This
upcoming 2019 season will be the NFL’s 100th year and it will be my
20th year of season tickets and I for one could not be more excited.
It is my intent all season to write more articles with so much excitement and
all 32 teams are 0-0 so just who will win the Super Bowl?
Yes, New
England Patriots are Las Vegas best odds to win the Super Bowl and along with
one major shock and that is the Cleveland Browns after shocking the world when
they traded for Odell Beckham Jr and after this earth shaking news the Browns
now have the 5th best odds in the NFL to win the Super Bowl.
I am a huge
Vikings fan and say in 19 years of season tickets I have missed 2 games in this
span and 2019 plan on keeping this streak intact going 10-10 this year making
the trek to US Bank Stadium.
This week
has been so exciting with the official day of NFL Free Agency as we no longer
have to read or hear about speculation rather we can see and read who signed
when and where. It is like my Christmas in hopes Santa gives us a great gift.
Two years
ago the Vikes make it to the NFC Championship game but fall badly to the
Philadelphia Eagles and then last year I came in so excited knowing we had the
pieces but obviously it did not pan out. I truly believe the embarrassing home
loss to the Buffalo Bills was a season back breaker along with the tie at
Lambeau after seeing 3 missed field goals.
This year is
a clean slate and once again I am fired up to see the Purple not only at home
but on TV for all the road games.
Yes, the
opponents for this year were made known just not the dates and times so I want
to look at the home schedule and see what the teams that are coming to US Bank have
done in Free Agency thus far.
The Green
Bay Packers now have a new coach so that right there is a big story line but as
far as free agency goes I see Za’Darius Smith (LB) left the Baltimore Ravens to
sign with the Packers.
The Detroit
Lions signed Trey Flowers a member of the Super Bowl winning, New England
Patriots to a massive deal leaving me curious again about the Vikes offensive
line.
The Chicago
Bears coming off a season winning the NFC North signed one of my former Vikes
favorites in Cordarelle Patterson to a 2 year deal and like new Lion, Trey
Flowers comes from the Patriots. The Bears also added former Packer and Redskin
safety, Ha Ha Clinton-Dix.
Oakland
Raiders pulled off a huge trade earlier with the Pittsburgh Steelers and got
Antonio Brown so I can’t wait for a Xavier Rhodes one on one match up vs Brown
all game. The Raiders also signed from the San Diego Chargers (WR) Tyrell
Wiliams so the Vikes secondary will be fully challenged. The teams also signed
left tackle from the Patriots, Trent Brown. I know I am reading teams are
calling the Vikes to inquire about Trae Waynes so this will be a story to
follow.
Philadelphia
Eagles will be interesting as the question of keeping both Nick Foles and
Carson Wentz was answered as Foles signs the big contract with the Jacksonville
Jaguars so can Wentz stay healthy will be the big question. Wentz is extremely athletic
and big so will be a great test for the Purple’s defense.
Denver
Broncos traded Case Keenum to the Washington Redskins and now have former
Ravens quarterback, Joe Flacco in charge of the offense along with a always
strong defense will make for a great challenge for the good guys.
Atlanta
Falcons were a major disappointment last year as they were the host city for
last Super Bowl but failed miserably at being the first team in the NFL to play
in their own stadium in the big game. Atlanta’s quarterback Matt Ryan is an
incredible talent along with WR, Julio Jones so as a Vikes fas anytime we play
Atlanta at home makes me think back to 1998-99 season watching the Falcons
doing the Dirty Bird on the stage beating the Vikes to go to the Super Bowl.
Washington
Redskins come to town with 2 former Vikes which may be the best home game on
the schedule as Case Keenum and Adrian Peterson come back to Minnesota. How
much booing or cheering will we hear for either player?
What a great
but extremely tough home schedule I along with 65,000 other Vikes fans will see
in 2019.
The road schedule
will see the Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, Detroit Lions, New York (OBJ
less) Giants, Dallas Cowboys, Los Angeles Chargers, Kansas City Chiefs and
Seattle Seahawks.
This in my
opinion will be one of the toughest road schedules in many years seeing the AFC
West teams with the Chargers and Chiefs both with outstanding teams and with
the Chiefs we will get to see the most exciting quarterback in the league,
Patrick Mahomes.
NFL Free
Agency truly is fun for me to watch and signings of note to see long time
players leave their teams were Terrell Suggs leaving Baltimore to sign with the
Arizona Cardinals and Earl Thomas leaving Seattle to sign with the Baltimore
Ravens and longtime Lion, Golden Tate who was traded to the Eagles last year
now signs with the New York Giants, The NFL in my opinion along with so many
more see it as NOT FOR LONG so it is hard to keep building winning programs
watching their players leave for more money,
In finishing
up the Minnesota Vikes I knew had not much cap room so I did not know what to
expect so to see Sheldon Richardson leave for the Browns hurts but also had a
feeling we may not be able to keep him.
I am excited
to see the Vikes resign Anthony Barr although I thought for sure we lost him to
the New York Jets but thankfully he had a change of heart. I am thankful to see
Everson restructured his contract so we could keep him and finally resigning Shamar
Stephen a great add for depth on the DLine. I believe the New York Jets will
want nothing to do with potential Vikes or former Vikes as just last year they
thought they had Kirk Cousins signed and now this year Anthony Barr changing his
mind.
That’s all
for now as I will keep watching the Free Agency tracker and I look soooooo
forward to the draft where I hear with the Vikes pick e choose an Offensive
Lineman.
Thank you
for reading
Purplestick
#VIKESFANFOREVER
