MINNEAPOLIS — There are only two undefeated teams left after Week 5 of the NFL season: the Minnesota Vikings and the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs.

Both fan bases might be setting their sights on the playoffs already, but how successful are NFL teams that start 5-0? Good Question. 

Here’s why Vikings fans should be both excited and cautious given the team’s history.

Sit back and relax, Vikings fans, for the sweet taste of victory is all you know right now. Fans told WCCO they feel optimistic and good about the team so far. Fans of opposing teams are surprised to see the purple and gold at the top of the NFC North Division.

When asked if it’s fair to start thinking about the post-season, Vikings fan Mike Applequist said, “I’m not quite there yet. I’d say about 3-4 more games and I will be.”

From 1990, when the NFL expanded the playoffs, to the 2023-24 season, 64 teams have started the season 5-0.

The Vikings did it five times during that stretch, in 1998, 2000, 2003, 2009 and 2016.

What percentage of teams that start with a 5-0 record get to the playoffs? Fans guessed between 75-85%. 

Of the 64 teams mentioned, 58 of them made it to the playoffs, or 91%. 

Only six teams missed the playoffs. Unfortunately, two of them were the Vikings. First in 2003 after a heartbreaking loss to the Cardinals in the last game of the season. Their final record that year was 9-7. 

The second time happened in the 2016 season. 

“All of a sudden they went to Philadelphia one day, got beat up, didn’t look like the same team,” said Mike Max, WCCO sports director. The Vikings finished with an 8-8 record that year.

What separates the 2024 team from the two teams that failed to make the playoffs? Max said not much at all. All three teams are winning, and losing, by razor-thin margins and have an equal amount of talent on the roster.

“The last two games, one drive could have cost them the game against Green Bay (Packers) and the (New York) Jets,” he said. If there’s one thing that stands out positively about the current team, Max said it’s the defense. “The defense looks like they can keep you in every game.”

Since 1990, nine teams that started 5-0 have gone on to win the Super Bowl. The last team to do it was the Denver Broncos in 2016.

In 1998, the Vikings started the season with seven straight wins while scoring 29 points or more in each of those games, giving fans Super Bowl aspirations. The team finished the regular season, 15-1 but lost in the NFC Championship. Fans will remember kicker Gary Anderson missing a key field goal that game, especially since he didn’t miss a kick all season.

History would repeat itself a few years later. After a 7-0 start in 2000, the team finished with an 11-5 record and again lost in the NFC Championship. The New York Giants shut them out 41-0.

Quarterback Brett Favre guided the 2009 team to a 6-0 start and a 12-4 record. The team infamously lost after Favre threw an interception in the fourth quarter of the NFC Championship.

ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) – Minnesota’s marijuana marketplace is moving so slowly, a lot of hopeful retailers don’t expect to get to business until 2026.

They’re seeing the timeline move further away as the Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) sorts through its first round of license applications.

High aspirations, low expectations

Dirt covers the ground where Shawn Weber wishes he could be growing marijuana.

He’s a Vikings fan, so he says he lives with high aspirations and low expectations, and that applies to his hopes for cannabis licensing.

“Everybody that is either interested or in the industry, we’re in a hurry up and wait situation,” Weber, who owns Crested River Cannabis in Morgan, Minnesota, told FOX 9.

Legal cannabis longer than expected 

Legislators didn’t expect to wait this long between legalization and licensing when they introduced the bill in January 2023. 

“I think it would be a matter of months not years before you would be able to be in a legal marketplace,” said one of the authors, Rep. Zack Stephenson, (DFL-Coon Rapids).

Nor four months later, when the governor signed the bill.

“That will probably take 12–18 months,” Rep. Stephenson said of propping up the Office of Cannabis Management and preparing for retail licensing – that was now 17 months ago.

What’s taking so long?

Since this August, the Office of Cannabis Management has been reviewing more than 1800 social equity business applications.

What seems to be slowing the process is confirming the applicants are the real owners of the business and not just a face propped up by an out-of-state corporation.

“They’re trying to figure out how they can make sure that these people aren’t getting more than one license and all this stuff,” said Rep. Nolan West, (R-Blaine). “That’s just a waste of time.”

Rep. West supported legalization, but says people can transfer licenses so easily this review is almost meaningless.

Current timeline

“We continue to be on track to hold a lottery before the end of this year and will not sacrifice a thorough review for expediency,” said OCM spokesperson Jim Walker in a statement to FOX 9.

In their best-case scenario, the lottery for pre-approval of the first 282 licenses would happen at the 19-month mark.

Actual licensing can’t happen until general applications are sorted, and a second lottery is held.

OCM interim director Charlene Briner has said it’ll happen by March – 22 months after legalization.

Several applicants are telling FOX 9 they’re skeptical it’ll happen before 2026.

‘Remain patient’

Weber’s still hoping for the best and prepared for the worst.

“They’re doing their due diligence,” he said. “It’s never going to be fast enough for us. But, you know, just remain patient.”

Minnesota is on pace to be the fifth slowest of 23 states to go from legalization to legal sales.

In fact, Ohio legalized it six months after Minnesota and already started retail sales.

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – Another bright and sunny day with comfortable temperatures for your Tuesday. 

Tuesday forecast 

It’s a cool start Tuesday morning with temperatures in the upper 40s across much of the state. In parts of northeastern Minnesota, things are even cooler with temperatures in the 30s and pocket 20s, with some areas experiencing patchy spots of frost. 

Things heat up nicely on Tuesday, reaching the lower 70s across much of the state and the upper 70s in southwestern Minnesota. Northern Minnesota remains slightly cooler, with highs in the 60s. 

The day will be pleasant, with little to no breeze, beautiful sunshine, and the occasional high cloud passing through. Overnight, the sky remains clear and calm as temperatures fall into the 40s across much of the state.

Looking ahead 

The warming trend continues through midweek, with highs nearing 80 degrees in southwestern Minnesota and in the mid-70s for the metro. The heat peaks on Thursday with temperatures in the lower 80s. Typically, the last 80-degree day of the year is at the beginning of October, so enjoy the warmth before cooler weather eventually sets in. 

By Friday, temperatures dip back into the mid-70s and return closer to seasonable for the weekend. The start of the week is looking cooler with highs in the upper 50s expected for Monday.   

Here’s a look at your seven-day forecast: