Despite a surprising and impressive 14-3 record last season, the Minnesota Vikings did not win the NFC North. The Detroit Lions were even better on 15-2 and swept Minnesota.
The last two times that Minnesota won the division, were in 2022 and 2017. Before that they won for the last time in 2009. The Detroit Lions won in each of the past two years.
Ali Siddiqui makes the NFC North – and whether the Vikings can win it in 2025.
Can Minnesota win the division this season? They can certainly do that. At the moment Detroit should still be the favorites, since they have indeed won the previous two years.
Both teams should be hunting for the entire season, and it can very well be decided in the last week of the regular season. Minnesota added many pieces in the low season, and although Detroit lost a number of important players, they will again have a loaded schedule.
Detroit lost shocking all-pro center Frank Ragnow a few weeks ago. They also lost the right guard Kevin Zeitler. Their attacking coordinator, Ben Johnson, and defensive coordinator, Aaron Glenn, each assumed head coaching courts elsewhere. On the positive side for them they will get Star Pass Rusher Aiden Hutchinson back after he had suffered a broken tibia and Fibula in week six. She also drew cornerback DJ Reed.
They continued to play well last year until the play -offs despite Hutchinson’s injury and many other important injuries, especially on the defensive side of the ball.
The additions of Ryan Kelly, Will Fries, Javon Hargrave, Jonathan Allen and Isaiah Rodgers will all help Minnesota. The first round Pick Donovan Jackson can also help. Both Jordan Mason and Rondale Moore could eventually become undervalued documents. They can add a cornerback to the schedule before the start of the season.
The biggest question will of course be JJ McCarthy. The first round of 2024 did not appear last season in a few regular season match after a knee injury during the preseason. Good news, however, is that he is in a perfect situation for a quarterback. He has a head coach who played the position before and last season did very well with his quarterbacks, especially Sam Darnold.
He will also have Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, TJ Hockenson, a strong offensive line and a solid running game, with both Mason and Aaron Jones.
The game of the defense will also take the pressure from the former Michigan Wolverine. This season they should be even better with the new additions and Brian Flores who return for year three as a defensive coordinator.
Only the time will learn whether McCarthy is able to be a franchise quarterback, despite its environment. Could he still struggle this season or the rest of his career? It is a very real possibility, which is why some fans and media companies are currently skeptical about this team. He must also remain healthy.
McCarthy does not have to throw 40 or more touchdowns this season as Joe Burrow and Lamar Jackson did last season. He doesn’t even have to throw 35 as Darnold did last year. If he can even throw 20-25 touchdowns, Minnesota has the chance to go far with how deep the rest of the selection is. However, if he throws too many interceptions, it will make it harder to make that happen. Still not impossible, but indeed more difficult.
Quarterback is undoubtedly the most crucial position in football, but it is not the only important position.
It is doubtful Minnesota will again win 14 games in 2025. It is quite possible that they can win 11 or 12 games, which may be enough to win the division. Moreover, it is unlikely that Detroit will go 15-2 again.
Undoubtedly, this season, McCarthy will be viewed closest to everyone on the Roster, as he should be very good. He has the most to prove this season. His game this season and years later will be very critical about the possible Super Bowl chances of this team, both in 2025 and after. The game of colleague recent first round Picks Dallas Turner and Jackson will also matter a lot.
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