Trying to predict the Minnesota Vikings’ won-lost record in June for next season is a little like walking blindfolded through a corn maze. You never know where you are going to end up. There are so many variables that could affect the outcome of any football game. Injuries, field conditions, weather, etc. all factor into who wins and who loses a football game.

Nonetheless, I will give it my best shot based on current information. For this exercise, I am assuming that Dalvin Cook will be somewhere warmer when the season starts. Tell me what you think my fellow Vikings fans. Am I totally cracked? Am I in the ballpark? I am anxious to hear your thoughts.

Week 1: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Wake up Dorothy! These are not Tom Brady’s Bucs. With a depleted offensive line and Baker Mayfield at the helm, Tampa struggled all game long as they succumbed to the Vikings 31-14. Kirk Cousins threw three touchdown passes with Justin Jefferson being the recipient of two of those throws.

Minnesota’s defense played a solid game with Danielle Hunter and his two sacks leading the way. Also, safety Lewis Cine made a spectacular play to intercept a Mayfield pass to kill a Buccaneers drive right before halftime.

Week 2: At Philadelphia Eagles

In a tough matchup against the Super Bowl runners-up, the Vikings fall flat and lose 34-7. Jalen Hurts throws and runs for a combined four touchdowns as the Minnesota defense fails to contain him all game long. The Eagles sacked Kirk Cousins six times with three coming from rookie edge Nolan Smith. The only Vikings touchdown was a 99-yard kickoff return by Kene Nwangwu in the third quarter.

Week 3: Los Angeles Chargers

In a variable aerial fest, the Vikings outlasted the Chargers 45-41. Neither defense shows up for this one as Cousins and Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert combine for 831 yards and six touchdowns. Byron Murphy saved this one with a one-handed interception at the Vikings’ one-yard line with 10 seconds remaining in the game.

Week 4: At Carolina Panthers

The Panthers beat the Vikings in a close 21-17 decision. Bryce Young has his first standout game as a pro throwing for one touchdown and rushing for another. Ex-Viking Adam Thielen came back to haunt his old teammates with seven catches and a touchdown. The Vikings were led on offense by Ty Chandler’s 93 yards on the ground. He also pitched in with a receiving touchdown.

The Vikings ruined a tremendous effort by inside linebacker Brian Asamoah who was all over the field tallying 12 tackles for the day. Cam Bynum also added an interception.

Minnesota Vikings Lose a Tough One

Week 5: Kansas City Chiefs

The Vikings made a strong effort against the defending Super Bowl champs but came up a little short losing 31-28. Cousins and Chiefs quarterback Pat Mahomes each threw a couple of touchdown passes Alexander Mattison added 101 yards on the ground.

With 1:30 left in the game, and the Vikings close to field goal range, Cousins dropped back and was almost immediately dropped by Chiefs defensive back L’Jarius Sneed coming in on a corner blitz. The ball popped loose and was recovered by Chiefs tackle Chris Jones to seal the Vikings’ fate. On defense, Minnesota linebacker Jordan Hicks made six solo tackles and recovered a fumble for the 2-3 Vikings.

Week 6: At Chicago Bears

The Minnesota Vikings ended their two-game losing streak with a strong effort, beating the improved Bears 24-14. Minnesota’s defense led the way sacking Bears quarterback Justin Fields six times and intercepting three of his passes. Marcus Davenport led the way with 2.5 sacks in his best showing as a Viking to date. Cornerback Akayleb Evans also contributed his first NFL interception.

Cousins led a balanced attack and found tight end T.J. Hockenson in the end zone for a couple of scores. Alexander Mattison also scored on a two-yard second-quarter plunge.

Week 7: San Francisco 49ers

Minnesota continues its up-and-down ways with a 34-24 loss to the 49ers. Brock Purdy has an efficient game throwing two touchdown strikes but the Vikings have no answer for San Francisco running back Christian McCaffrey. McCaffrey tore up the Vikings for 125 yards on the ground and 67 through the air. He also added two rushing touchdowns and one receiving to his totals.

Minnesota countered with two rushing touchdowns, one by Cousins and a second one from DeWayne McBride scoring his first NFL touchdown. The game highlight for the Vikings was a 44-yard return of a pick by Harrison Smith for a touchdown in the third quarter that briefly knotted the game at 21-21.

Week 8: At Green Bay

The Vikings took out their anger on a struggling Packers team and won going away 38-13. Alexander Mattison rushes for 124 yards and two touchdowns. Cousins hit Jefferson for an 86-yard touchdown and K.J. Osborn for another 20-yard strike.

The Purple defense was unmerciful to Packers quarterback Jordan Love putting pressure on him all day. The result was four Vikings interceptions including a pick-six by cornerback Andrew Booth Jr. Minnesota’s defense only allowed the Packers 61 yards on the ground for the game.

