Chris Spooner
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Articles by Chris Spooner
Good, Bad, and the Ugly from the Vikings' loss in Week 8
All good things must come to an end. No one expected the 2026 Minnesota Vikings to be undefeated at this point in the season, and certainly didn’t expect them to remain undefeated throughout. They were bound to lose eventually, and that eventually came Sunday against the Detroit Lions. Through the first six games of the season, there was a consistent theme: A lackluster offense being bailed out by a stifling defense.
The good, bad, and ugly from Vikings' Week 5 win
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The Good, Bad, and Ugly from Vikings' Week 5 win
The train keeps a-rolling. It hasn't always been pretty, but the Vikings keep finding ways to win. It certainly wasn't always pretty on Sunday against the Saints. But true to form, the Vikings found a way to win. Whether you want to credit that to the Vikings finally waking up on offense, or the defense and special teams unit helping out with turnovers, a win is a win. It was a true team effort, and it puts the Vikings in a great position going into the bye week.
The Good, Bad, and Ugly from Vikings' Week 4 win over the Dolphins
A win is a win. It doesn't matter how pretty or ugly the win is, the record book doesn't have a "style points" column. That seems to be the philosophy the 2026 Minnesota Vikings are embracing after yet another ugly win, this time against the Miami Dolphins. On paper, this game should have been a "get right" game for the Vikings — and in some ways it may have been —, but as anyone who has watched this game knows, that's why they aren't played on paper.
The Good, Bad, and Ugly from Vikings' Week 4 win over the Dolphins
A win is a win. It doesn't matter how pretty or ugly the win is, the record book doesn't have a "style points" column. That seems to be the philosophy the 2026 Minnesota Vikings are embracing after yet another ugly win, this time against the Miami Dolphins. On paper, this game should have been a “get right” game for the Vikings — and in some ways it may have been —, but as anyone who has watched this game knows, that’s why they aren’t played on paper.
The Good, Bad, and Ugly from Vikings' Week 4 win over the Dolphins
A win is a win. It doesn't matter how pretty or ugly the win is, the record book doesn't have a "style points" column. That seems to be the philosophy the 2026 Minnesota Vikings are embracing after yet another ugly win, this time against the Miami Dolphins. On paper, this game should have been a “get right” game for the Vikings — and in some ways it may have been —, but as anyone who has watched this game knows, that’s why they aren’t played on paper.
The Good, Bad, and Ugly After Vikings' Week 3 Win over the Bucs
Three weeks, three ugly performances, but three wins. That's the bottom line for the Vikings after another ugly win. It wasn't pretty, especially on offense, but the Vikings walked away from their Week 3 matchup against the Bucs with a hard-fought 23-16 win. If you're an optimistic Vikings fan, you're hanging your hat on the record, the performance of the defense, and the Vikings' resilience.
The Good, Bad, and Ugly After Vikings' Week 3 Win over the Bucs
Three weeks, three ugly performances, but three wins. That's the bottom line for the Vikings after another ugly win. It wasn't pretty, especially on offense, but the Vikings walked away from their Week 3 matchup against the Bucs with a hard-fought 23-16 win. If you're an optimistic Vikings fan, you're hanging your hat on the record, the performance of the defense, and the Vikings' resilience.
The good, bad, and ugly after Vikings Week 1 win over the Packers
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The Good, Bad, and Ugly after Vikings Week 1 win over the Packers
Week 1 of the 2026 NFL season couldn't have had a more auspicious start for the Minnesota Vikings. Questions already loomed over the offense coming into the season, with a new starting quarterback for the fourth straight season. Things almost immediately went from bad to worse for Minnesota, as new starting quarterback Kyler Murray was knocked out of the game early in the first quarter with a concussion.
The Good, Bad, and Ugly after Vikings Week 1 win over the Packers
Week 1 of the 2026 NFL season couldn't have had a more auspicious start for the Minnesota Vikings. Questions already loomed over the offense coming into the season, with a new starting quarterback for the fourth straight season. Things almost immediately went from bad to worse for Minnesota, as new starting quarterback Kyler Murray was knocked out of the game early in the first quarter with a concussion.
