Oddsmakers Remain Skeptical of Minnesota Vikings

The Minnesota Vikings started the season on an exceptionally positive note. Not only did they beat a bad New York Giants team, but they dominated them. Sam Darnold looked like a quarterback ready to revive his career, and Aaron Jones was everything we saw in Green Bay, maybe more. But that doesn’t mean everyone is bought in on the purple, just yet.

Prior to Sunday, the Minnesota Vikings had an over/under win total of 6.5. A last place finish in the NFC North has been the projection, since Kirk Cousins left for Atlanta. For a team coming off a 7-10 record in 2023, and QB uncertainty, low expectations were no surprise.

Only minimal changes for Minnesota Vikings season projections

But that was before Kevin O’Connell’s latest group kicked off the year with a road victory. The result against the Giants certainly moved the odds in the Vikings’ favor, but not by all that much. For example, Minnesota is still picked to finish last in the NFC North at both FanDuel and DraftKings, and got only a small bump in total wins, to 7.5.

The Vikings started by grabbing a quick tally in the win column. It came against an opponent they were expected to beat. Things get much more difficult next week as the San Francisco 49ers come to town.

The only NFC North team to lose in Week 1 was the Green Bay Packers. They played the Philadelphia Eagles in Brazil, but the story surrounds their quarterback Jordan Love.

He suffered a knee injury in the final moments of the game, and will be expected to miss some time. Early indications are that the Packers quarterback doesn’t have a season-ending injury, but he will spend at least a couple of weeks on the sidelines.

A closeup of Jordan Love’s injury…
pic.twitter.com/XVhZ2uHpEb

— SleeperNFL (@SleeperNFL) September 7, 2024

How well recently acquired backup Malik Willis plays could determine where Green Bay finds themselves, when Love returns. If Minnesota can keep winning games, it could be the Packers at the bottom of the division, by then.

How can Vikings convince Vegas they’re for real?

Minnesota’s Week 1 victory was a strong start, but they will need to substantiate the performance against better opponents. If Kevin O’Connell can beat Kyle Shanahan for a second straight season, it would be surprising if oddsmakers don’t get more on board.

Darnold performed well against a lackluster defense, but beating his previous employer would be a strong statement victory. After that, it’s the Houston Texans, who may have had the most impressive week one of any team in the league.

Related: What We Learned About the Minnesota Vikings in Week 1 Throttling of Giants

If Darnold’s performance carries over on a weekly basis, it wouldn’t be shocking to see the entire team take a step forward from where they finished a year ago.