Minnesota Vikings 2023-24 NFL Season Recap

Minnesota Vikings NFL Season Recap

What a roller coaster of a ride it was for the 2023-24 Minnesota Vikings! Entering the year with 8.5-game season win total odds regardless of winning 13 games the year prior and expected to play second fiddle to the Detroit Lions atop the NFC North standings, SKOL put forth a heck of a fight trying to defy expectations regardless of being down their QB1 and WR1 a bulk of the season. If you can believe it, the reason Kevin O’Connell’s squad was able to keep its head above water early on was because of the job new defensive coordinator Brian Flores did with that side of the ball.

Last year’s squad that won the NFC North to snap the Cheeseheads three-year reign atop the standings had all kinds of issues defensively. Only the Lions served up more yardage to the opposition (388.7) with the unit getting shredded both on the ground (No. 20) as well as through the air (No. 31). It all equated to the defense getting ripped for 25.1 points per game (No. 30). Fast forward a year with relatively the same defensive roster in hand, and the Vikings new-look blitz heavy approach (No. 1) ranked No. 16 overall in allowing 333.2 yards per game and No. 13 in points allowed giving up just over 21 a contest.

While the pass D still struggled (No. 24), a huge improvement was made against the run with Harrison Smith and Co. allowing fewer than 99.0 yards per game. The unit also continued to be of the ball hawk variety with it coming up with 22 takeaways. If there was an Assistant Coach of the Year Award, Flores would’ve run away with it as improved the Vikings proved to be on that side of the ball under his watch.

Unfortunately, the injury bug targeted the Twin Cities to wreak havoc upon after taking a bite out of Justin Jefferson early and Kirk Cousins late. Even so, the Vikings found themselves in a position to punch a return ticket to the playoffs entering the final week of the regular season. Though ultimately coming up short of the goal, Minnesota looks primed for success for years to come provided upper management shores up some deficiencies and the roster’s studs can squash the injury bug. In the end, SKOL finished 7-10 SU and 7-7-3 against the closing NFL odds with the under cashing in 10 of 17 played games; hardly a surprise considering how improved Minnesota was defensively.

Minnesota Vikings 2024 Offseason

With Joshua Dobbs and Nick Mullens being able to step in and successfully lead the Vikings offense over the final nine weeks of the season, the Vikings look to be pretty well-off on the offensive side of the ball. But will GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah decide to continue rolling with his aging vet quarterback coming off an Achilles injury? My money says he does but that likely won’t prevent Minny’s astute shot caller from finding the QB1 of the future with him obviously not currently on the roster. As such, the Vikings utilizing one of their nine picks on a quarterback in the upcoming NFL Draft would hardly come as a surprise.

Though Minnesota blitzed at a league-high 51.5 percent rate, it only amounted to the league’s No. 28 ranked pressure rate that equated to 2.5 sacks per game (No. 19). The secondary was relied upon for a number those sacks with Danielle Hunter and D.J. Wonnum accounting for 24.5 of the team’s 43 overall takedowns. Pairing that up front duo with another pass rush specialist that could limit the amount of blitzing necessitated while at the same time improve the secondary seems like a no-brainer to me. With Minny owners of the No. 11 pick per Tankathon, standout EDGE rushers Dallas Turner and Jared Verse could be there for the taking. If not, Adofo-Mensah could elect to shore up the secondary with Nate Wiggins or Kool-Aid McKinstry with each playing a lockdown brand of ball at Clemson and Alabama respectively.

Regardless of it being through the draft or free agency, expect to see Minnesota look to improve itself at QB, along the D-Line and in the secondary throughout the offseason.

Minnesota Vikings Schedule & Results

The Minnesota Vikings were founded as an NFL expansion franchise in 1961. The Vikings were born as a shot at the American Football League, which intended to place a franchise in the Twin Cities with prospective owner Max Winter. But when Winter was offered an NFL franchise, he left the AFL at the altar.

The Vikings have never won a Super Bowl. However, they had an era of glory from 1968 through 1978 that cemented their bond with the state and its fans. The Vikings made four Super Bowls from 1969 through 1976 but were never able to claim the championship.

Bud Grant coached those great Viking teams and is the most revered name in team history. Grant is in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Grant’s first Super Bowl team was led by the swashbuckling quarterback Joe Kapp. And then QB Fran Tarkenton led the Vikings in their other three Super Bowl appearances.

Most of all, the Vikings were known for their tremendous defenses in those days. Paul Krause, Carl Eller, and Alan Page were Hall of Fame legends on that era's Purple People Eaters defenses.

Since that golden age, the Vikings have had several good teams and some close calls. But they have never made it back to Super Sunday. Since 1998 the Vikings have lost four NFC Conference Championship Games.

Minnesota Vikings Past Seasons (2000)

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