Vikings player named among teams who could use a 'reboot'
Entering year three with barely anything to show for it, seeing J.J. McCarthy land near the top of a list of quarterbacks in need of a “developmental reset” isn’t terribly surprising. If anything, it tracks with how his first two NFL seasons have unfolded. The conversation around McCarthy has already shifted away from long-term upside and toward more immediate questions about readiness and trajectory. The Vikings no longer have the luxury of patience anymore.
Where does Bleacher Report rank the Vikings young core?
For better or worse, the NFL is largely a young man’s game. Teams are propped up by – or doomed to collapse – the strength of their young cores. Bleacher Report analyst Kristopher Knox recently ranked each of the 32 teams by their core group of young players following the 2026 NFL Draft. Minnesota comes in near the bottom of those rankings, a ranking that, on the surface, feels a bit unfair for a team that has arguably the best wide receiver in the league with Justin Jefferson.
Analyst projects a bounce-back year for the Vikings in 2026
The 2026 NFL schedule has dropped, which means it’s time for endless discussion and debate. Who has the toughest schedule? Who got a cupcake? Who’s going to take home the division crown? Everyone has their opinions, and Bleacher Report’s Moe Moton has thrown his hat in the ring, doling out opinions on each of the 32 teams. For the Vikings’ part, Moton has them finishing 12-5 and winning the division. It’s tough – but not impossible – to see how that conclusion makes sense.
Which Vikings player is considered the most overpaid?
Recently, the team over at Bleacher Report identified one “overpaid” player for each NFL team following 2026 free agency. Despite a number of decent choices at their disposal, their choice for the Minnesota Vikings should surprise no one – tight end T.J. Hockenson. Hockenson was chosen over several other high-priced players on the roster, including Justin Jefferson and Jonathan Greenard.
Studs and Duds from the Vikings’ Week 18 Win Over the Packers
Mercifully, the 2025 season is over. The Minnesota Vikings closed out a disappointing year with a 16–3 victory over the Green Bay Packers, finishing the season at 9–8. On paper, that’s a winning record and a win over a division rival. In reality, it’s the end of a season that never quite lived up to expectations and now gives way to a long list of offseason questions — perhaps none bigger than the questions with J.J. McCarthy and the future of the quarterback position.
J.J. McCarthy injury vs. Packers: An update on the Vikings QB
Stop me if you've heard this one before: The Minnesota Vikings are without their starting quarterback for the remainder of the game. While J.J. McCarthy has officially been listed as questionable to return to the season finale against the Green Bay Packers, there's no reason for the young quarterback to return to the game.
Studs and Duds from the Minnesota Vikings’ Week 16 win over the Giants
When is a win not a win? The Vikings’ 16–13 victory over the New York Giants will go into the standings as just that, but it’s hard to imagine anyone walking away from Sunday feeling particularly good about it. Minnesota lost its starting quarterback — again. They lost their starting center — again. Both running backs went down in the first quarter, with only Aaron Jones managing to return.
J.J. McCarthy injury vs. New York Giants: Latest news on Vikings QB
The hits just keep coming for the Minnesota Vikings in their Week 16 matchup against the New York Giants. Both running backs, Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason, were injured early in the first quarter. Jones was able to return to the game, but Mason was ruled out with an ankle injury. The Vikings also lost their starting center, Ryan Kelly, to another concussion and will not return.
Jordan Mason injury vs. New York Giants: Latest News on Vikings' RB
The story of the game early in the Vikings' Week 16 matchup against the New York Giants has been injuries. The Vikings have been bit early and often, with the brunt of the injuries affecting the running backs and their ability to have an effective run game. Both running backs, Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason, suffered ankle injuries in the first quarter, with Mason seemingly taking the worst injury of the two.
Studs and Duds from Vikings' Week 14 Win vs. Washington Commanders
If last week was the low point of the season, Sunday was the swing back in the other direction. The Minnesota Vikings followed up their first shutout loss since 2007 by delivering a shutout of their own, a 31–0 win over the Washington Commanders, who hadn’t been blanked since 2019. It’s the first time an NFL team has been shut out one week and then pitched a shutout the next since 1992. For maybe the first time all year, the Vikings played a complete football game.
