NFL Predictions for 2010 Season: 10 Predictions For Minnesota Vikings

The Minnesota Vikings will be a team on a mission this upcoming season.

With the likely return of the legendary Brett Favre, Minnesota is primed to be a serious contender in the NFC once again.

The Vikings have serious talent on both sides of the ball that will likely result in a Super Bowl victory.

Well, at least I hope so.

As we all know, Minnesota has never won a Super Bowl. Hopefully in February of 2011, the Vikings will be able to bring home their first Lombardi trophy in team history.

I will be listing ten predictions for the 2010-2011 season for the Minnesota Vikings.

Please enjoy the show!

1. Brett Favre Will Be At The Helm of The Offense

Well, I guess it's not really going out on a limb when it comes to Brett Favre returning for another year.

All implications are pointing to the "silver fox" returning for his 20th NFL season.

Brett has started a remarkable 286 games in-a-row at quarterback, which will likely never be broken.

To save you the math, I will tell you that 286 games is equal to 17 seasons and 14 games total.

Brett Favre received surgery on his ankle from Dr. James Andrews, who said the injury will likely hold Favre out until late July or early August.

It would truly shock me if Brett decided to seriously hang up the cleats for good this off-season.

Where everything stands now, I can safely say that the legend is coming back to lead the Vikings to the promise-land.

2. Adrian Peterson Will Have a Bounce-back Season

Don't get me wrong, Adrian Peterson didn't have a bad season last year, but it could have been much better.

Peterson became more known for his fumbling issues than his ability to carry the ball, knock over defenders, and take it to the house.

Nonetheless, Adrian rushed for 1,383 yards and 18 touchdowns on 314 carries last season.

Minnesota definitely became more of a pass-first style of team last year, which caused AP to not have as many carries in a game that he was previously used to.

Adrian has been working on his ability to hang on to the ball all summer long, allowing his game to go to a whole other level.

If he can manage to keep the ball in those big hands of his, Adrian will prove himself to be the true No. 1 running back in the league.

It's puzzling to me how someone with such a firm handshake can not manage to hang on to what makes him money.

3. Minnesota Will Have Two 1,000-Yard Receivers

In 2009, Minnesota only had one 1,000-yard receiver in Sidney Rice.

Percy Harvin came in second place with 790 receiving yards on 60 catches.

Bernard Berrian was third on the team in receiving yards with 618 on only 55 catches.

Brett Favre can truly make any receiver look better. Sidney Rice had a tremendous season, propelling him to a spot on the NFC Pro Bowl roster.

Rice caught 83 passes for 1,312 yards, and 8 touchdowns.

If Percy Harvin and Sidney Rice can stay healthy, both outstanding athletes will be 1,000-yard receiver's for the Vikings.

Bernard Berrian could establish himself as the better receiver between Percy Harvin. Most of this depends on whether or not he can maintain consistent play.

Berrian lacked true hustle last year, which deteriorated his stats.

4. Chris Cook Will Have a Great Rookie Season

Many questioned the choice of Chris Cook over the likes of Jimmy Clausen and Colt McCoy with the 34th overall pick in the 2010 draft.

Believe it or not, I actually predicted the Vikings would trade down for Cook in second round sometime in early March.

I'm not bragging, I am just stating that it was not much of a surprise that Minnesota ended up going with the 6'2" cornerback.

Cook has the ability to play at either cornerback or safety.

Minnesota is loaded at cornerback, which will allow him to get some playing time at safety.

Although the Vikings are stacked at cornerback, it's very possible that he can earn the nickel-corner role.

He will have to beat out Asher Allen, Lito Sheppard, and Benny Sapp for that spot.

Special teams is another place where Cook can find success. He will have plenty of opportunities to line up next to Pro-Bowler, Heath Farwell on kick-offs and punts.

5. Jared Allen Will Win The Defensive Player of the Year Award

Jared Allen is known for four things:

1. Sacking the quarterback

2. His calf-roping sack celebration

3. Being hilarious

4. That sweet, sweet mullet

Jared Allen has always been one of the most feared defensive lineman in the league.

In his first two seasons with the Vikings, Allen has 29 sacks, 104 tackles, and 8 forced fumbles on his resume'.

With a tremendous 2010 season ahead of him, I see Jared finally earning the Defensive Player of the Year Award.

Predicted stats:

17.5 sacks, 63 tackles, 7 forced fumbles, 2 interceptions

I definitely believe that is worthy of the award.

6. E.J. Henderson Will Be Placed On the Trading Block

Over the past two seasons, E.J. Henderson has suffered season-ending injuries.

Replacing Henderson once he went down with an injury last season was 2009 fifth-round draft pick, Jasper Brinkley.

In four starts, Brinkley accumulated 31 tackles and one forced fumble.

