it's nice to see some folks taking this team seriously. As I've said before, I'm not sure if I'm ready to live in a world where the media at large has nice things to say about the Minnesota Vikings. Don't get me wrong, I'll adjust and everything, but it will take some getting used to.