Studs and Duds from Minnesota Vikings' Week 13 Loss to the Seahawks
The Minnesota Vikings didn’t just lose on Sunday; they got embarrassed. A 26-0 shutout at the hands of the Seattle Seahawks marks the franchise’s first scoreless outing since 2007 against the Packers. It also extends the team’s scoreless streak to six straight quarters and pushes the turnover tally to eight giveaways in that span.
Center Ryan Kellly injury vs. Seahawks: Latest news on Vikings' Center
Things just keep going from bad to worse for the Minnesota Vikings. First, they came into Sunday's game against the Seattle Seahawks, missing their starting quarterback, J.J. McCarthy, and relying on an undrafted rookie backup, Max Brosmer. That experiment has failed spectacularly, as Brosmer has struggled even more than McCarthy has this season -- and that's saying something.
Studs and Duds from Vikings Week 12 loss vs. Green Bay Packers
The Vikings walked into Lambeau Field on Sunday as a team that was reeling and in danger of spiraling. They had just lost to the Chicago Bears, marking their fourth loss in five games. That lone win, however, came against the Detroit Lions, so there was some hope the Vikings could turn it around against another division rival and maybe salvage something from what is quickly becoming a lost season. That, however, would not be the case.
Studs and Duds from Minnesota Vikings' Week 10 Loss to the Baltimore Ravens Original
In the words of Tyler Connolly from Theory of a Deadman, "It's like one step forward and two steps back". The Minnesota Vikings took a step forward last week with their win against the Detroit Lions. They looked like a team that had finally figured some things out after struggling through a majority of the season.
Jonathan Greenard Injury vs. Ravens: Latest news on Vikings linebackers and edge rusher Original
Stop me if you've heard this one before: it has been an ugly game for the Minnesota Vikings. Their tilt against the Baltimore Ravens has been tough to watch, yet the Vikings are still hanging in there, only down by nine late in the third quarter. As has been the case for a lot of the Vikings' games this season -- and for several years -- it's the defense that has kept the Vikings within striking distance while the offense struggles.
Studs and Duds from Vikings' 27-24 Victory over Detroit Lions in Week 9
The Vikings came into Ford Field for their Week 9 battle against the Detroit Lions at a crossroads in their season. They were coming off two straight losses and four of the first seven, with another loss all but tanking their season. They had just lost one quarterback for the season and got another one back. One who had started just two games in his career and had had the majority of his young career stolen from him due to injury.
Aaron Jones injury update vs. Lions: Latest News on Vikings RB
Going into Detroit has been somewhat of a nightmare for the Minnesota Vikings in recent memory, but Sunday's game is turning out to be a hard-fought, very winnable game for the Vikings. Second-year quarterback J.J. McCarthy, making just the third start of his young career, has made some high-quality throws and has thrown multiple touchdown passes to keep the Vikings ahead going into the fourth quarter.
Studs and Duds after the Minnessote Vikings Week 7 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles
In stark contrast to the team of last season, after seven weeks and six games of the 2025 NFL season, this year's version of the Minnesota Vikings has yet to put together back-to-back wins. After a win two weeks ago against the Cleveland Browns and their Bye Week last week, the Vikings came into Sunday's game against the defending Super Bowl Champions looking to get their first win streak of the season, and make a statement in the process.
Studs and duds from the Minnesota Vikings Week 2 loss to the Falcons Original
Things went from bad to ugly for the Minnesota Vikings in the second game of the J.J. McCarthy era. McCarthy and the Vikings offense struggled mightily in the first three quarters of last week’s Monday Night Football debut against the Chicago Bears. But at least they were able to get into a rhythm in the final quarter and pull off an unlikely comeback. There was no such luck for the Vikings in game two of McCarthy’s first season at the helm.
