5 reasons Sam Bradford can lead Vikings to the Super Bowl
By John Buhler
3. Very winnable division
Perhaps the clearest path to reaching the Super Bowl is for a team to win its division. That ensures at least one home game in either the Wild Card or Divisional Round, depending on seeding. Even with all of its injuries, Minnesota still might be the best team in the NFC North.
The Green Bay Packers are obviously the Vikings’ biggest threat in the NFC North in 2016. They have the best quarterback in the division in Aaron Rodgers, but Rodgers and head coach Mike McCarthy seem to be at wit’s end with each other. The Packers offense has been largely stagnant the last year plus.
The Detroit Lions are an interesting team to keep an eye on in the NFC North. Offensively, it might be addition by subtraction to not have a superstar wide receiver in Calvin Johnson anymore. Quarterback Matthew Stafford seems to have a good rapport with offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter.
Head coach Jim Caldwell can’t read a clock, but his even-keeled demeanor could bring stability to this normally chaotic NFC North team. The problem with the Lions is that they’re still largely an undisciplined football team. Detroit doesn’t handle success well and playing from ahead is not the Lions’ forte.
Then there is the lowly Chicago Bears, who will have to start Brian Hoyer under center while the enigmatic Jay Cutler gets treatment on a busted thumb. Bears head coach John Fox is a good defensive coach, but the Bears offense is too much of a mess to win more than six games this year.
By beating Green Bay at home in Week 2, this gives the Vikings an early leg up on the Packers for the NFC North crown. Bradford has never even been to the NFC Playoffs. Maybe he’s a better player when he’s on a winning team? Could he be a Joe Flacco/Eli Manning type should the Vikings get to the 2016 NFC Playoffs? We’ll have to wait and see.