Minnesota Vikings 2011 Season Prediction Part 1

This is Part one, in each article i will predict 3 games.

This is my third year trying to predict what record the Minnesota Vikings will have at the end of the 2011 season. I will give you reasons why i believe they will win or lose. Last year my predictions were to high, like most Vikings fans i thought that the magic from the previous year would keep going, but boy was i wrong. But the 2011 season will be different. It is really a whole new team. New coaching staff and a new QB( i still think it will be Matt Hasslebeck). I think the drive, love and respect for the game that the coaches have will really rub off on the players. I have tremendous faith in Les Fraiser and all the people in the front office to make the 2011 Vikings a SuperBowl team. But enough with that now it is time to start picking games.. So here we go! Note: All my predictions are based on the belief the Vikings we start the season with a Vet QB, Like Hasselbeck or Mcnabb.

Week 1- Sunday Sept 11 Vikings At Chargers

First off the Vikings probably have the hardest first half of the season than any other team in the NFL. So the Vikings start on the road against the San Diego Chargers. One thing i have learned while watching the Chargers is... They are not a first half team. The Chargers are known for blowing games in the first half of the season and coming back strong in the second half of the season. With the Vikings they can easily go either way, you never know with them. But the last time the Vikings played the Chargers Adrian Peterson had a Huge game 297 yards to be exact. Peterson will have another huge game but just not that big. Peterson has been known to come out strong in the first week and i see no reason for this year to be different. Peterson will finish the game with 150 yards rushing and 2 td's. I think the loss of Ray Edwards will be big at first, but we have so much young talent on the D-Line that we will so forget about him. Cedric Griffin will be healthy and so will Chris Cook. I believe that Husain Abdullah Will keep the starting Safety spot and new comer( I am hoping that Eric Weddle signs here) will play the other spot. The Vikings will end up cutting M.Williams for Cap space. Another Vet who will be let go because of cap space will be Ben Leber, and i see the Vikings filling that space in house with Jasper Brinkley or Erin Henderson. But with all of these moves the Vikings Defense will become a force once again. I still think the Chargers are a great game but giving history i just see the Vikings Winning here 24-21 in OT. It is a hard fought game for both teams but the Vikings walk away 1-0

Week 2- Sunday Sept 18 Tampa At Vikings

This is another great game, first of 3 straight at home, I am thinking about going to it because i think it will be that good. Both teams are pretty young and are only getting better and both are fighting to be top dog. This will be a battle of coaches, Fraiser against Morris, Both young African American coaches also fighting to become top dog. The Bucs have a great team, A great QB in Josh Freeman and nice WR around him. The Defense is a little off and on but when they are on they are on. But I think this game will come down to who can pound the ball more. Its time to go old school and run, run, run. Run down the clock and run down the Defense. The Vikings Offense will be centered around Adrian Peterson and the O-Line, But i think that the true hero from this game will come from special teams. It will take just on big play from either side to change the game, But i am hoping that Percy Harvin gets his first Kick return of the season in a 17-10 win for the Vikings making them 2-0.

Week 3- Sunday Sept 25 Lions At Vikings

Now i bet everyone is expecting me to pick the Vikings hands down... but im not. I think the Lions will give the Vikings there first loss of the seasons. The Lions are looking like they have what it takes to fight for the number 1 spot in the NFC North. The Lions have to me the best D-line in the NFL, I know they are not proven yet but with Suh, Vanderbosh and Farley it will be very hard to block all of them. There line will make there LB's and CB's look amazing. I don't think the Vikings will get blown out but they will not win. Peterson and Harvin and new comer Kyle Rudolph will have a big day but there D-Line will just wear down the Vikings O-Line and come the end of the 4th they will get the sacks they need. So once again the lions will take the first of 2 games against the Vikings in a 34-21 win sending the Vikings to 2-1 and tied for second place with the packers and bears as the Lions sit atop in first place after 3 games