Don’t bring any of that 7-9 or 7-10 noise into the 2021 season, say fans of the Minnesota Vikings with semi-lofty expectations for head coach Mike Zimmer’s penultimate season.
Last year, Minnesota started the season 1-5 before evening up the record to 6-6 after Thanksgiving. But that resurgence, although impressive, was short-lived. Eric Kendricks and Kyle Rudolph were lost for the rest of the year – along with the previously injured Danielle Hunter, Anthony Barr, Michael Pierce (COVID opt-out), and Mike Hughes – so the team faceplanted down the stretch, surrendering the NFC’s final playoff spot to the rival Chicago Bears.