The Minnesota Vikings are expected to be a breakout team in the NFL this year, with many experts picking them to make the playoffs. They'll get their season underway Monday night against the San Francisco 49ers, and should walk away with the win. Here are three reasons why:
3) Adrian Peterson's return
With his return, the Vikings suddenly have one of the league’s premier offensive stars back in the mix. An angry Adrian Peterson will likely be a determined Adrian Peterson, and that will lead to opposing tacklers being strewn everywhere with their jaws agape and their heads hung low. With Teddy Bridgewater dissecting opposing secondaries and AP blowing up fools on a play-by-play basis, San Fransisco's depleted defense doesn't stand a chance.
2) Dominant defense
There are impact players dotted all over this defense, and most of them are young with high ceilings they're just itching to turn into production. Anthony Barr is making the leap from dynamic pass rusher to a true leader as a three-down linebacker, and having Linval Joseph and Shariff Floyd in the middle of the defensive line and Brian Robison/Everson Griffin doing damage from the edges is only going to make Barr's job easier. There's also the improved secondary led by Harrison Smith, Xavier Rhodes, and #1 cornerback-to-be Trae Waynes.
The pieces for a top-five defense are in place. It'll be fun (and eye-opening for the rest of the NFL) to see it all come together against a 49ers offense that struggles at times (to put it nicely).
1) Teddy Bridgewater > Colin Kaepernick
Bridgewater was dazzling for large chunks of his rookie season, posting just under 3,000 yards and 14 touchdowns in just 13 games. The natural talent is there as well as is the innate will to win, so we're only seeing big steps forward in his future during his second year under center. With a wide array of fun weapons to play with including Mike Wallace, Cordarrelle Patterson and dynamic rookie Stefon Diggs, Bridgewater should experience wild success this year.
As for Colin Kaepernick, well, his effectiveness has dipped every year since leading San Francisco to the Super Bowl three years ago, and he's proven that he isn't very effective throwing the ball from the pocket.
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