The Minnesota Vikings managed to win 13 games in 2022 and secure the NFC North crown. 

For reasons we've discussed ad nauseum, the Vikings seem unlikely to do this again in 2023. I've been vocal about my belief that the Vikings will not be as bad as some expect. And in a wide-open NFC North post-Aaron Rodgers, anything is possible. 

One media outlet recently projected the Vikings' 2023 season, and I believe the team can easily beat this projection. 

Bleacher Report recently predicted the win total of every NFL team. When it came to Minnesota, the site predicted that the team would win less than 8 games. 

The Vikes lost some key veterans this offseason and Kirk Cousins had his limitations even when the shelf was well-stocked. This is a bottom-six DVOA squad that is likely to take a big step backward from a weird 13-win campaign.

The Vikings defense was atrocious in 2022. In response, the team essentially gutted that side of the ball. Za'Darius Smith, Eric Kendricks, Duke Shelley, Kris Boyd, Cameron Dantzler, Patrick Peterson, and Dalvin Tomlinson were all shown the door. 

The team will roll with a youth movement on defense in 2023, and why not? It's not like the defense can get much worse than it was a year ago. 

Additionally, 2023 could be the last season with Kirk Cousins at the helm, as the veteran is entering a contract year. The QB is coming off of a season in which he threw for over 4,500 yards and 29 TDs. It would be a different story if the team was handing the reigns over to a rookie, but Cousins is still an above-average QB. 

Finally, the Vikings are playing in the NFC North. The Bears are in the middle of a massive rebuild and the Packers are starting fresh without Aaron Rodgers. The Lions look intimidating, but they had an even worse DVOA than the Vikings did in 2022. If the young Viking defense plays to its potential, this team could surprise some people. 

The Vikings could easily win four of their six divisional games. Outside of the division, the Vikes will also play the NFC South, which is generally thought of as one of the weakest divisions. Games against the Raiders and Broncos also seem winnable. As you can see, it is not difficult to see the Vikings getting to the eight win mark. 

I am not saying the Vikings are a playoff team. I do believe it's possible the team wins the NFC North, but they aren't Super Bowl contenders by any means. Overall, I believe this team will get to nine wins. 

Featured image via © Matt Krohn | 2023 Jan 15