Sportsnaut
The Minnesota Vikings sailed past outside expectations last season, posting a 14-3 record. It was the second-highest win total in franchise history, but for the second time in three seasons, the Vikings got eliminated in the Wild Card round.
Now the team once again has a new starting quarterback for the second consecutive season. Despite not having any NFL experience, as a former first-round pick, J.J. McCarthy brings heightened expectations. In what’s sure to be a tough battle for the NFC North divisional crown, the Vikings’ season ahead brings a lot of intrigue.
In what could be a rollercoaster season of emotions, let’s dive into our game-by-game Vikings predictions for the 2025 NFL season.
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Incredibly, the Vikings didn’t suffer their first loss until Week 7 last season. Breaking a new rookie quarterback who won’t have improving star receiver Jordan Addison due to suspension, the Vikings could struggle against Ben Johnson’s new-look Bears offense. Plus, this will be McCarthy’s first game, and it comes on the road, in primetime for Monday Night Football.
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A battle of two first-round quarterbacks from the 2024 NFL Draft class, this one could be all about which player has the better supporting cast and who can limit mistakes. While the Falcons‘ offense has potential, the Vikings’ roster presents a potential powerhouse on both sides of the ball. We see the Vikings’ overall roster talent helping McCarthy edge out Penix here.
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Joe Burrow was playing at an MVP level last season and the Bengals still missed the playoffs. We’re expecting him to return with a vengeance in 2025. While the Bengals’ defense will still be vulnerable to allowing big plays (especially without Trey Hendrickson), we don’t see the Vikings outscoring Burrow early on.
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Some speculation suggested the Vikings could pursue Aaron Rodgers, but the future first-ballot Hall of Famer found a home in Pittsburgh instead. Now the Vikings have a chance to show Rodgers what he missed out on by presenting him with confusing looks from Brian Flores’s defense while besting the Steelers with their own brand of smashmouth football mixed with explosive passes. Plus, playing in London presents a unique challenge for both sides, but the Vikings beat Rodgers last year when they lined up across the pond, so who’s to say they’re not equipped to do it again?
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