That’s what I, as a fan of football, had for the Minnesota Vikings going into this season. Living in Wisconsin as a Chicago Bears fan is no easy task, especially since the Green Bay Packers consistently have a Super Bowl caliber team every year. At the beginning of the past few NFL seasons, the NFC North has been trying to catch up to the Packers. During the last couple seasons, the league has seen the reemergence of the Detroit Lions. Quarterback Matthew Stafford and Wide Receiver Calvin Johnson, aka “Megatron,” have taken the league by storm, and have become the new dynamic duo of the NFL. With the Bears making some key additions in the offseason, the NFC North looked like a three team battle between the Bears, Packers and Lions.  No one I knew expected the Vikings to do anything this year, in what was expected to be another rebuilding season.

Week one for the Vikings started against another young team, the Jacksonville Jaguars, who are also looking to rebuild over the coming season. Jacksonville quarterback Blaine Gabbert connected with Cecil Shorts III with 20 seconds left in the game to put the Jaguars up 23-20. It seemed like a dreadful way to start the 2012 season for the Vikings until they drove down the field to position themselves for a 55-yard field goal attempt by rookie Blair Walsh out of Georgia University.  Walsh, reminiscent of former Vikings kicker Ryan Longwell, made the tying kick with ease.  The game headed to overtime, where Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder and running back Adrian Peterson drove the team down for an opening possession field goal. Now a 26-23 game, the Jaguars had a chance to either tie or win the game on their possession, due to the new overtime rules that allow each team a possession if the first score in overtime was a field goal. However, the Jaguars were unable to score on their final possession, giving the Vikings a narrow week one victory.

The 1-0 Vikings headed to Indianapolis to face the new-look Colts in week two.  Rookie quarterback Andrew Luck and

new Colts head coach Chuck Pagano both picked up their first career victories in the Colt’s home opener as Adam Vinatieri made a 53-yard field goal with eight seconds left to win the game 23-20. In both weeks, the Vikings rallied back to either take the lead or at least tie with little time left in the fourth quarter. Christian Ponder looked great both weeks, throwing no interceptions to keep the Vikings in both games. Week three however, looked like it would be a guaranteed loss, against the then number one rated team in the league, the San Francisco 49ers.

The 49ers started out hot, winning both their games with ease. They looked destined to go back to the NFC championship game again this year, only this time, with a legitimate chance to go to the Super Bowl. With all expectations for a 49er’s blow out, I went to the game at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome with other Gusties on the CAB organized trip.  Not only did the Vikings pull off a huge upset, they did so in a dominating fashion. From the start, the team and the crowd took control of the game. As a Bears fan, I was rooting for the 49ers to win so the Bears could be on top of the division. I found myself, however, rooting for the underdog Vikings team. No one but the diehard fans gave them a shot at winning.

Despite an impressive start to the season, a win week four against the Detroit Lions also looked to be a stretch. Percy Harvin started the game out with a bang, returning the opening kickoff for a 105-yard touchdown.  The two teams alternated field goals for a while, until Marcus Sherels returned a punt 77 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter.  The Vikings defense and special teams flourished in a 20-13 win over the much-improved Detroit Lions.

With a 3-1 record, the Vikings headed into week five against the Tennessee Titans with confidence. The Vikes scored 23 unanswered points, until the Titans finally scored late in the fourth quarter. Minnesota won 30-7, outgaining their opponent by over 200 yards, and controlling the ball for 7 minutes longer. While quarterback Christian Ponder threw his first two interceptions of the year, he also threw for two touchdowns and almost 260 yards. After such a dominating performance, the league has started to take notice, and regard the Vikings as a serious threat to steal the NFC North from the heavily favored Green Bay Packers.

The Minnesota Vikings now stare down a five game stretch until their week 11 bye.  With games against the Washington Redskins, Arizona Cardinals, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Seattle Seahawks and the Detroit Lions, all expectations point towards a competitive Vikings team late in the season.  Despite dealing with injuries to defensive end Jared Allen, linebacker Erin Henderson, wide receiver Michael Jenkins and guard Charlie Johnson, the Vikings still have Adrian Peterson leading the number nine rushing attack in the league.  Second year quarterback Christian Ponder looks poised to defeat any notions of a sophomore slump, and make his case to be the long term option at quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings.  Despite not so great expectations, the Vikings continue to prove they can be a threat in the playoff hunt.