The Minnesota Vikings are ready to improve in 2013 despite making the playoffs last season and after trading away disgruntled star Percy Harvin, Adrian Peterson is prepared to carry the offense once again after rushing for over 2,000 yards last season.
The Vikings won on the finals day of the season against the Packers to make the playoffs as a wildcard and despite losing to Green Bay the next week, head coach Leslie Frazier feels the team is ready to take the next step in the NFC North. The team is entering training camp with Christian Ponder at quarterback and if he struggles there is a chance that backup Matt Cassel could see some playing time.
Ponder showed some improvements early last year, but he struggled for most of the season and also was injured at one point, leaving Joe Webb to start, but the former backup will now be used on offense as a wide receiver. The team ranked 31st in the league last year in passing yards per game and second in rushing and Frazier will be focusing on getting the offense more consistent next year. Adding Greg Jennings and first round pick Cordarrelle Patterson will help with the loss of Percy Harvin in the trade to the Seahawks and they also have high hopes for tight end Kyle Rudolph.
The defense was solid for most of the season and ended up ranked 24th in passing yards allowed per game and 11th in rushing yards allowed and Frazier feels that adding first round picks Xavier Rhodes and Shariff Floyd will only help to improve the defense. The team has a tough schedule to start the season, as they will open on the road against the Bears and the Lions in divisional games before returning home for two games against the Browns and the Steelers.
The team will have its bye week early in Week 5 before playing the Carolina Panthers and then they will have their first primetime game of the season on Monday October 21 on the road against the Giants at MetLife Stadium. The rest of the schedule is no picnic either, including with two games against the Packers, a road game against the Cowboys and a road game against the Seahawks in Seattle.
Ponder will be one of the biggest question marks for the Vikings and if he plays like a mediocre quarterback, the team should be okay with Peterson. As long as Ponder doesn't rank in the bottom half of the league, there is a good chance the Vikings will compete all season and could be in the running for a playoff spot out of the NFC North.
