This is getting boring. You should reread your posts, you are only logical part of the time. You essentially blew off the fact that some of your key playmakers were injured during training camp. Does the name Brett Favre ring a bell? Favre blew off training camp and was COMPLAINING UPFRONT about his ankles being bad BEFORE the season started. Hello McFly? injured 41 yr old starting QB, no minicamps, no preseason, uh, they are not going 16-0.
About the schedule. the NFL actually does plan their schedules. they don't pick games randomly as you think The non-conference games are a combination of rotating divisional play with each team in the division with the balance decided based on how your team fared the previous year. The Vikes did well last season, which is why they ended up with tougher non conference opponents instead of, say, the Cleveland Browns. The experts also noticed that your division plays the NFC east this year, which is among the tougher, more bruising divisions. The Vikes clearly have a tougher schedule this year, yet you dismiss it. That's your folly.(edit I see in your last post you finally acknowledge the tougher schedule but evidently still deny it has any impact)
I'm amazed you're still arguing about Moss. His fate was predictible given his track record. You noted he's HOF caliber whose advice matters. That's not the issue. It's HOW, I repeat, HOW he's criticizing that's the point . He's free to criticize his coaching staff, but NOT IN PUBLIC. In a pro team sport you DO NOT criticize the team or staff PUBLICLY which is exactly what Moss (and TO) have done several times. They both got dumped by most of the teams they played for because of it.Why on earth do you think Minnesota is any different? You asked why Moss lasted in Oakland 2 years? The Raiders wanted to dump him after the first year but he was "injured" much of the time. (Some claim he was unhappy and was not as injured as he claimed) His resulting stats were poor, and given the size of his contract, no other team really wanted him. Belichick eventually got him cheap, and he played well for a while, but his big mouth eventually started flapping when he got unhappy about something. He got released as soon as he went public. You even acknowledged that Belichick runs a tight ship. Well?????
It only took Moss a week in Minnesota to start criticizing in public. Geez Moss was even quoted praising the Pats coaches, when just 3 weeks earlier he was bashing that same staff in public. I wouldn't want an cancerous idiot like that on my team regardless of his talent. Evidently NFL coaches feel the same way.
About Romo vs Favre. Romo is in his prime. He played through off season mini camps and preseason this year, and has been with his team several years. Favre is well past his prime, blew off training camp, and admitted to bad ankles before the season even started. Sure the guy has swagger and a big heart, but the warning signs were there that he was not the same QB as last year. You chose to ignore it and assumed he was the exactly the same. Based on the season thus far, it seems you assumed wrong. Get over it.
Next, why do experts seem to pick teams like the Colts and Chargers every year? Easy. They're consistently good, both have healthy, great QB's in their prime, and they win their divisions often, so the odds of their making the playoffs is good every year. The Eagles get picked more than my Giants because they've been winning the NFC east more often. I'm no Eagle fan but I recognize they have a lot of rising stars, and a good coaching staff.
Ultimately I could care less about my team being a preseason favorite. I'm more interested in them winning the actual games. I still fail to understand why you place such importance on preseason forecasts. Perhaps you can explain.
Why are the Vikings not picked it to win it all this year? Okay lets see. Yes, they did have a good year last season with a good track record, but under a coach you yourself claims sucks and harms the team.(uh, ok). But let's add in whats new this year, including the big problems you have at QB discussed above that you won't admit to, two backup QB's with very limited playing time, other starter injuries, the tougher schedule that you won't acknowledge impacts things, the fact that the rest of your division has improved, including the guys that play on the frozen tundra. Add it all up and it's rather obvious the Vikes faced tougher season this year than last year. Oh and just because you beat a divisional rival twice in one season does mean an automatic division championship. You need to take off your purple colored glasses, buddy. You are biased when it comes to the Vikings.
I honestly don't care about the Vikings or Brett Favre, (well, except on 12/12, when the Giants play them, then I want to see the Vikes lose) I also don't read the daily local chatter about the Vikes, which makes me more unbiased than you are about them. But based on your responses, it might be time for me to begin rooting against them every week....