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After recording more wins in a single season since 1998 last year, there is a curious lack of belief in the Vikings kicking on and winning the Super Bowl next season. As football fans fill the time in what always feels like an overlong offseason, Minnesota is not one of the teams that are being talked about as potential champions in 2025.

It has taken three years for the General Manager and Head Coach to rebuild the roster and produce a new-look Vikings team. The process does not seem to be complete quite yet, which is why many of the best sports betting sites give Minnesota little chance of going all the way and winning a first-ever Super Bowl.

There have been surprises in the NFL over the last few years, however. Washington’s rise to prominence last season was unexpected, as was how quickly Detroit has turned from a joke team to a championship contender. There is nothing to say that the Vikings can’t follow their rivals and challenge for honors. But can they really win a Super Bowl anytime soon?

 

Close Wins May Have Disguised Weaknesses

Fourteen wins in a single regular season is something to be applauded. The fact that this franchise has not won more for almost 30 years shows how well the Vikings did last year. But there are caveats to that success. With nine of those wins coming in one-possession games, there is a suggestion that the season might have gone very differently.

Allowing opponents the chance to change the outcome of a game with just one play means that some of those 14 wins could be put down to luck more than judgment. Or maybe we are being a little unkind. Perhaps we should celebrate the team’s ability to grind out victories – and see it as a positive, rather than a negative.

 

QB Uncertainty

Until very recently there was still a lot of talk about the possibility of Aaron Rodgers suiting up in the purple next season. The legendary QB was interested in playing under Kevin O’Connell by all accounts. But now that the Vikings have decided against that move, there is still uncertainty surrounding the QB.

The good news is that the uncertainty has nothing to do with the identity of the shot-caller. J.J. McCarthy suffered a year-ending injury in preseason in 2024 but now has the full confidence of the organization to be the one to lead the line in 2025. Now we just have to see whether his undoubted potential transforms him into a franchise QB.

 

Strengthened Defense

The Vikings had one of the best defenses in the league last year. Both against the pass and the run, the D was tough to get past. That is why it is even more heartening to see Brian Flores given even more ammunition for the upcoming campaign. Adding Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave really tightens up the ship.

Although the Vikings D-Line now looks like a formidable beast, there is still some concern over the secondary – as well as on special teams. It may be the oldest cliché in football, but defenses really do win championships, so this is one area of the roster that still needs a little work.

 

Tough Division

One of the reasons why Vikings fans have been waiting for so long for some real success is that the team is unfortunate to be in one of the toughest divisions in the NFL. In fact, there is an argument to be made that the NFC North is the toughest in football. Even winning a divisional title is no guarantee of a long run in the playoffs.

It used to be the Packers that provided the sternest test for divisional supremacy, but now it is the Lions who are favorites for the title, with even the Bears improving enough to cause concern. It could be said that there is a real four-team battle for the division and that kind of competition can really affect the chances of greater success.

 

Tougher Schedule

The NFC North was one of only two divisions that provided three postseason teams last season and that already means that the schedule for the upcoming campaign is tougher than for teams in weaker divisions. Getting even just three wins from the six NFC North games will be tough.

Then there is the rest of the schedule to consider. Philly, Baltimore, and Washington will be tough, while road games against the Steelers and Chargers will be challenging as well. The two games back-to-back in Europe could also be pivotal early on in the season, so the projected 8.5 wins – although well down on last year – seems about right.

 

History Repeating

There is a pretty good chance that you are a Vikings fan if you are reading this. So, the other factor to take into consideration when it comes to talking about winning a Super Bowl is the weight of history. Last year was the second time in three years that the Vikings had lost at the first playoff hurdle – and that is just the beginning of our history of hurt.

This is a team that has won its division on six occasions since the year 2000 and still hasn’t even made it to a Super Bowl. There is also the franchise history of four championship game losses to consider when it comes to belief. None of this means that there is no chance of winning – but it can affect the general psyche of the roster.

It is now generally considered that the current Vikings team has a three-year championship window. A number of things have to happen – most importantly, J.J. McCarthy becoming a star talent. There is the potential for a Super Bowl victory here, but we might wait to see how the start of the season goes before we get too carried away.

 

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