Here’s the good news, Minnesota Vikings fans. In his latest 2024 projections, ESPN analytics expert Mike Clay expects Sam Darnold to lead your team to a season-opening road win Sept. 8 over the New York Giants.
The bad news? Let’s just say you may want to start watching Colorado’s Travis Hunter on Saturdays this fall. Clay favors the Vikings in just two games this season, next Sunday and Week 13 at U.S. Bank Stadium against Arizona. With Darnold passing for 3,126 yards and Justin Jefferson surpassing 1,000 receiving yards, Clay’s computer models see the Vikings winning 6.5 games in 2024.
Obviously, no one can predict the future, as Chris Berman has shared on many occasions. In last year’s projections, Clay saw C.J. Stroud and the 10-7 Houston Texans – who won the AFC South – finishing third with only 6.5 wins. He also predicted Bryce Young and the Carolina Panthers winning 7.1 games (they won two), and the Vikings would be the last team in the NFC playoffs.
But in fairness, he also accurately predicted eight of the 14 playoff teams, including the Detroit Lions and Cleveland Browns.