Minnesota Vikings' Aaron Jones ruled out for remainder of game against Falcons Original
A bad game has just gotten worse for the Minnesota Vikings. New starting quarterback J.J. McCarthy has struggled mightily yet again, seemingly unable to find a rhythm against the Atlanta Falcons under the bright lights of Sunday Night Football. His offensive line isn't doing him any favors, as the Falcons have been relentless with their pressure on the young quarterback. The Vikings also aren't giving their young quarterback any help in the form of a running game.
Ryan Kelly injury update: Latest news on Vikings Center Original
Another week, and another slow start for the Minnesota Vikings. J.J. McCarthy and the offense struggled early in his NFL debut last week on Monday Night Football against the Chicago Bears. This week on Sunday Night Football against the Atlanta Falcons, it's been much the same story. And, much like the Week 1 game, injuries are also playing a factor.
Studs and duds from the Minnesota Vikings Week 1 win over the Bears
It wasn't always pretty -- in fact, it was downright ugly and hard to watch at times -- but Kevin O'Connell and the Minnesota Vikings have started the J.J. McCarthy era in Minnesota 1-0 after a comeback victory against the Chicago Bears on Monday Night Football. Minnesota started the game looking as poorly as possible on offense. McCarthy looked every bit like a quarterback making his first career start, and the Vikings' offense wasn't doing him any favors with an inept running game.
Blake Cashman injury update: Latest news on Minnesota Vikings LB
It's the first week of the NFL season, and the Minnesota Vikings and their fans are probably wishing for a mulligan. The offense has looked terrible in quarterback J.J. McCarthy's first start -- though it's not all the young quarterback's fault. Nothing has gone right for the Vikings offensively, and the defense has been struggling to pick up the slack. They've gotten good pressure on Chicago Bears' second-year quarterback Caleb Williams, but have been unable to get home.
What can we learn from social media to improve SaaS onboarding?
As much as we hate to admit it, social media has managed to hook most of us in pretty well. We can get stuck in a loop on Instagram, TikTok, X, and even LinkedIn is trying its best to vie for our attention. Imagine achieving this level of engagement when onboarding someone to your SaaS tool? Unlikely, maybe unethical, but worth exploring. Firstly, let's clarify what social media does so effectively that keeps you engaged.
Vikings' Jordan Mason earns top billing in unique fantasy football category
We've turned the calendar to August, which means that football season is right around the corner. The pre-season has technically already kicked off, but the main event is still a few weeks away. What is on a lot of football fans' minds right now is their fantasy team and how they can out-maneuver their league mates to take home that ever-elusive Fantasy Football Championship.
Veteran Minnesota Vikings CB facing a pivotal preseason ahead of 2025 campaign
The Minnesota Vikings are heading into the 2025 season with a very different team than the one that took the field in 2024 and almost came home with the NFC North crown. Gone is surprise star quarterback Sam Darnold. Gone are several key pieces on defense. In their place are a couple of second-year players whom a ton of eyes will be on this season.
Which contract is the most critical for the Minnesota Vikings in 2025?
The salary cap in the NFL is something that every team has to contend with eventually. Some teams are better at kicking the can down the road than others, but inevitably, the payment comes due. The Minnesota Vikings had some of those payments come due this offseason, and were left with some tough choices to make. Those choices will lead to the Vikings fielding a very different team -- especially in the defensive secondary -- from the one they fielded in 2024.
The numbers back up Vikings' Jonathan Greenard as an elite pass rusher
The Minnesota Vikings have a long and storied history of dominant pass rushers. It started with the Purple People Eaters defense of the 60s and 70s, featuring future Hall of Famers Carl Eller and Alan Page along with dominant force Jim Marshall. The 80s and 90s featured the likes of Chris Doleman and John Randle, also Hall of Famers. Then we reach the 2000s and beyond, with yet another Hall of Famer in Jared Allen, along with names like Danielle Hunter and Everson Griffen.
Which contract is the most critical for the Minnesota Vikings in 2025?
The salary cap in the NFL is something that every team has to contend with eventually. Some teams are better at kicking the can down the road than others, but inevitably, the payment comes due. The Minnesota Vikings had some of those payments come due this offseason, and were left with some tough choices to make. Those choices will lead to the Vikings fielding a very different team -- especially in the defensive secondary -- from the one they fielded in 2024.
