Wave after wave has crashed on top of the Minnesota Vikings, and the cold, dark depths are getting heavier. Minnesota has lost six of its last seven and somehow now seems further away from just attaining mediocrity than it did before Week 1. But there is one lifeboat coming for the Vikings, and with it a chance for them to get their head above water, if only briefly.
Over the next three weeks, Minnesota’s opponents’ combined record is just 11-25-1. They’ll offer an opportunity to sort out, oh, about a dozen or so issues before finishing against the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers.
Still, these games will be far from gimmes. Heck, the Vikings are just slight favorites over the 3-9 Washington Commanders on Sunday. But the Commanders, followed by the Dallas Cowboys and then the New York Giants, give Minnesota their shot at some sort of redemption in an otherwise lost year.
While the playoffs are virtually unattainable at this point, Minnesota can still extract plenty of value from these last five games. Primarily, they’ll be able to focus on the development of their young quarterback J.J. McCarthy, who will have the benefit of facing the 29th-, 30th-, and 31st-ranked defenses over the next three games.
Max Brosmer reset the floor for Vikings quarterback play last week against the Seattle Seahawks, and, frankly, it might have been the best thing to happen to McCarthy all year. Head coach Kevin O’Connell might agree. He’s hoping his young signal caller can put all the expectations aside and just go out and play ball.
“I don’t want him overthinking or worrying about if the fundamentals need to be changed, if they need to be adjusted, if we need more time on task on that, that’s one thing,” O’Connell said ahead of Sunday’s game. “But let’s just make the throws. Let’s just throw and catch. Let’s just play with great rhythm and understanding of the plan.”
Of course, McCarthy isn’t the only one looking to take a leap forward. Dallas Turner has continued to improve throughout the season, and even veterans like Justin Jefferson and Christian Darrisaw have looked like they could use a tune-up. Really, any signs of life over the next three weeks will be a significant improvement over the previous three, when the team averaged just 7.5 points per game.
After reaching the NFC Championship game a year ago, the Commanders have been without Jayden Daniels for much of the season and could be once again on Sunday. Whether or not the Vikings face him or Marcus Mariota could make a huge difference, but Washington’s defense also allowed 32 points per game in November. McCarthy’s two wins this year both came after long breaks: the Chicago Bears in Week 1 and the Detroit Lions after missing five games, so maybe the Vikings have unlocked the winning formula here….
Dallas is the only team with a winning record in the stretch and is on a three-game winning streak. But, much like the Commanders, the defense has been porous. The Cowboys have allowed 30 or more points in five games this year. That’s not to say Minnesota will be the sixth time, but this is a team even McCarthy can move the ball against. Dallas allowed 450 yards to Russell Wilson and a bad Giants team earlier in the year, so there’s always hope for another implosion against the Vikings.
However, the Giants probably offer the best chance to secure a win before the schedule turns deadly. While the team is better with Jaxson Dart in the lineup, they’ve still only won two games this year and apparently struggle to set alarm clocks. They are also the worst run defense in the NFL and have allowed five 100-yard rushers this year already, so there’s always the chance O’Connell finally sticks with the run game beyond the first quarter.
Besides looking to develop, the Vikings are looking to regain some trust in the fanbase and possibly even themselves. Sure, losing out and securing a top-10 or even top-five draft pick would be appealing in some ways. But then again, what belief would the fans have in the organization to turn that pick into gold? Falling into a top draft selection in a season that began with Super Bowl aspirations doesn’t exactly scream “confidence in the process.”
Ultimately, the difference in, say, picking 10 to 15 isn’t consequential enough that fans should care. If there’s a player the Vikings want to go up and get, they’ll do it. See Dallas Turner in 2024. Besides, winning solves a lot more problems than bumping up a couple of draft slots would.
While hope has been in short supply lately in Minnesota, the next three games are potentially an opportunity to right the ship. On the other hand, if things don’t look any better against the bottom of the league, the questions surrounding the coaching staff, general manager, and players will only get louder.
