Vikings Territory: Stack 'Em Up: Predicting Every 2021 Vikings Game

Press release from Vikings Territory:

2021-09-04

With the preseason hubbub in the rearview, it is time to assess the potential outcome for the coming season. Each game will be analyzed and a record on this 17-game season will be formulated.

Anticipate a sloppy game and not necessarily one weather-induced. With very little time during the preseason spent on continuity with the offensive starters, this could be an ugly affair. Dalvin Cook and Justin Jefferson didn’t play a snap, Adam Thielen saw limited action in the Indy contest, and Kirk Cousins play a handful of drives between the Indy and KC games.

With all that said, this is still a very winnable game. Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow will play in his first game after season-ending knee surgery. The Vikings will look to control the clock with a punishing run game from Cook behind a new-look offensive line. Mike Zimmer’s retooled defense will confuse and frustrate Burrow. Ultimately, the multitude of defensive fronts Zimmer will deploy will be too much for the Bengals to overcome.

Why?

The Cardinals also possess a quarterback in Kyler Murray who has the skill set that seems to be Zimmer’s defensive kryptonite. And that’s a mobile quarterback. Zimmer’s defense is predicated on the outside corners maintaining coverage long enough for the pass rush to hit home. A quarterback like Murray can extend the play with his feet long enough to find an open wideout or for gaps in the defense to open enough to scramble. The Vikings will keep this one close, but early miscues will come back to haunt them.

Outside of the playoff game against Seattle, all of the contests under Zimmer were road games in Seattle. Hell,  even the “home” playoff game was played outside of the Vikings normal home, the Metrodome, five years after the roof imploded.

Prodigal son, Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski, returns to the place where it all started for him. He will be out for a little revenge at that, with the Vikings blocking his departure in 2019 to Cleveland. He was able to make his way there last year and led the Browns to their first playoff appearance since 2002. This Browns team is eerily similar to the Vikings. Both teams feature the run game, rely on a competent defense, and have the ingredients for a lethal passing game.

Now the team is rolling, a perfect opportunity for a letdown game. Luckily, the Lions come to town. Even with a new way of doing things in Detroit, they simply don’t have enough playmakers to keep this game competitive. Head coach Dan Campbell might just get the most out of his Lions players this year but is not likely to do so early in the season. The Vikings don’t take their foot off the gas and throttle the Lions in their last of three straight home games.

And so begins one of the toughest stretches of games in the NFL with a Halloween night contest against the Cowboys. Zimmer has a 3-4 record coming out of the bye week as a head coach and a victory here would put him at .500. The Cowboys will also be coming off of their bye week as well, so both teams will be rested. Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott should be close to 100% of the player he was prior to last year’s season-ending injury. He will man an offense with a plethora of weapons and a retooled defense that should cause opponents problems. This Cowboys team was devoid of Prescott and a competent defense but still had their way with the Vikings in 2020. It will be spooky hours at the Bank, but unfortunately, the kids dressed as Cowboys will bring home the candy.

On top of the opponent stretch being difficult, the travel back and forth across the country is equally as brutal. The Chargers feature a new defensive-minded head coach and last year’s rookie of the year in quarterback Justin Herbert. Many people, mostly Vikings fans, believe that award should have been awarded to Justin Jefferson — for good reason. Comparatively, Jefferson’s season was less likely statistically than Herbert’s. Consider this the revenge game as Zimmer’s defense gives Herbert fits all game and, Jefferson is featured heavily.

The travel finally trips up the Vikings as they face off on the West Coast against the 49ers. Whether it’s the mobility at quarterback from Trey Lance or the steady pocket presence of Jimmy Garoppolo, head coach Kyle Shanahan will have enough tricks up his sleeve to best Zimmer’s defense. Much like they did in the 2019 NFC Championship Game, the 49ers will look to overwhelm Cousins and the Vikings offensive line. The 49ers do just enough to keep the Vikings at bay and secure the victory.

For both teams, the defense is the identity of the team. It makes sense then that the offense will be on display during this contest. The lead should change numerous times in this contest, and it very well might come down to the team that has the ball last. In this case, it is the Vikings, who benefit from a Cook screen and scamper to take a late lead. Steeler quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is unable to mount a game-winning drive and the clock runs out.

Sean McVay’s Rams come to town, and they look to keep the ball rolling after winning four straight. This is a team with a Super Bowl on the agenda. Featuring two top positional players on defense, DT Aaron Donald and DB Jalen Ramsey are the heartbeat and will look to limit Cook and Jefferson. By this time in the year, McVay and quarterback Matthew Stafford have a full understanding of each other and do enough with the playcalling to keep Zimmer’s stunts at bay. Ultimately the game comes down to a Vikings 45-yard field goal with under 2 minutes left in the game. It’s wide left, the Vikings lose.

This is the type of game where everything will seemingly click for the Packers and Rodgers, the stripes will play the part of the 12th man, and the television broadcast will undoubtedly gush over the genius that is Rodgers and head coach Matt LaFleur. They will do this while completely omitting the Week 11 loss to this same Vikings team, and yes, it will piss you off. Vikings fandom is in full panic after a three-game losing streak. Will they make the playoffs? Does Zimmer need to be fired? Kirk can’t win the big game. These narratives will all be at play.

That will wrap up the season. 10-7 should be good enough for a Wild Card birth in the playoffs. What happens from there is anyone’s guess. This team is tasked with a grueling schedule and if using an iron sharpens iron philosophy, that should get them ready to beat any playoff opponent.

This press release was produced by Vikings Territory .The views expressed here are the author’s own.