At the start of what Skol fans hope will be a big rebound from 2020, the Minnesota Vikings will take on the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 1 of the NFL season on Sunday. The matchup is a bit of a clash of identities – the Vikings are older, traditionally a run-first team, that has leaned on its defense for the better part of this past decade. The Bengals, on the other hand, are filled with young, explosive talent on offense with a below-average offensive line and a leaky defense.
The contest should make for a highly entertaining start to what the Vikings hope will be a stark difference from last season's 7-9 finish, which was good for third in the NFC North and a game out of a playoff spot. Contrary to Minnesota's recent history, the team's downfall last year was their defense, while the offense finished top 5 in yardage. Danielle Hunter, Anthony Barr, and Michael Pierce all missed most or all of 2020, and that leaky front 7 led to everything falling apart en route to a bottom 6 finish in both points and yardage allowed.
With all three of those players returning, though, as well as the additions of Patrick Peterson, Mackenzie Alexander, Dalvin Tomlinson, and Xavier Woods, Mike Zimmer should be able to bring this team back into the top half of NFL defenses. Anything better than that, and Minnesota could do some serious damage this year, as their core of Kirk Cousins, Justin Jefferson, Adam Thielen, and Dalvin Cook all return for a second year in what should be an explosive offense again.
As they embark on the new campaign, here are 4 bold predictions for Week 1 against the Bengals.
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4. Harrison Smith notches sack, interception
Harrison Smith has been the lynchpin of the Minnesota defense for a while, and he was rewarded for his efforts this offseason, as he signed a 4-year, $64 million extension. Smith is a dynamic playmaker in both the ground and passing game, and will be extra motivated to make an impact early in his new contract. Zimmer will send Smith on a weak-side blitz for a sack early on, and Smith will also snag a huge pick late in the game as Joe Burrow presses for a comeback.
3. Vikings run wild for 200 yards
The Bengals ranked as the fourth-worst team in the league in rushing yardage allowed last year, while Dalvin Cook finished second in the NFL in rushing, behind only Derrick Henry. Enough said.
But, on a serious note, the Vikings would love to pass the ball less this season, and lean on the ground game more. That doesn't necessarily mean more carries for Cook, but it does mean more carries for the team as a whole. That will look like the regular steady dosage of Dalvin, as well as a heavy workload for backup Alexander Mattison as well. Mattison is a starting-caliber back in his own right, which should lead to a lot of ground success.
2. Burrow commences aerial attack on Vikes secondary
Despite the changes that Minnesota's made in the secondary, they still have to take some time to adjust to new personnel and find the chemistry to pass off receiver in zone coverage. The Bengals have a plethora of weapons to throw to, including Tee Higgins, Tyler Boyd, Joe Mixon, and JaMarr Chase, and they'll be able to rack up yardage in bunches.
1. Vikings make a statement in blowout win
With an healthy roster and overhauled secondary, the Vikings will get off to a good start in 2021, with a blowout against an inexperienced Bengals team. The Bengals might improve later on in the year, but it will take some time for this group to gel.
Prediction: Vikings 34, Bengals 21
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