Old Memories and New
As I look back on the team that I begin the season with to defend my back-to-back championships in the Kings of the Gridiron Fist fantasy football league, I obviously have football on the mind. Last week was as close to “must-watch-tv” as we have seen since the draft with return of Adam Thielen to Minnesota and 80% of Micah Parsons getting traded to Green Bay. We got a little bit extra in what seemed like one of the longest off-seasons in recent memory. Personally, I think the offseason was long because
of the excitement and nervous anticipation around the 2025 Minnesota Vikings. The last memory of meaningful Minnesota Vikings football is inundated with visions of Sam Darnold getting knocked on his rear end. It was a painful end to an otherwise fun season.
I think back to the week 17 win over the Packers, with Darnold being carried in on his teammates’ shoulders, and KOC standing back and letting the team take in the moment. Now, I’m not one for conspiracy theories (which is a total lie because I love conspiracy theories), but I believe that Kevin O’Connell knew last year’s team massively overachieved. He knew that the win over the inferior Packers was going to be the highlight of Darnold’s career and the beginning of the end of a Cinderella season. He knew Darnold was not the answer. He knew the future quarterback of the Minnesota Vikings would have to fit within his system. I remember calling out for some adjustments on offense in the final two games of the season. However, in week 18 and the Wild Card, we didn’t see those adjustments. KO knew that the only way the Vikings were going to win was to play the way he envisioned. We needed quicker reads from Darnold and to see an elevated version of his game that just was not there. Those last two weeks were a test to see if Darnold was THE GUY. We quickly learned that he’s not OUR guy, but I hope he finds success in for 17 weeks this season. In the past 7 months of reflection, I have come to firmly believe that Kevin O’Connell is a true mastermind, and he hasn’t even started to show what he can do as a head coach.
My Gut Tells Me….
I’m not a huge stats guy (unless you’re talking about half-ppr points per game). That might not be the best wording. I’m not a huge math guy. I am more of a gut feeling type of fan. I trust my eyes and my intuition when watching the Vikings. My gut feeling tells me that this team is ready to make a serious championship run. Not next year, not in 5 years, but THIS season. We have a quarterback who is not afraid of the bright lights. We will see J.J. McCarthy’s first pass in a regular season NFL game on Monday, and I can’t wait! I envision a nice drive with 3 or 4 solid passes that help him get into a rhythm. KO is one of the best at setting up his players for success, so I don’t see McCarthy falling into first-ever-NFL-pass-is-an-interception territory. I think it’s going to be a completion to Aaron Jones. Actually, I see Jones catching an abundance of passes this season. If he stays healthy, I am thinking 55-70 receptions for the vet.
Speaking of staying healthy, here’s to hoping for a healthy and fruitful season for Christian Darrisaw. He was on the Vikings initial injury report, so my guess is that we won’t know his status for game time until Sunday at the earliest. Having him back for week one will create a substantial advantage for the offensive line. The cohesion of the unit will be something I will be watching closely on Monday night as the Vikings battle the Bears at Soldier Field. Fries and Kelly already have multiple seasons of chemistry built up, so I think we will see massively improved play from the offensive line, compared to last year, from the first snap of the game.
The Season has Officially Begun
As I watch Thursday Night Football on my phone, I find myself squinting my trying to see some semblance of defense from either team. Both offenses are dominating at the line of scrimmage. The Cowboys offensive line holds some similarities to that of Minnesota’s and seem to be finding success in run and pass blocking early. They are starting a rookie guard and have new additions, the names of which I don’t know, because I’m watching, not listening. It’s…. I know Cris Collinsworth played NFL football at a high level, but sometimes when I hear his commentary, I find that fact incredibly difficult to comprehend. It doesn’t help the Eagles that Jalen Carter was ejected after approach the Dallas huddle. With no Milton Williams, that defensive line that proved so valuable in the Super Bowl, may merely be a shadow of what it was in February. The second half of that game told a different story than the first, but I didn’t care enough to stay up and watch after the rain delay. It doesn’t look like much offense happened in the second half, so maybe I’m overreacting. Regardless, the 2025 Minnesota Vikings defensive line added weapons to their defensive line unit. I sense 4 sacks on Caleb Williams this coming Monday night.
The concern for the defense seems to be the secondary, specifically the cornerback position. With only four listed on the starting roster, the positional depth seems to be sparse. However, I have faith in this coaching staff to make the most out of the players they have. Flores wouldn’t just let a position be without needed depth if he didn’t have a plan. Maybe we will see more three safety sets, like we were supposed to get in Lewis Cine’s rookie season. Look to see play from not only Harrison Smith and Josh Metellus, but also a healthy dose of Theo Jackson, Jay Ward, and Tavierre Thomas in 2025.
I am excited to see what B Flo draws up to disrupt the Bears rushing and passing game. I fully expect a strong showing from the Purple and Gold on Monday. Will it be an absolute drubbing of the Bears, like the one we saw the Vikings execute week one last year against the Giants? Yes. It will be. Look for Chicago to come out hot on their first offensive drive and then to struggle for the rest of the night against a terrifying front four. On offense, I foresee a modest, yet clean outing from J.J. and a little Shake and Bake action from Jones and Mason that will tire out the Bears defensive from throughout the night. I smell a double-digit win for Minnesota. SKOL!
Until next time,
- Jesse M