Week 9: At Atlanta Falcons

The Vikings make it two wins on the road in a row against an improved Falcons team eking out a 20-17 win. The Vikings’ defense was in shutdown mode all day sacking Falcons quarterback Desmond Ridder four times and bottling up the Falcons running game. Minnesota’s grind-it-out offense led to a rushing touchdown each by Chandler and Mattison. Kicker Greg Joseph booted the 37-yard game-winning field goal with 45 seconds left on the clock.

Week 10: New Orleans

Minnesota loses its Week 10 match-up against a beatable New Orleans Saints team going down in lackluster fashion 27-10. The improved Vikings defense took a step back giving up 350 yards and three touchdowns to Saints quarterback Derek Carr and the New Orleans offense. Saints coach Dennis Allen’s formidable front seven harassed Cousins the entire game and forced three Vikings turnovers.

The only offense was generated on a nifty 36-yard touchdown reception by Jefferson. Minnesota could only muster 67 yards on the ground as they averaged only 2.9 yards a carry.

Week 11:  At Denver Broncos

The Vikings unloaded on the failing Russell Wilson and routed the Broncos 45-7. Wilson was ineffective all day throwing two interceptions and losing one fumble. He eventually left the game after a thundering hit by Vikings defensive tackle Harrison Phillips. Denver quarterbacks were sacked a total of five times with Hunter leading the way with two.

On offense, Jefferson scored two touchdowns, one on a head-turning 20-yard end-around run that will be one of the Vikings’ offensive highlights of the year. Running back McBride also added his second NFL rushing touchdown.

Week 12: Chicago Bears

The Vikings escaped the surging Chicago Bears and pulled out a 19-14 home win. Turnovers plagued both teams as each team struggled to sustain long offensive drives. Joseph was the hero for the day kicking four field goals including a 51-yarder. On defense, linebacker Asamoah continued his breakout season with eight solo tackles and a pick.

Week 13: Bye

Week 14: At Las Vegas Raiders

The Vikings got socked 24-17 by an inconsistent Raiders squad in Las Vegas. Davante Adams torched the Vikings’ secondary for 134 yards and two touchdowns. Las Vegas quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo snuck one in from a yard out in a score that proved to be the difference.

In a game marred by turnovers, Cousins produced his worst game of the season throwing two picks. The offensive line also contributed to the loss as they were overwhelmed by the Raiders front four resulting in five sacks of Cousins.

Week 15: At Cincinnati Bengals

The division-leading Bengals behind the strength of quarterback Joe Burrow defeated the Minnesota Vikings in a slugfest 28-27 at Paycor Stadium. MVP candidate Burrow hooked up with star receiver JaMarr Chase for two long touchdowns and threw another one to wideout Tee Higgins. The Vikings held the Bengals rushing game in check but could not overcome Burrow’s 401 passing yards.

Cousins threw for two touchdowns, one to Hokenson and another to first-round draft pick Jordan Addison. And Nwangvwu returned another kickoff for a touchdown as he sprinted down the right sideline for a 101-yard return.

Two Big Division Wins

Week 16: Detroit Lions

Detroit visited Minnesota in a late-season game against the co-division leaders. The defense took a step up this time as the Vikings swatted the Lions 34-7 in front of a roaring Minnesota crowd. Detroit quarterback Jared Goff had a rough game throwing two interceptions and getting sacked four times. One sack was by Harrison Smith in the third quarter as he blindsided Goff with the ball popping loose and eventually recovered by defensive tackle Khyiris Tonga.

The Vikings’ offense settled into a nice balanced groove as they had success through the air and on the ground. Cousins threw a pair of touchdowns, one to Jefferson and one to Osborn as the offensive line gave him all day to get his passes off. Mattison added two short rushing scores.

Week 17: Green Bay Packers

It’s a sweep of the Packers in 2023 as the Vikings put forth another sterling effort to down the Packers 35-14. Packers quarterback Jordan Love never looked comfortable in the pocket throwing two picks and only completing 51% of his passes. Hunter and Davenport each contributed a sack as they put heat on Love all game long.  Cam Bynum had one interception as did Patrick Jones II on a tipped ball by Davenport.

Cousins thwarted the Green Bay secondary all day throwing for 385 yards and three scores. The offensive highlight of the game was Addison’s diving grab in the back of the end zone for the second Minnesota score of the day.

Vikings Lose, Still Win the Division

Week 18: At Detroit Lions

Minnesota loses one in a stinker, as they fall to the Lions 17-14. In a game marred by interceptions, penalties, and mental errors, neither team resembled a squad marching to the playoffs. The Lions ended up with the win on a 41-yard field goal from kicker Mike Badgley with 1.50 left in the game. The only highlight for the Purple was a nifty 34-yard-run by McBride where he bulled over the final Lions defender to give Minnesota a 14-7 lead.

The final score resulted in a tie for the NCF North title between the Vikings and the Lions. However, due to a superior divisional won-lost record, Minnesota was declared the winner of the division with Detroit also making the playoffs as the final NFC wild-card entry.

So, there it is. Don’t shoot the messenger. Just kidding, I would love to hear your thoughts, comments, disagreements, etc. regarding this article. I will share my playoff predictions for the Vikings at a much later date.