These are not great numbers, but for being a rookie, Jasper showed he has plenty of potential.

It's clear to see that E.J. is injury-prone, and likely won't ever be at the level where he was three years ago.

Although the Vikings won't get a large bundle in return, they will at least get a mid-round draft pick for the nearly 30 year-old middle linebacker.

Henderson's contract expires after the 2011-2012 season, so any team that gets him will likely one need his services in order to improve their defense if they want to contend in their respective division.

I'll hate to see him go, but the NFL is a business, and sometimes things like this just have to happen.

7. Jamarca Sanford Will Out-perform Tyrell Johnson

When the Minnesota Vikings took Tyrell Johnson in the second round of the 2008 draft, I was a little confused.

I knew the Vikings could use some safety depth, yet I felt as though they could have waited for their pick to come instead of trading up.

In his two years in the league, Johnson has wracked up 88 tackles and 2 interceptions in 31 games.

For a player that was so highly coveted, these numbers are actually quite disappointing. I expected a lot more out of a guy that is an incredible athlete.

With the 231st pick in the 2009 draft, the Minnesota Vikings took a safety by the name of Jamarca Sanford.

I won't lie to you folks, I wasn't exactly aware of who Jamarca Sanford even was. However, I am fully knowledgeable of exactly who he is.

In his rookie season with the Vikings, Sanford totaled 29 tackles and a forced fumble in only 14 games. In one of those 14 contests, Sanford started in place of the injured Tyrell Johnson.

His best game came against the Cincinnati Bengals in week 14 where he wracked up nine tackles, seven individually.

There is no doubt that this man has plenty of potential if he gets the playing time.

Although Johnson will be the starter come week one, there is a possibility that he will see a lot more bench if Sanford continues to play like he did last season.

8. Cedric Griffin Will Lead the NFC In Interceptions

Although he's coming off a devastating ACL injury that ended his season, Cedric Griffin will be back up to snuff when the first game of the season against the New Orleans Saints rolls around.

Cedric has never really been known for being an interception guy, but he did total four last year, which is actually fairly decent.

Teams will likely be more pass-friendly when they face the Vikings this upcoming season because of how shut-down their run defense is on a constant basis.

Antoine Winfield is one of the better cornerback's in the league when he's healthy, so there's a strong possibility that teams will focus on throwing towards Cedric's side more often.

Last season, Griffin established himself as one of the better corner's in the NFL. In my opinion, he will continue to progress into a top-five cornerback within the next year or two.

Perhaps cutting off the corn-rows was all he needed to succeed in the NFL!

Only joking, people.

9. Minnesota Will Win the NFC North

I've seen multiple websites and magazine's that claim the Green Bay Packers are the team to beat in the NFC.

I am here to report that this is completely and utterly false.

The Minnesota Vikings will be the team to beat in the NFC unless Brett Favre decides that he was just working out, throwing football's, and getting surgery was so he could make Wrangler Jeans commercials.

Sure, the Packers will be a playoff team, I'll give them that. Nonetheless, this does not mean that they are going to be a better squad than the Vikings.

Minnesota has a better running game, better group of receiver's, and a superior defense.

Yes, I did say that the Vikings have better receiver's. Donald Driver is nearing the end of his career, which will mean that he won't be able to run as hard as he used to before.

Sidney Rice, Bernard Berrian, and Percy Harvin are one of the best trio of wide-outs that the league has to offer right now.

As far as Chicago goes, they are improving, but are not on the level of Minnesota yet.

If the Bears can ever get a true No. 1 receiver they will be a great offensive squad. However, their defense is still complete rubbish.

And the Lions--- well, they have about as much of a chance of winning the division as the Baltimore Orioles do of winning the pennant this year.

10. Minnesota Will Make and Win the Super Bowl

Yeah, I know that you saw it coming. And yes, I am a homer. And yes, I do love being a homer.

The Vikings will make history in February of 2011 when they win their first ever Super Bowl in team history.

Despite the fact that they've reached the big event four times, they have yet to bring home the Lombardi Trophy to the great state of Minnesota.

With Brett Favre at the helm of the offense, Minnesota has a tremendous chance of finally achieving their dream.

They will face some tough competition in the NFC, though.

The New Orleans Saints, Dallas Cowboys, Green Bay Packers, and Atlanta Falcons will all be strong competition, but the Vikings have all the pieces to the puzzle in place in order to topple these foes.

A Saints-Vikings re-match in the NFC Championship would be a tremendous sight to see. Although this time, the referees will not be blind, Bobby McCray won't try to amputate Brett's leg, and a bogus pass interference call will not be made.

Oh, I forgot to mention, these two teams will meet on the first game of the year on September 9th.

Go Vikings, go!