NFL Minnesota Vikings

Minnesota Vikings Facing a Turning Point in the Season in Week 6

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By @bradberreman24

Teddy Bridgewater

Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

Even after a 42-10 loss to the Green Bay Packers last Thursday night, the Minnesota Vikings are 2-3 and just a game out of first place in the NFC North. Considering everything that has happened through five weeks, from some notable injuries to Adrian Peterson’s legal issues, things could easily already be off the rails very early in head coach Mike Zimmer’s tenure. Two wins through the first five games of the season would have been unexpected with the team at full strength, at least when looking at the schedule prior to Week 1, and with what has happened at this early stage it can be considered a minor miracle.

Teddy Bridgewater missed the loss to the Packers with an ankle injury, as a short week contributed to his being inactive and Christian Ponder resurfacing as the starter with Matt Cassel (left foot) out for the season. But the rookie signal caller is expected to be back for Sunday’s game against the Detroit Lions, which is looking like a pivotal game for both teams.

The Lions lost to the Buffalo Bills in Week 5, and they also came out of the game banged up. Calvin Johnson entered the game with an ankle issue, and head coach Jim Caldwell has already said he will strongly consider holding the star wide receiver out for Week 6. Detroit’s running back situation also looks iffy heading into the matchup with the Vikings, as Joique Bell missed the loss to Buffalo with a concussion and Reggie Bush suffered an ankle injury during the game.

An early season gauntlet of the league’s most talented quarterbacks ends with Sunday’s game, and after that the schedule eases up significantly for the Vikings. Week 7-Week 9 brings back-to-back road games against the Bills and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, followed by a home game against the Washington Redskins, and those three teams have a combined record of 5-10 right now.

A four-game winning streak, and the 6-3 record that would result, could put the Vikings in first place in the NFC North and in line to earn a playoff spot as the regular season starts to wind down. While that is an aggressive expectation, and the Packers still have to be considered the favorites to win the division, it also can’t be totally ruled out as the Vikings presumably get things together heading into a favorable stretch of games. The Vikings have a real chance to remain in the mix for a Wild Card spot at minimum, and they could remain a factor for a division title if things break right.

A Week 10 bye looks likely to be well-timed for the Vikings, as tight end Kyle Rudolph (groin) and linebacker Chad Greenway (hand/ribs) should be back at full strength for back-to-back, critical division games against the Chicago Bears and the Packers in Week 11 and Week 12 respectively.

Rudolph was placed on injured reserve/designated to return after being injured in Week 3, while Greenway has missed the last two games and may miss some more time. In any case, the strong possibility of having two key players back in action late in the season can only be looked at as good news. The NFC playoff picture looks likely to remain cloudy, with multiple teams in legitimate contention, and the Vikings may have something at stake after Thanksgiving.

A home game against the Carolina Panthers in Week 13 will be a challenge, and the final four weeks of the regular season are a mix of AFC East opponents (New York Jets-Week 14, Miami Dolphins-Week 16) and division games (the Lions in Week 15 and the Bears in Week 17). Add in Bridgewater’s continued development and comfort level in Norv Turner’s offense, and the Vikings should be able to win enough games to make the latter part of season relevant.

Even if Johnson, Bush and Bell play for Detroit on Sunday, it’s safe to say Johnson and Bush will be less than 100 percent healthy and they are difference makers who will not be easily replaced. So the Vikings’ chances to win on Sunday really come down to Bridgewater’s health and the offense’s ability to take care of the ball, and I expect the defense to play a lot better after a dismal showing against the Packers.

A loss to the Lions will not be devastating for Minnesota, depending on the circumstances of the game, but a win would provide a nice boost that could carry them right into their bye week. If Detroit winds up being short-handed, a lot of fans will be expecting a victory and anything less would surely qualify as a disappointment for all involved.

The Vikings’ future looks very bright for the first time in awhile, with a competent coaching staff and a quarterback that seems likely to become a franchise fixture. Sunday’s result won’t change that outlook dramatically, but a decisive win would alter the outlook and outside expectations for the rest of this season.

The season effectively starts for the Vikings in Week 6, and we’ll look back on the result as the turning point that sets expectations for the rest of the season. A loss may lead to the 7-9 or 8-8 record that I and many others predicted in August, while a win has a good chance to set up a run to nine or 10 wins and a legit shot at a playoff berth.

Winning division games is always a top priority, but beating Detroit carries some extra weight this week.

Brad Berreman is a Columnist at Rant Sports.com. Connect with him on Twitter or on Google +.

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