NFL: Minnesota Vikings will be in the playoffs in 2014 if…

Does it really seem all that long ago that the Minnesota Vikings were on the verge of a Super Bowl appearance?

Back in 2009, the team fell short in overtime in the conference championship game to the New Orleans Saints. As of late, it has basically been a very rough stretch for the Purple Gang.

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A playoff appearance two years ago seems somewhat insignificant compared to three last-place finishes the past four seasons in the always-interesting NFC North.

Now it’s Mike Zimmer turn. The highly-regarded defensive mind who was with the Cincinnati Bengals the last six years becomes Minnesota’s third different head coach since 2010.

Still, the division a year ago was certainly there for the taking. The 8-7-1 Green Bay Packers edged the 8-8 Chicago Bears for top honors, while the Vikings managed a mere 5-10-1 record. It marked the third time in four years the club had lost at least 10 games.

However, there was that aforementioned recent playoff appearance. Is this team that much different than that squad which managed a 10-6 record? We know general manager Rick Spielman has picked up his share of talent as of late recent years, adding seven first-round draft choices since 2012. Don’t be shocked if all the pieces come together this fall.

This is the eighth part of a 32-team series in which we’ll look at the “if, and & but’s” of each team’s chances to make the postseason.

And Minnesota will reach the playoffs for the second time in three seasons…