Friday, February 1, 2013

Vikings Season Review



Adrian Peterson is a contender for MVP, Offensive Player of the Year and Comeback Player of the Year. (Andy Clayton King/Getty Images)
I let thoughts of the Vikings season marinate in my mind before I put the proverbial exclamation point on a great 2012 season. A season that many experts believed we would be 3-13, we surprised the nation and proved we are moving in the right direction. I could feel the turn around as I watched our team practice for the first time on July 27th in Mankato, MN. The determination of Adrian Peterson's ACL recovery, Leslie Frazier's mission to turn the team around, and the dazzling 2012 draft class injected energy into our football team. The thing that I loved the most about this football team is the chemistry they developed and they way they handled themselves. This group interacted with fans, played the game with pride and proved that Minnesota Vikings football is on the rise. Being one of the youngest teams in the NFL, this talent will last for many seasons and will only improve as we add more pieces to the puzzle.

Adrian Peterson is the MVP of this league, but more importantly he is the MVP of the state of Minnesota community and on the football field. He is one of the classiest and most respected players in the NFL. He put the entire football team on his back and didn't boast about his accomplishments. He praised his teammates and the people that made his success possible. Despite the outcome of the AP NFL MVP Award, we know who Adrian Peterson, has been and always will be; an idol to all Minnesota Vikings fans. I want the 2013 season to begin so I can witness Adrian shatter Eric Dickerson's rushing record. I hope he does so easily after the way Dickerson handled himself over the whole situation. He showed little class and didn't even understand the feat the Peterson nearly accomplished. This is something that will cause Adrian Peterson to come back stronger and attempt to eclipse 2,500 yards, something that has never been done before.

You could feel the energy at every Minnesota Vikings football game this season and it truly was a sight to see. Despite the outcome of the past 2 seasons, Vikings fans have remained strong and have stuck with our football team. Many people ask me how I can stick with a team like the Vikings and support as much as I do. The answer is easy, our players, history, fans and the traditions of our football team will never cause me to lose passion for this organization. It starts with the people I meet at Vikings training camp and at the games. We all have one common love and that is our football team. No matter how many times I hear the phrase, "How can you support this team? They haven't won a championship," it will not change me. We will win a championship in a matter of time and we will be able to celebrate in style. As a collective group of Minnesota Vikings fans, we deserve our chance and it will come soon, as our team is being formulated.

Despite the loss in the playoffs, I felt odds were stacked against us at kickoff. Christian Ponder missed the game, which threw Joe Webb in a very tough position. It took away our passing threat and allowed Green Bay to key on the run and Adrian Peterson. I feel the outcome would have been different with Ponder, but the past is in the record books. The bright side is our young team was exposed to a playoff atmosphere early in their careers, which will pay dividends in the coming seasons. With a 10-6 finish, we must improve and receive one or two more wins and we have a chance to reach the playoffs with a high seed and win the NFC North with ease. It is very early to even predict the record of our team in 2013, but I feel we are in a great position. Our schedule will be very difficult, but will display tough matchups, including road matchups in Dallas, New York Giants, Cincinnati, Baltimore and Seattle. Home games will include, Philadelphia, Washington, Cleveland and Carolina. The Vikings' game against Pittsburgh in London is considered a "home" game. I'm looking forward to seeing several electriying players at home and believe that it will be an exciting 2013.

We will have an exciting offseason in the coming weeks, as free agency will begin, the NFL Scouting Combine will take place in Indianapolis and the 2013 NFL Draft will take place in April. This will be a pivotal time for our team and could take this team to the next level. If we draft well, pick up a top vertical wide receiver and make additional strides on the defensive side of the ball, we can make a run in the postseason next year. We know the pieces are somewhat in place, but we just need to add several small pieces to the puzzle to reach football immortality in 2013.

The season is over, but......

We will keep updating you with our thoughts on the season and will take a look ahead to the 2013 season during the offseason. We will have mock drafts, potential free agency signings, combine thoughts, NFL Draft analysis, and 2013 Training Camp coverage. Stay tuned to the website for our expert analysis and thoughts about the Minnesota Vikings as we begin our track towards Mission Concrete Jungle next season.

Thank you for reading our posts, being a great Minnesota Vikings fanbase, and continuing to display the pride for our favorite football team. It keeps the website alive and inspires Vikings Corner to write and analyze the Minnesota Vikings!

Skol Vikings!

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