3 biggest X-Factors for the Minnesota Vikings in 2019

The Minnesota Vikings are hoping to bounce back with a vengeance during the 2019 NFL season and there's three X-Factor that might help them do it.

The Minnesota Vikings finished 13-3 in 2017 and earned the No. 2 seed in the NFC. Against the New Orleans Saints in the Divisional Round, the Vikings won on a miraculous play known as the “Minnesota Miracle.” They laid an egg in the NFC Championship Game against the Philadelphia Eagles. Minnesota lost that game 38-7, and that momentum carried into the next season. The Vikings had a disappointing season in 2018 as they went 8-7-1 and missed the playoffs. Minnesota finished second in a poor NFC North. However, it was not enough to sneak into the postseason.

The gears shift toward 2019, and the Vikings will look to get back on top of the NFC. They certainly have the personnel to do so if they can put it all together. If the Vikings want to get back to form, these are three key components heading into the season.

3. Kirk Cousins

Kirk Cousins was an extremely coveted free agent when he hit the market. Cousins had an ugly departure from Washington and was in need of a change of scenery. He turned down $90 million from the Jets and agreed to terms with the Vikings to the tune of three years and $84 million guaranteed. Cousins finished last season with 4,298 yards, 30 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. He completed 70.1 percent of his passes. Since Cousins became a starter, his first season in Minnesota saw him throw the most touchdowns he has ever had in a season, least number of interceptions, and highest completion percentage. The highly paid quarterback is going to receive a majority of the criticism when the team struggles. Despite the Vikings' season, Cousins was not to blame.

Entering every season in the NFL, the quarterback is always an X-factor. Cousins will need to improve, or at worst duplicate, his performance from last season. Making $28 million a year, everything that Cousins does will be under a microscope. His contract is already considered to be one of the worst in the league, which is an overreaction. Cousins was not the full reason for the Vikings disappointing season in 2018. However, he can be a big reason for their success in 2019.

2. Everson Griffen

Everson Griffen has been a staple on the Vikings' defense since 2010. At one time, he was considered to be one of the best defensive ends in the league. He had eight or more sacks in every season from 2014-2017 including a career-high 13 in 2017. Griffen missed time last season when he had to take some time off to deal with a mental health issue. He finished last season with 5.5 sacks in 11 games. Heading into this season, there is enormous pressure on Griffen. The Vikings can decide to get out of his contract at any point over the next three seasons if they want to. Stephen Weatherly is ready to step in if Griffen cannot produce.

The Vikings have a talented defense. Sheldon Richardson is now in Cleveland and is a loss on the defensive line. Griffen will be looked at to step up. In the secondary, the Vikings hope Xavier Rhodes can return to his dominant form. Both Griffen and Rhodes will need to step up this season. However, Griffen will carry the most pressure on his shoulders.

1. The Offensive Line

Since Mike Zimmer took over in Minnesota, he has done a lot of good. One thing he has not done is build a strong offensive line. The Vikings allowed 40 sacks last season, and even that number does not do their incompetence justice. Minnesota has one of the strongest groups of skill position guys in the league. When looking at their depth chart, it starts with Cousins and goes to Dalvin Cook, Adam Thielen, Stefon Diggs, and Kyle Rudolph. The Vikings need to turn their offensive line into an average unit. Anything more is a bonus, but they must be better than what they have been.

The Vikings began addressing their needs on the offensive line early. They signed Josh Kline to a three-year deal. They drafted N.C. State center Garrett Bradbury with the 18th overall pick in the draft, which might have been the best need pick in the first round. Pat Elflein is entering OTA's healthy, which is a great sign for Minnesota. Expect Kline to get a majority of his time at right guard while Elflein will look to keep his center position. Bradbury will also be asked to play a majority of snaps as a rookie. At this point, the Vikings are starting to build a unit that will be significantly better than last year.