The Minnesota Vikings. The prototypical “This is the year!” team, only to be let down quickly at the beginning of the season. Years of mediocrity, bookended with the occasional overachieving year has plagued the franchise since it left the Golden Era of their vaunted defense, The Purple People Eaters.
Those Purple People Eaters led the Vikings to four Super Bowl appearances, but they never captured the elusive Lombardi Trophy. In each of their four appearances, the offense sputtered, and the fan base was left disappointed. During those “Golden Years”, the Vikings won their division 11 times in 13 years. Defensive tackle Alan Page was the first defensive player to win the NFL MVP, with New York Giants Legend Lawrence Taylor being the only other defensive player to win it
Those Purple People Eaters got older, and after their fourth Super Bowl loss, it took the team over a decade to have another double digit win season, and they would never make it to another Super Bowl. Between Tommy Kramer and Wade Wilson, the franchise would have back-to-back double win seasons in the late 1980s; however, they would soon find their way back to mediocrity.
“The Trade” would load the Dallas Cowboys with talent. Enough talent to lead them to three Super Bowl victories in the 1990s. The Vikings would sit there wondering, what if?
Then, the Vikings would strike gold in the late ‘90s. Randy Moss would fall into their lap, and along with Randall Cunningham, Cris Carter, and Robert Smith, the franchise would put up a then-record 556 points. But, alas, that offense would not be enough. Another heart break, a missed field goal away from the Super Bowl. The Vikings would put together a couple of solid squads, but a divorce with Moss and the promising Daunte Culpepper blowing out his knee, the team would find themselves flirting with the cellar of the NFC North.
The Vikings would have another star fall into their laps. The running back out of Oklahoma. Concerns for injuries caused Adrian Peterson to fall, and the Vikings decided to pair him with Chester Taylor. Unfortunately, it was turning into a passing league. Years of trying to replace Moss, the Vikings felt they struck gold with Percy Harvin, but would that be enough?
And then, it happened. Brett Favre. The Iron Man. After a year in New York, he made his way to Minnesota and crushed the Packers’ hearts. The Vikings would make it to the NFC Championship to face the New Orleans Saints. One game away.
Just run, Brett. Just run. But in true Favre and Vikings’ fashion, a forced pass across the body gave the Saints the game, and the team would miss out on the big game one more time.
Favre would go down in his second season with the Vikings, which turned out to be his final season. The franchise would go through ten starters after Favre, with a failed attempt at revitalizing Donovan McNabb’s career, reaching for a cornerstone in Christian Ponder, and giving up on Case Keenun after leading the team to an NFC Championship in which they were dismantled by the Philadelphia Eagles, the Vikings have settled on their starter.
The Vikings brought in Kirk Cousins. They gave him the keys to the city. After missing the playoffs in year one, he lead the team to an upset victory of the Saints in year two. Another down year in 2021 has the Vikings' brass teetering on his future.
Will Coach Mike Zimmer and Cousins lead the team to their first Super Bowl victory, or will the fan base be left disappointed again?
03-04-2022, 02:38 PM
