Trying to nail down the Vikings’ season record? Good luck. The past few years, it’s been a total headache, mostly thanks to zero continuity at quarterback. This isn’t just about bad luck, it’s a pattern, and it makes accurate forecasting a nightmare.
A Decade of Predictions: More Misses Than Hits Thanks to QB Woes
Look, predicting football isn’t some perfect science. There are always a ton of moving parts like roster changes, coaching shifts, those weird injury/luck factors, and how tough the schedule is. But when it comes to the Vikings, the QB spot has been the ultimate wild card for a decade. Just check the track record:
* 2015: Prediction 10-6, Actual 11-5 (Preseason O/U 7.5)
* 2016: No prediction after Teddy Bridgewater went down, Actual 8-8 (Preseason O/U 9.5 pre-injury)
* 2017: Prediction 12-4, Actual 13-3 (Preseason O/U 8.5)
* 2018: Prediction 13-3, Actual 8-7-1 (Preseason O/U 10)
* 2019: Prediction 11-5, Actual 10-6 (Preseason O/U 9)
* 2020: Prediction 11-5, Actual 7-9 (Preseason O/U 8.5)
* 2021: Prediction 13-4, Actual 8-9 (Preseason O/U 9)
* 2022: Prediction 12-5, Actual 13-4 (Preseason O/U 9.5)
* 2023: Prediction 11-6, Actual 7-10 (Preseason O/U 8.5)
* 2024: Prediction 10-7, Actual 14-3 (Preseason O/U 6.5)
* 2025: Prediction 11-6, Actual 9-8 (Preseason O/U 9)
You can see the swing. In 2023, Kirk Cousins getting hurt mid-season threw everything off, leaving a revolving door of backups, one of whom wasn’t even on the roster at the start. That kind of chaos makes any prediction a dart throw.
Sam Darnold’s Reclamation and J.J. McCarthy’s Stumbles
Things didn’t exactly get easier. Remember 2024? Sam Darnold’s “reclamation” season happened. A lot of folks weren’t super optimistic, but he totally blew expectations out of the water, and the team went 14-3! What a turn. Then came 2025, and the optimism swung hard for J.J. McCarthy. The hope was he’d step up with a Darnold-like performance, especially after looking at average stats for first-round QBs in “good” situations.
But man, it just didn’t happen. Out of 27 quarterbacks measured in that deep dive, McCarthy had a season only slightly better than Mark Sanchez in terms of passer rating and ANY/A. And let’s be real, Sanchez didn’t have the same kind of offensive weapons McCarthy did, even if he did have a top-tier defense. McCarthy’s performance compared to his backups last season? It really didn’t look great, and that kind of inconsistency at the most important position just throws a wrench into any serious attempt at forecasting the team’s future.
Trying to figure out where the Vikings are headed in 2026? Good luck. After years of quarterback drama, from major injuries to reclamation projects to first-round picks struggling, the one thing that’s clear is that predicting this team’s record is still one of the toughest gigs in football.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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