Minnesota Vikings' Javon Hargrave does not like practicing against Jordan Mason
The rushing attack — or rather lack thereof—has been a pain point for the Minnesota Vikings for the past two seasons. Two years ago, the Vikings finished with just over 1500 yards rushing as a team, fourth worst in the NFL. To make matters worse, the team combined for just seven rushing touchdowns on the season, tied for last in the league with the Carolina Panthers and New York Jets.
Minnesota Vikings earn high honor from ESPN in latest rankings ahead of 2025
2024 was a year of promise, but also uncertainty for the Minnesota Vikings. They came into the offseason believing they would have a rookie quarterback manning the offense. One that had a plethora of playmakers to make the rookie feel comfortable, but one that hinged on the success of a player who had never taken a snap in the NFL before. Ultimately, that didn't happen, leading to even more uncertainty.
Minnesota Vikings earn high honor from ESPN in latest rankings ahead of 2025
2024 was a year of promise, but also uncertainty for the Minnesota Vikings. They came into the offseason believing they would have a rookie quarterback manning the offense. One that had a plethora of playmakers to make the rookie feel comfortable, but one that hinged on the success of a player who had never taken a snap in the NFL before. Ultimately, that didn't happen, leading to even more uncertainty.
Minnesota Vikings Hall of Famer seen as top draft value this millennium
If you're going to build a winning team in the NFL, it's important to draft well. Hitting on your high-end draft picks is great, but if you're going to have sustained success, you need to be able to find the hidden gems in the NFL Draft. The players who -- whether it was because of poor athletic testing, curiously low college production, or going to a small school -- slip through the cracks but become major contributors.
Former Minnesota Vikings CB remains unsigned but optimistic for 2025
With the start of the NFL season just around the corner, one name familiar to Minnesota Vikings fans remains unsigned, yet remains hopeful to land in "the right situation" for the upcoming season. Last season, former Pro Bowl cornerback Stephon Gilmore suited up for the purple and gold and performed admirably, though maybe not up to the standard he's set for himself during his illustrious career.
Minnesota Vikings Hall of Famer seen as top draft value this millennium
If you're going to build a winning team in the NFL, it's important to draft well. Hitting on your high-end draft picks is great, but if you're going to have sustained success, you need to be able to find the hidden gems in the NFL Draft. The players who -- whether it was because of poor athletic testing, curiously low college production, or going to a small school -- slip through the cracks but become major contributors.
Former Minnesota Vikings CB remains unsigned but optimistic for 2025
With the start of the NFL season just around the corner, one name familiar to Minnesota Vikings fans remains unsigned, yet remains hopeful to land in "the right situation" for the upcoming season. Last season, former Pro Bowl cornerback Stephon Gilmore suited up for the purple and gold and performed admirably, though maybe not up to the standard he's set for himself during his illustrious career.
Report: Anonymous NFL executive critical of J.J. McCarthy and Vikings
'Better late than never, ' as the saying goes. The Minnesota Vikings took former Michigan Wolverines quarterback J.J. McCarthy in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft to be the heir-apparent to former starting quarterback Kirk Cousins. However, that plan quickly went out the window when McCarthy suffered a knee injury in pre-season and was put on the shelf for the entirety of his rookie season.
Adam Thielen ready for whatever comes next in his career as it closes Original
When the 2025 NFL season kicks off, it will mark the third season since Adam Thielen has donned the purple and gold of the Minnesota Vikings. Thielen started his career with the Vikings and quickly made a name for himself, going from an undrafted free agent to a fan favorite and promptly becoming the team's top option prior to the addition of star Justin Jefferson.
The 2025 NFL Draft has come and gone, and the Minnesota Vikings did a lot to improve their roster during the three-day event. The biggest addition comes from their first-round pick, former Ohio State offensive lineman Donovan Jackson. Jackson figures to come in and compete for a starting spot from Day 1 -- if he's not penciled in as a starter already. Minnesota desperately needed to beef up in the trenches on both sides of the ball, but particularly along the offensive line.
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