The Minnesota Vikings head into the 2021 season with one thing on their mind, a Super Bowl. Although it’s no easy feat, Minnesota’s front office is dedicating themselves to winning their first title in history. The 2020 season was for lack of a better term, a disappointment. The Minnesota Vikings finished 7-9 on the season, third in the division. No playoff appearances for them and a steep drop-off from their 2019 season. Many thought there would be firings across the board but instead, we saw something different.
Minnesota took the offseason to evaluate what the real problem with their team was. They made significant additions to the offensive line and the defense. They spent money bringing in better defensive backs and used the NFL Draft to find offensive line prospects. These moves have shown that Minnesota is taking the 2021 season very seriously. This is the eighth season under head coach Mike Zimmer. At this point, he needs more than a playoff appearance, he’s got to get his team a Super Bowl. Can the Vikings pull it off against all odds? More importantly, which bets should you place on them?
2021 Minnesota Vikings Futures Betting Odds
Minnesota Vikings Super Bowl Champion Odds: +4000
Minnesota Vikings NFC Champion Odds: +2000
Minnesota Vikings Win Totals Odds: Over 8.5 (-160) / Under 8.5 (+130)
Minnesota Vikings NFC North Champion Odds: +250
The Vikings are poised to make a strong run to the playoffs this season. Even better, they have some incredible odds at the sportsbook this year. At +2000 to win the NFC Championship, the Vikings are a great option. The additions they made on defense, with an offense that averaged 26.9 points per game, are a great recipe.
You have to take a second and consider the remaining teams in the NFC. Mainly, the Green Bay Packers and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Both of these teams are great, but their main focus is the offense. Minnesota does things differently by fine-tuning the defense, trying to formulate plans to stop these offenses. The setbacks in 2020 saw them fall to third in the division, but we should see a resurgence in 2021.
2021 Minnesota Offseason Grade: A-
Key Additions: (CB, Patrick Peterson), (S, Xavier Woods), (CB, Bashaud Breeland)
Key Departures: (TE, Kyle Rudolph), (LT, Riley Reiff), (DT, Shamar Stephen)
What the Minnesota Vikings gained in the offseason drastically outweighs what they lost. They acquired the deepest secondary in the NFL and spent the draft on more offensive linemen. They didn’t sign small-time players either especially with Patrick Peterson and Xavier Woods. You could tell by these acquisitions that Mike Zimmer was upset at his defense in 2020.
They allowed nearly thirty points a game last season, but we should see a drastic improvement. The Vikings front office knew this was a problem in 2020 and was responsible for most of the losses. Going after some of the biggest defensive free agents was definitely a smart move. What this means is that now they’ll have a defense to match the strong offense from 2020. The great news for Minnesota is their offensive line will look much better in 2021.
Minnesota Vikings 2021 Preview
The Minnesota Vikings are grossly underestimated this year at the sportsbook. That’s great for us as bettors though. The team did a lot of work in the offseason to improve their defense. The defensive backs they’ve brought in, along with resigning Danielle Hunter, are huge. This could be one of the most dominating defenses in the NFC this year. Everyone knows the saying “defense wins championships” and the Minnesota Vikings will look to prove that theory.
Minnesota Vikings Futures Best Bets
Right from the beginning, you should be taking the Minnesota Vikings to win the NFC North this year. They’ve got great energy, the cohesion is there, unlike the tumultuous Green Bay Packers. Which should help them easily take over the division. Another bet you should grab while it’s available in the over the 8.5 win total. Minnesota has an incredible schedule this year, with us seeing only five potential losses. That would leave them with a record of 12-5, well over the total required.
Check out our 49ers team preview and Rams team preview.
