If you believe in omens, the Vikings may have gotten a good one

Depending on how strongly you believe in omens (which can be positive, despite the generally negative connotation), the Minnesota Vikings could be in for a very memorable 2017 campaign when it’s all said and done.

As we went over in our history post leading up to last week’s game against the Baltimore Ravens, the Vikings had only played the Ravens five times since the team moved to Baltimore from Cleveland. Prior to this past Sunday’s victory, they had only beaten the Ravens in two of those games. The first victory came in 1998, and the second victory came in 2009.

Everyone remembers how far the Vikings advanced in those two seasons, right?

Yes, it just so happens that in the two previous seasons that the Vikings defeated the Ravens, they managed to advance to the NFC Championship Game in that same year. The 1998 team defeated the Ravens in Baltimore on the strength of. . .get this. . .six Gary Anderson field goals, while the 2009 team had to hold their breath as the Ravens missed a field goal at the gun that would have given them the win.

As we all know, both of those seasons also ended with terribly crushing losses in those NFC Championship Games, but there’s certainly no way that would happen if the purple were to advance that far again, is there?

I’m not saying that the Vikings defeating the Ravens means that they’re definitely going to the NFC Championship Game this coming January. Of course, I’m not not saying that, either. But, depending on how superstitious you are, you might be feeling even better about Minnesota’s chances of success in 2017. Or maybe you think I just jinxed it. Still, it is a pretty interesting coincidence.