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2017 Minnesota Vikings Season Win Total Picks


by - 8/16/2017

Sam Bradford Minnesota Vikings

2016 Record: 8-8

2017 Las Vegas Season Win Total: 8.5

2017 Season Win Total Pick: 'Over'

Things went sideways awfully quick for the Vikings last year. Hopes were high coming off their 2015 playoff appearance. But then Teddy Bridgewate r's leg exploded in the preseason and sent this squad scrambling. They managed to find a capable replacement on the fly with Sam Bradford and actually started the season 5-0. But then Mike Zimmer's eye issues flared up, offensive coordinator Norv Turner quit, injuries started to mount, and Minnesota was forced to drag its carcass through a 3-8 close and a .500 record.

Now for the good news: the last team to start 5-0 and miss the playoffs made it to the Super Bowl the following season. That team was last year's Atlanta Falcons.

Bradford should be better now that he's had a full season within the organization. Don't be fooled by his NFL-record completion percentage last year. That was out of necessity. Minnesota's horrific offensive line couldn't protect him for more than a two- or three-step drop. That pathetic line also submarined the running game, so the Vikings were forced to make several changes in the offseason. How the line comes together will really be the determining factor for how this unit - and this team - performs this year.

Zimmer has seen his total defensive rank improve all three years he has been at the helm. And Minnesota fielded a group ranked No. 6 in points and No. 3 in yards last season. They will miss some of the veteran depth they benefitted from last year, but Minnesota's D should have another great season, led by All-Pro caliber players Anthony Barr and Harrison Smith. This side of the ball won't be their worry.

No, the worry is Bradford and the offensive line. If we assume that the line improves enough to be at least average then everything falls on Bradford. Can he stay healthy? And can he ever take the next step in his career and become a Pro Bowl-caliber signal caller? I mean, the guy was thrown into a completely unfamiliar situation and threw for 3,900 yards with 20 touchdown and five interceptions all while completing over 71 percent of his passes. What more can he do?

That's the question for this team: what more can Bradford do? If he plays like he did last year they will win 10 games and go back to the playoffs. If he gets hurt or if he steps back then this team will underachieve again. But if Bradford can do just a little more - particularly in late-game and clutch situations, never his forte - then this team has a chance to be special. I know I'm in the minority of analysts that actually likes Bradford. But I feel like at some point in his career it is all going to click. So my question now is "why not this year"? Play 'over'.

Vikings Regular Season Schedule (All times Eastern)

Week

Date

Kickoff (CT)

Opponent

1

11-Sep

6:10 p.m.

New Orleans Saints

2

17-Sep

12:00 p.m.

at Pittsburgh Steelers

3

24-Sep

12:00 p.m.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

4

1-Oct

12:00 p.m.

Detroit Lions

5

9-Oct

7:30 p.m.

at Chicago Bears

6

15-Oct

12:00 p.m.

Green Bay Packers

7

22-Oct

12:00 p.m.

Baltimore Ravens

8

29-Oct

8:30 a.m.

at Cleveland Browns

9

5-Nov


Bye

10

12-Nov

12:00 p.m.

at Washington Redskins

11

19-Nov

12:00 p.m.

Los Angeles Rams

12

23-Nov

11:30 a.m.

at Detroit Lions

13

3-Dec

12:00 p.m.

at Atlanta Falcons

14

10-Dec

12:00 p.m.

at Carolina Panthers

15

17-Dec

12:00 p.m.

Cincinnati Bengals

16

23-Dec

7:30 p.m.

at Green Bay Packers

17

31-Dec

12:00 p.m.

Chicago Bears

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