The Minnesota Vikings joined the NFL as an expansion team in 1960 and despite a lackluster 2018-19, the Vikings have big potential heading into the new season.
For sports gamblers, there are lots of question marks, including how the Vikings will be able to deal with a stacked NFC North division that includes powerhouse teams like the Chicago Bears and the Green Bay Packers.
In this Minnesota Vikings team guide, we’ll explore the team’s past and present situation and also make a few predictions about what is likely to happen this coming season. We’ll cover lots of ground, including:
The Minnesota Vikings were founded in 1960 as an NFL expansion team and they played their first game in 1961. Since then they’ve won a single league championship, three conference championships, 20 division titles and made 29 playoff appearances. Since 1987, the Vikings have never gone more than four consecutive seasons without making the playoffs.
The Vikings have made it to the Super Bowl on four different occasions but lots every single time.
The Vikings’ biggest rivals right now are the Green Bay Packers, Detroit Lions, and Chicago Bears. The most recognizable names in Vikings franchise history include Fran Tarkenton, Cris Carter, Adrian Peterson, and Randy Moss.
During the 2017 season, the Vikings organization generated $408 million in revenue and Forbes estimates the business to be worth $2.4 billion.
The Vikings are owned by Zygmunt Wilf.
The organization played its first season in 1961.
No, the Vikings have not won a Super Bowl.
Since 2016, the Vikings have played at U.S. Bank Stadium, located in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
The club holds a training camp at Twin Cities Orthopedics Performance Center, located in Eagan, Minnesota.
Viktor the Viking is the official mascot of the Minnesota Vikings.
The Vikings wear purple, gold, and white.
All-Time Team Leaders |
||
Games played | Jim Marshall (1961-1979) |
270 |
Passing Yards | Fran Tarkenton | 33,098 |
Passing TDs | Fran Tarkenton | 239 |
Receiving Yards | Cris Carter | 12,383 |
Receiving TDs | Cris Carter | 110 |
Rushing Yards | Adrian Peterson | 11,747 |
Rushing TDs | Adrian Peterson | 97 |
Sacks | John Randle | 114 |
Interceptions | Paul Krause | 53 |
Points Scored (Kicker) | Fred Cox | 1,365 |
The Minnesota Vikings came into the 2018 season with their eyes on a possible Super Bowl. Coming off a trip to the NFC Championship game the year prior, the Vikings went all-in during free agency and landed QB Kirk Cousins, who they hoped would lead them to their first Super Bowl championship.
Whether it was the weight of increased expectations or an overhyped roster, the Vikings didn’t even make the playoffs. Cousins was up and down in his first season in Minnesota and didn’t ignite the offense the way many expected. The defense, which finished in the top ten in points per game, was strong for most of the year and only gave up 30+ points in a game twice all season.
Vikings have to contend with a tough NFC North. The Chicago Bears are a clear-cut Super Bowl contender while the Green Bay Packers welcome back franchise QB Aaron Rodgers after an injury-plagued 2018. To provide some much-needed protection for Cousins, the Vikings selected center Garrett Bradbury with the 18th overall pick in this year’s draft.
The Vikings’ strong defense and the sputtering offense made them one of the league’s most consistent under teams in 2018 which is great if you like betting point totals. Their week three game vs the Bills was an eye-opener for bettors, as they came in as 16.5 point favorites yet managed to lose the game by 21 points.
After a week seven win against the Jets, the Vikings offense was never able to top 24 points in a single game and put up 10 points or less in four of their final five games. The Vikings have five primetime games in 2019, which could be a problem for QB Kirk Cousins who has an abysmal 5-13 record playing under the lights.
Here are some key numbers for bettors to think about:
This year the Vikings are hoping to make it back to the playoffs after a disappointing 2018 season. With one of the league’s best WR duos, a high-priced QB, and a strong defense, expectations remain high.
Expectations are also high for Minnesota to make some headway during 2019 in the fight to legalize sports betting. State lawmakers have publicly voiced their opinions about moving forward with legalization and although no bills have been introduced so far, chances are good we’ll see something major happen this year.
Keep an eye on our guide to legal sports betting in Minnesota to stay up to date as the story unfolds.
We support responsible gambling. Gambling can be addictive, please play responsibly. If you need help, call 1-800-Gambler.
WSN.com is managed by Gentoo Media. Unless declared otherwise, all of the visible content on this site, such as texts and images, including the brand name and logo, belongs to Innovation Labs Limited (a Gentoo Media company) - Company Registration Number C44130, VAT ID: MT18874732, @GIG Beach Triq id-Dragunara, St. Julians, STJ3148, Malta.
Advertising Disclosure: WSN.com contains links to partner websites. When a visitor to our website clicks on one of these links and makes a purchase at a partner site, World Sports Network is paid a commission.
Copyright © 2024