Minnesota Vikings: 7 Reasons For Vikes Fans to Keep Watching (2024)

The Vikings are on a roll. They're currently on their fourth one-game winning streak of the season.

At 4-7, the odds of making the playoffs are stacked heavily against them.

Yet, with the return of Sidney Rice, this is mostly the same team that won 12 games last season.

Perhaps with Leslie Frazier at the helm, he will get this bunch of underachievers to perform somewhere close to their talent level.

As improbable as it seems, the Vikings could turn things around and finish the season at 9-7.

There are too many teams ahead of them to even think about playoffs at this point, but there are still plenty of reasons to watch this team through the last five games.

Brett Favre's favorite target from 2009 is finally back.

With only four catches in two games, look for Sidney Rice to make a greater impact each week.

Minnesota interim coach Leslie Frazier said that Sidney Rice is "as close to 100 percent as he's going to get."

His longest reception so far has only been 20 yards—but I expect Favre to take a few more shots down the field, looking to connect with Rice.

With the possibility of the Leslie Frazier era lasting only six weeks, you may want to watch as much of it as possible.

If the players truly respect Frazier and are willing to play for him, the remaining five games could be very exciting.

Or...

With Darrell Bevel fully in charge of the offense, it will be interesting to see how creative the offense will be. If the Washington game is any indication, it could be a yawner.

Toby Gerhart has carried the ball 46 times, and 22 of those were against the Redskins.

With 76 yards, for a 3.5 average against Washington, he's not going to make anyone forget about Adrian Peterson.

In fact he might remind a few long-time Vikings' fans of another blue-coller type running back—Dave Osborn.

Osborn played with the Vikings from 1965-1975. His career average was 3.7 yards per carry.

Brett Favre—he has polarized football fans. You either love him, or hate him.

One thing is for certain, when the game is on the line, Favre wants the ball in his hand deciding the outcome.

Whether it's throwing a last second come-from-behind touchdown, or rolling out and running for a first down on 3rd and 8, he's always worth watching.

But be warned, he can break your heart with that ill-advised interception, just as sure as he can throw the game-winning touchdown.

After leading the Vikings with 14.5 sacks in 2009, Jared Allen had only three sacks after the first eight games this season.

With at least one sack in each of the last three games, he is once again leading the Vikings with 7.5 sacks.

With a slight modification to his calf-roping sack celebration, making sure his knee does not touch the ground, Allen is starting to look like the defensive end we've come accustomed to watching the past two years in Minnesota.

Whether he's lined up in the slot, out wide, in the backfield, or returning a kick-off, Percy Harvin is an exciting player to watch.

He is one of those special players that can score a touchdown anytime he touches the ball.

He's currently averaging 12.3 yards per reception and 8.2 yards per carry, for a total of 733 yards from scrimmage.

Include his 933 yards on kick-off returns, and he has 1,666 all purpose yards.

Interim coach Leslie Frazier has indicated he wants a balanced attack on offense.

This means more carries for Adrian Peterson.

Before leaving the game in the first half with an ankle sprain, he had 36 yards on six carries and a touchdown.

Imagine what Peterson could have done with another 20 carries in the game.

Currently leading the Vikings with nine touchdowns, he is a force to be reckoned with.

Despite being third in the NFL with 1,016 yards, Peterson is still considered to be the best back in the league by many.

After leading the league in fumbles the last two seasons, he has yet to put the ball on the ground this year.

Look for Peterson to get back on the field quickly.

The Vikings travel to Philadelphiathe day after Christmas.

With all of the rumors swirling around that the Vikings will take a run at signing Michael Vick—and why not give him Brett Favre's money, it could be a great chance to see Minnesota's next quarterback.