Vikings Territory: Vikings Predicted As Upset Victims In Week 1

Press release from Vikings Territory:

Dustin Baker Dustin Baker

2021-09-05

The Minnesota Vikings are 3.5-point favorites by most sportsbooks to knock of the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 1 of the 2021 NFL season. From top to bottom, head coach Mike Zimmer’s team has a better roster and just a few more playmakers on offense and defense. And the Vikings have not lost a Week 1 road game in six years.

Vinnie Iyer of Sporting News predicted outcomes of all 16 games on the Week 1 docket, mixing in just one upset prediction for the slate of games. Of course, Minnesota was the one team to be nominated as upset potential.

“The Vikings are overrated going into the season. The Bengals are underrated. Joe Burrow should be back to lift Cincinnati in the home opener, also helping former LSU teammate Ja’Marr Chase shaky off some preseason issues. Both defenses have some talent, but there also are transitional aspects and lingering weaknesses. The Vikings will try to run often and win with Dalvin Cook, but this will turn into a sneaky shootout with Burrow spreading the field well and out-dueling Kirk Cousins.”

With that in mind, Minnesota’s Week 1 trip is close to a must-win if the team is serious about the playoffs and/or a Super Bowl. After the Bengals, the Vikings play the Arizona Cardinals. Seattle Seahawks, and Cleveland Browns before a usually-easy date with the Detroit Lions. Minnesota must exit Week 4 at home versus the Browns with at least a 2-2 record if it realistically wants to contend for the NFC North. A loss to the Bengals would signal a season more akin to 2020, which ended in total disappointment.

Several cool storylines accompany the Vikings to Cincinnati next weekend. The Vikings face their former left tackle Riley Reiff who bolted to Cincinnati in free agency. Mike Zimmer will face Trae Waynes, a player he drafted in 2015, for the first time. The Bengals quarterback is Joe Burrow — he was teammates with Justin Jefferson at LSU. Zimmer will coach in Cincinnati for the first time as a head coach, a place that he defensively coordinated for six years. Now back on the Vikings, cornerback Mackensie Alexander squares off against his 2020 team. And new Vikings linebacker Nick Vigil played out his entire rookie contract in Cincinnati.

Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday along with Raun Sawh and Sally from Minneapolis. His Viking fandom dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ and The Doors (the band).

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