The Minnesota Vikings are coming off an impressive NFC North-winning 11-5 season. Head coach Mike Zimmer has established the team as a perennial top-10 defense, and the offensive line and wide receiver additions this offseason should help quarterback Teddy Bridgewater continue to develop. All in all, things are looking up for the Vikings.
But are they a true contender? Can they compete for a Super Bowl in 2016? Running back Adrian Peterson thinks that not only will they be in the chase for the Lombardi Trophy, but they'll actually win it this season.
"We are going to have a good chance to win it this year - win everything," Peterson said. "Sit back and watch. You can be like, 'I thought you guys were at least a couple of years away.' Nope. You sit back and watch, this year."
After this year's draft, the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook put the odds of the Vikings winning the Super Bowl at 18-1.
Minnesota made it to the post-season last year for the first time in three seasons. Following a 15-game suspension in 2014, Peterson returned to the field to lead the league in rushing (1,485 yards) for the third time in his career. However, despite the accolades, Peterson still views last season as a failure "because I know I can do more. Honest, it was."
To Peterson, winning another rushing title is a "seed that's been planted," but his primary goal is to win a Super Bowl.
"Everything to me is championship, championship and then breaking records," he said. "It's a part of me. I am pushing myself to the max to win a Super Bowl, and then to break Emmitt's [Smith] record and Eric Dickerson's [single-season rushing] record. It is my everyday life, what I think of every day. Mostly it's that Super Bowl. Then the whole world will remember you."
Peterson sits at 11,675 career rushing yards, just 6,681 shy of Smith's career rushing record (18,355). Dickerson set the single-season rushing record with 2,105 for the Los Angeles Rams in 1984. Peterson came up just short in 2012 when he finished with 2,097 yards.
Follow Brandon Katz at @Great_Katzby
