The Vikes will go 12 - 4 this season. That's my personal assessment based on my review on the schedule released earlier today (4/15).

Preseason

Week 1 – vs. Seattle – August 8 – Metrodome – KSTP – 7 p.m.

Week 2 – at Baltimore – August 16 – M&T Bank Stadium – KSTP – 6:30 p.m.

Week 3 – vs. Pittsburgh – August 23 – Metrodome – CBS – 7 p.m.

Week 4 – at Dallas – August 28 – Texas Stadium – KSTP – 7 p.m.

Regular Season

Week 1 – at Green Bay (Monday) – September 8 – Lambeau Field – ESPN – 6 p.m.

Week 2 – vs. Indianapolis – September 14 – Metrodome – CBS – 12 p.m.

Week 3 – vs. Carolina – September 21 – Metrodome – FOX – 12 p.m.

Week 4 – at Tennessee – September 28 – LP Field – FOX – 12 p.m.

Week 5 – at New Orleans (Monday) – October 6 – Superdome – ESPN – 7:30 p.m.

Week 6 – vs. Detroit – October 12 – Metrodome – FOX – 12 p.m.

Week 7 – at Chicago – October 19 – Soldier Field – FOX – 12 p.m.

Week 8 – BYE

Week 9 – vs. Houston – November 2 – Metrodome – CBS – 12 p.m.

Week 10 – vs. Green Bay – November 9 – Metrodome – FOX – 12 p.m.

Week 11 – at Tampa Bay – November 16 – Raymond James Stadium – FOX – 12 p.m.

Week 12 – at Jacksonville – November 23 – Jacksonville Municipal Stadium – FOX – 12 p.m.

Week 13 – vs. Chicago – November 30 – Metrodome – NBC – 7:30 p.m.

Week 14 – at Detroit – December 7 – Ford Field – FOX – 12 p.m.

Week 15 – at Arizona – December 14 – University of Phoenix Stadium – FOX – 12 p.m.

Week 16 – vs. Atlanta – December 21 – Metrodome – FOX – 12 p.m.

Week 17 – vs. New York Giants – December 28 – Metrodome – FOX – 12 p.m.

Some of my buddies have already weighed in as well predicting anywhere from 7-9 to 11-5. So, why the rosy glow on my part. Oh, it's just intuition. Nothing more than that. I can tell you this: The season could be viewed as a lost if the Vikes don't at least win the North Division.

Now, that is saying something considering the Vikes have the fifth toughest schedule this coming season.

1 Pittsburgh Steelers 0.598
2 Indianapolis Colts 0.594
3 Jacksonville Jaguars 0.559
4 Baltimore Ravens 0.551
5 Minnesota Vikings 0.551
6 Cincinnati Bengals 0.547
7 Cleveland Browns 0.547
8 Houston Texans 0.547
9 Detroit Lions 0.543
10 Tennessee Titans 0.543
11 Chicago Bears 0.532
12 Green Bay Packers 0.532
13 Dallas Cowboys 0.524
14 Washington Redskins 0.524
15 New York Giants 0.520
16 Philadelphia Eagles 0.520
17 St Louis Rams 0.489
18 San Francisco 49ers 0.485
19 Seattle Seahawks 0.477
20 Tampa Bay Buccaneers 0.469
21 Arizona Cardinals 0.465
22 Carolina Panthers 0.465
23 Miami Dolphins 0.465
24 Atlanta Falcons 0.461
25 New York Jets 0.457
26 Kansas City Chiefs 0.453
27 New Orleans Saints 0.450
28 Buffalo Bills 0.449
29 Denver Broncos 0.446
30 Oakland Raiders 0.438
31 San Diego Chargers 0.422
32 New England Patriots 0.387

I look for the first four games to really hold the key for success during the season. The team certainly will not go 4-0 but there is a chance they could start 0-4, which would then lead to my 12-4 prediction of being completely and utterly without merit. I look for a 2-2 start with loses to Indy and Carolina.

The next four games could then catapult the Vikes into a firm North Division lead where I see them running the table. The crucial test here will be the MNF game against the Saints. Still, 4-0 is not unthinkable.

The remainder of November then finds the Vikes also going 3-1. The back-to-back Florida games could wear on the players.

So the Vikes are 9-3 heading into the last four games of the season. The Super Bowl champs come to the Dome in week 17 and I see the Vikes going 3-1 in this stretch as well. 12-4. Piece of cake, right?

Posted by briankeithmaas@msn.com at April 15, 2008 5:43 PM