NFL Power Rankings, Week 1: Vikings Right in the Middle as Season Begins
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What do national NFL analysts think of Kevin O'Connell's Minnesota Vikings heading into the start of the 2022 regular season? Let's take a trip across the internet to see where the Vikings are in pre-Week 1 power rankings and what the writers have to say about this team that's brand new in some ways and quite similar in others.
SI MMQB Staff: No. 20
SI voters ranked the Vikings between 16th and 22nd.
The Vikings hovered between average and a-little-better-than-average through the entirety of Mike Zimmer’s tenure, and they’ll probably be in the same spot in Year 1 under Kevin O’Connell.
Bo Wulf, The Athletic: No. 16
The good news: Coming off a season in which they were the most decidedly average team in the league (16th in offensive and defensive DVOA), it shouldn’t take much improvement around the edges to bump the Vikings into the playoffs. Kevin O’Connell should be expected to help the offense take a step forward, and there are enough new pieces on defense to be bullish about that side of the ball. With the league’s 16th-easiest schedule, the Vikings should at least let us know this year if they’re decidedly good or decidedly bad.
The bad news: Early-round picks Lewis Cine and Andrew Booth Jr. were supposed to help upgrade a mediocre secondary, but neither appears ready to contribute right away.
Nugget to remember: To date, Kirk Cousins is 59-59-2 as a starting quarterback. Only Jim Plunkett (72-72) and Eli Manning (117-117) played more games with a precise .500 record.
Dan Hanzus, NFL.com: No. 20
Will this defense get enough stops? We don't worry about the offense. Kirk Cousins will do his Kirk Cousins thing (streaky production that lands with around 35 touchdowns, 4,000 yards and a 100 passer rating), and the power trio of Justin Jefferson, Adam Thielen and Dalvin Cook stacks up against any Big Three in the sport. We like the defensive front led by Danielle Hunter and Za'Darius Smith, too, but the cornerback group is worrisome. Two rookies — Andrew Booth Jr. and Akayleb Evans — are in line for significant roles in Minnesota's new scheme, while Chandon Sullivan joined as a free-agent acquisition. A Week 1 assignment against two-time reigning MVP Aaron Rodgers will serve as an immediate gut check.
Frank Schwab, Yahoo! Sports: No. 19
Kirk Cousins is set up well for a big season under new coach Kevin O'Connell. But it's funny: No matter how good Cousins is, your opinion on him won't change unless Minnesota somehow wins a Super Bowl.
Bleacher Report Staff: No. 18
The Vikings have arguably the best wide receiver in the league in Justin Jefferson. Dalvin Cook is one of the league's most explosive running backs. Cousins was ninth in the league in passing yards last year, ninth in touchdown passes, seventh in touchdown percentage and fourth in passer rating. And the Minnesota defense has the potential to be better than most are giving them credit for. If there's a team in the NFC North with a realistic shot of de-throning the Packers in 2022, it has to be the Vikings. This could be one of the surprise success stories of 2022.
Pete Prisco, CBS Sports: No. 12
New coach Kevin O'Connell has a different style from Mike Zimmer, which players say is refreshing. The defense has to be better than a year ago because the offense should be explosive.
Vinnie Iyer, Sporting News: No. 14
The Vikings have the best buzz among teams with rookie head coaches. Kevin O'Connell was the right hire to maximize an attack with Justin Jefferson and Dalvin Cook as the featured players. The defense also has some reinforcements and will be more supportive and complementary post Mike Zimmer.
Peter King, NBC Sports: No. 19
There’s some fresh air over the Vikings with the firing of Mike Zimmer. Lots of players found him too negative at the end of his reign. Despite having above-average talent over the past four years, including quarterback Kirk Cousins, the Vikings have been just 33-31-1 in the regular season since Cousins arrived in 2018—and they’ve averaged finishing 19th in the league in team defense over those four seasons. That was Zimmer’s area of expertise, of course. Now the head coach is a sunny offensive guy, Kevin O’Connell, with a veteran running the defense, Ed Donatell. He’s run a 3-4 recently, but promises to meld three- and four-man fronts in Minnesota. Either way, two defensive imports—end Harrison Phillips (Buffalo) and OLB Za’Darius Smith (Green Bay)—should play big roles if the Donatell system is going to get the Vikings back to playing quality defense.
Nate Davis, USA Today: No. 17
Justin Jefferson is the only player in the league with at least 3,000 receiving yards since 2020. Might he push 5,000 over three campaigns as a centerpiece in new coach Kevin O'Connell's pass-oriented attack?
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