We are at the crossroads of the Minnesota Vikings 2023 season.
Sitting at 6-6, the Vikings have both looked dead in the water and like a legit threat to win the NFC North. As things sit right now, they have lost their last two games after pulling out five straight wins, all without superstar wide receiver Justin Jefferson.
The bye week comes at a good time for the Vikings. Jefferson just came off of injured reserve and will play against the Las Vegas Raiders in week 14. It also gives players like Akayleb Evans and Marcus Davenport one more week to get back onto the field.
Our staff predicted the Vikings record for the remaining five games of the season.
Managing editor Tyler Forness
The Vikings have five games left with three games on the road and three games against divisional foes. It’s going to be interesting to see how the Vikings end up at the end of the year.
The Raiders and Bengals are both winable games but with both being on the road, one is likely to be lost, same with two games against the Detroit Lions. The Vikings are likely to win the game against rival Green Bay Packers, leaving the Vikings at 3-2. They will be 9-8 at the end of the season if this holds true and likely winners of a wild card berth.
Prediction: 3-2
Columnist Judd Zulgad
It’s uncertain if Josh Dobbs, Nick Mullens or Jaren Hall will be the starter when the Vikings’ return from their bye on Dec. 10 in Las Vegas, but we’re guessing whoever starts at quarterback will benefit from the long-expected return of Pro Bowl wide receiver Justin Jefferson. Jefferson has been out since suffering a hamstring injury in Week 5 against Kansas City. The turnaround of the Vikings’ defense has been one of the better stories of the season and that unit has established that its success is no fluke. Winning three of their final five games would give the Vikings a 9-8 record and potentially a postseason berth.
Prediction: 3-2
Columnist Saivion Mixon
This bye week could not have come at a better time.
Back-to-back losses where the offense did just enough to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. The defense has been lights out. Attacking quarterbacks in multiple ways, keeping the opposing quarterbacks on their toes, it’s been exciting to see.
But this offense is disjointed right now. The quarterback position is up in the air, and there’s no telling how it will look when it comes down. The only bright light at the end of this tunnel is realizing that Justin Jefferson will be a full-time participant in the offense again, opening up the offense in ways that weren’t possible with him nursing his hamstring injury.
Three wins in five games feels optimistic with this final stretch, including two games against the division-leading Detroit Lions, the always-talented Cincinnati Bengals and newly inspired squads in the Green Bay Packers and Las Vegas Raiders. But when you can conjure up five wins without arguably the most dominant non-QB in the NFL, maybe a sprinkle of optimism is warranted.
Prediction: 3-2
Columnist Chris Spooner
A lot of this depends on how the season plays out for the Detroit Lions. If the Lions are in complete control of the NFC North by their first meeting with the Vikings, I don’t think it’s a stretch to think Minnesota could reel off another five-game win streak to close out the season. However, if the Lions still have something to play for in that first matchup, it’s likely a loss for the Vikings.
The same is true of the second matchup with the Lions. I think Detroit will have things locked up by then and that Minnesota walks away from that one with the W. Things could get dicey with both the Raiders and the Bengals, but ultimately I have the Vikings winning both of those games, and sweeping the Green Bay Packers to come away with a 4-1 post-bye record.
Prediction: 4-1
