The Minnesota Vikings are a team in transition who hired a new head coach in Kevin O’Connell and a new general manager in Kwesi Adofo-Mensah. Vikings fans are ready for a championship as the team has never won a Super Bowl and hasn’t played in the championship game since 1976. NFL Hall of Fame wide receiver Cris Carter spent 12 seasons with the Vikings (1990-2001), and he exclusively told PopCulture.com what the 2022 Vikings need to do to make a run at the Super Bowl.ย
“They did have some success under Mike Zimmer,” Carter exclusively told PopCulture. “And I think right now, if you look at what they’re doing offensively, I mean, because they’ve been able to throw the ball and Dalvin Cook’s one of the best dual running backs that we have. The offensive line’s been a problem. They don’t match up well against Green Bay’s frontline. And they don’t match up well against the Bears’ frontline.”
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Carter went on to explain the other issues the Vikings have heading into this season. “And then from a secondary standpoint, like the Packers have just had their way going against our secondary,” he said. “Unless we get better performances in those two positions, it’s going to be hard to beat Aaron Rodgers in the Pack. And the Bears, they got another Buckeye that’s quarterbacking them. I expect the Bears to have some say in who wins the North also.”
The last two seasons have been a struggle for the Vikings, finishing 7-9 in 2020 and 8-9 in 2021. In 2017, the Vikings reached the NFC Championship game but lost to the Philadelphia Eagles. When the Vikings last reached the Super Bowl in 1976, that was their fourth trip to the Super Bowl in eight seasons. But the team could never get over the hump as they lost every time they made it to the big game.
When Carter played for the Vikings, the team reached the NFC Championship game twice. The first time was in 1998, and Minnesota lost to the Atlanta Falcons in overtime. The second time was in 2000, and Minnesota was blown out by the New York Giants. Despite not playing in the Super Bowl, Carter became a Hall of Fame player in Minnesota as he was selected to the Pro Bowl eight times, the All-Pro Team three times and lead the NFL in receiving touchdowns three times.ย
