National Football League

Minnesota Vikings: 5 Reasons They Can Actually Win Super Bowl 51

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

You can call it an overreaction if you’d like, but the Minnesota Vikings have what it takes to climb the mountain and win Super Bowl 51.

There’s been a lot of talk about this Vikings team after they officially became the only undefeated team left standing this past weekend. I know Minnesota fans are excited about what this team has to offer, and I’m starting to think this could be the year.

For those of you who don’t know, the Vikings are 0-4 in Super Bowls. They’ve seen their fair share of championship games, but have been unable to go the distance. So it’s understandable why there’s so much hype surrounding this squad, especially with what they’ve shown on the field this season.

Instead of just jumping to conclusions, though, I’ve decided to take a long look at what makes this Vikings team a serious contender. Specifically, I’ve pinpointed five reasons why it’s time to believe the hype.

So here they are—five reasons why the Vikings could actually win Super Bowl 51.

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5. The Play of Sam Bradford

I’ll admit I was skeptical when the Vikings made the blockbuster deal to land Sam Bradford. It seemed like a desperation move to replace the injured Teddy Bridgewater with an inconsistent, injury-prone quarterback. And yes, you can now find my foot in my mouth.

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Bradford has been a revelation for the Minnesota offense. While he’s not putting up mind-boggling numbers, he’s making the big plays when they’re needed and keeping the offense afloat. More importantly, he’s avoiding making the costly mistakes.

So far this season, he’s avoided throwing a single interception. Of all of the quarterbacks who have thrown at least 100 passes this year, Bradford is one of only three to not turn it over through the air. That’s mighty impressive considering he’s never been the best at protecting the pigskin.

The other thing I’ve been really amazed by is that he’s making the most of a porous offensive line. Minnesota has had a rough season when it comes to the front five, having already lost two starters to injury with another currently battling a concussion. And yet, Bradford’s only been sacked eight times. That’s almost a miracle, but his quick release and decision making have kept one of the NFL’s worst offensive lines from limiting him.

If he can stay healthy, Bradford can be the quarterback to take the Vikings all the way in 2016.

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4. The Vikings Win the Turnover Battle

It’s an often-overlooked stat, but there’s no denying that winning the turnover battle is key in the NFL. And right now, there’s no better team at doing so than the Vikings.

Through five weeks, Minnesota boasts a turnover differential of +11. They’ve turned the ball over a whopping single time, and it was a defensive player fumbling after recovering a fumble. That’s right—the Vikings have yet to turn the ball over on offense. That’s impressive.

Obviously taking care of the football on offense and creating turnovers on defense has been huge for Minnesota. That discipline has been a key factor in them being the only undefeated team heading into Week 6. Not convinced?

How about this? The next four leaders in terms of turnover differential (Buffalo Bills, Oakland Raiders, Philadelphia Eagles, New England Patriots) are a combined 14-5 on the year. If that doesn’t tell you how important winning the turnover battle is, I don’t know what will.

Remember, though, that the defense has a huge part to play in it. They’ve only given it away once, and they’ve taken it away 12 times (seven interceptions, five fumble recoveries). Better yet, they’ve turned two of those takeaways into defensive touchdowns. It really has been a thing of beauty.

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3. The Minnesota Defense is Officially Elite

As the old saying goes: defense wins championships. That’s what the Vikings have going for them in 2016. Their defense has been unbeatable this season, as some have even mentioned them as this year’s Broncos. Realistically, the Minnesota defense is the on-field reason for the team’s 5-0 start.

So what makes the defense so special?

Well, we can see the talent at every level. Up front, the Vikings have one of the best pass rushers in Everson Griffen, an opportunistic playmaker in Brian Robison and a young up-and-comer in Danielle Hunter. Not to mention, Linval Joseph is arguably the top interior defender in the league when healthy.

There are still some concerns at linebacker, but plenty of intrigue as well. Anthony Barr is one of the best young linebackers in the league. Eric Kendricks has some more growing to do, but is an instinctive playmaker. Chad Greenway may be ready to retire, but he provides the veteran presence for the Vikings’ rising stars.

The secondary boasts four exceptional cornerbacks, and one of the best safeties in the league in Harrison Smith. I’m not a fan of Andrew Sendejo, but he’s improved a bit since last year.

Tie it all together and you’ve got an elite defense. A defense that has forced countless turnovers this season, is tied for the league led in sacks with 19 and has scored two touchdowns. The 12.6 points per game they’ve allowed are the lowest in the NFL.

Do you get it? The Vikings’ defense is elite, and there’s no way to deny it.

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2. The Coaching Staff

Starting at the top, the Vikings boast one of the NFL’s most underrated head honchos in Mike Zimmer. It took way too long for him to earn a head coaching gig, but it worked out rather well for Minnesota. He’s turned their defense into an elite unit, and has this offense playing efficiently.

With the Vikings enjoying a 5-0 start, Zimmer has been mentioned as a potential Coach of the Year candidate. If he were to win the award, he’d be well deserving. In less than three seasons, he’s taken this team and turned it into a legitimate contender.

That’s not an easy feat for a franchise with the Vikings’ history of bad luck.

Realistically, anyone who cares knows how great Zimmer is. What some of you might not know is that Minnesota possesses some other outstanding names on the coaching staff.

There are numerous former head coaches on the staff, including Norv Turner, Tony Sparano, and Pat Shurmur. That’s a lot of firepower in the coaching department and they all use their experience and football expertise to aid Zimmer in the team’s pursuit of a Lombardi Trophy.

Just look at the work Turner has done with so little on the offensive end. Heck, he turned a former fifth-round pick into a star receiver and is making something of Cordarrelle Patterson this season. While Pro Football Focus hates the Vikings’ offensive line, Sparano is making the most of a severely depleted front five.

Winning Super Bowls depends largely on the coaching staff and its ability to prepare and adapt. Based on what we’ve seen through five games, the Vikings have everything they need with this group of excellent coaches.

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1. GM Rick Spielman

Zimmer has earned every ounce of credit he’ll receive this season, but there’s one man behind the scenes who doesn’t get the credit he deserves. That would be Vikings GM Rick Spielman. Spielman is the man pulling all of the strings in Minnesota.

He’s the one who orchestrated the deal to bring Bradford to the Twin Cities. He’s the one who’s called the shots in the war room during the NFL Draft, patiently building this roster since taking the reins in 2012. When life hands him lemons, he finds a way to make the best damn lemonade you’ve ever had.

When Bridgewater went down, he didn’t flinch—he found a way to remedy the situation. Adrian Peterson goes down? No worries, there’s quality depth at running back. The offensive line is in shambles? Sign Jake Long, and lean on the impressive quarterback you acquired to get rid of the ball quickly.

As great as the roster and coaching staff are, none of it would have been possible if it wasn’t for Spielman. He may not get credit from the general NFL audience, but those who have watched Minnesota evolve over the years know he deserves most of the credit for the team’s recent success.

If the Vikings do end up winning it all this season, Spielman better get a big raise. His efforts directly correlate with Minnesota’s impressive start to 2016. Executive of the Year? I wouldn’t argue with it.

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