Minnesota's storybook season has gained even more belief around the holidays.

Good Morning Football host Peter Schrager on Christmas Eve contextualized Minnesota's miraculous first 15 games by nudging viewers to a preseason consensus of what's emerged as the NFL's premier division.

"The Lions were a big favorite," Schrager recalled. "The Packers were a sexy team."

He added with oomph: "Nobody had the Vikings."

Schrager and the entire living, breathing world of prognosticators has realized simultaneously what coaches and leaders in the locker room have echoed since training camp: This group has great potential.

They've proven it in 15 games so far, thanks partly to banding together superb individual seasons.

Sam Darnold ranks top six among quarterbacks in passing yards (3,776), touchdown passes (32), passer rating (105.4) and yards per attempt (8.2). Aaron Jones, Sr., ranks ninth among running backs in yards from scrimmage (1,394); Justin Jefferson owns the second-most receiving yards (1,387) and fourth-most touchdown catches (10). The stars have shined on defense, as well. Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel are 2 of 10 players this season responsible for 10-plus sacks. They also rank in the top six in tackles for losses. Byron Murphy, Jr.'s six interceptions trail only Green Bay's Xavier McKinney and Detroit's Kerby Joseph, and a handful of others – Blake Cashman, Joshua Metellus – are invaluable.

Oh, and don't forget – Greenard (Week 3), Darnold (14) and Van Ginkel (16) have all won NFC Player of the Week honors this season.

OK, rant over. Point being the Vikings are thriving because their stardom is selfless, and deep.

With two regular-season games to play, the Vikings control their destiny, aka, two wins guarantees them the NFC's No. 1 seed, a first-round bye in the playoffs and home-field advantage in the Divisional Round.

Like Schrager expressed, no one – except Minnesota's own – imagined this caliber of success.

Perhaps the most incredulous part of it all is the NFC North is likely to field a 14-win team on the road in Super Wild-Card Weekend: "Their Christmas present is a trip to Atlanta or Tampa Bay," Schrager quipped.

In this snippet of the show posted to X, Schrager also commented on the flooding of questions surrounding Minnesota's quarterback for 2025. Darnold playing at a largely unforeseen elite level has understandably stirred the pot. Schrager invoked Adam Schefter's recent reporting that Darnold's market value as a pending free agent could eclipse $50 million per year. Obviously, the Vikings have a first-round QB in J.J. McCarthy healing from a meniscus injury, studying Darnold's play and waiting in the wings – plus the power to re-sign, or franchise tag Darnold for one year. They're champagne problems right now.

Complete focus is on a home-and-road split against Green Bay and Detroit to wrap its division conquest.

"There are still doubters," Schrager reminded. "This is where they could shut everybody up."

Editor's Note: We respectfully disagree with Schrager's NFC Super Bowl pick. Happy Holidays!

Kevin O'Connell's "Zaestrong" bracelet

Isaiah Masek is fighting a unique opponent.

The 5-year-old boy has undergone surgery, multiple procedures, radiation treatments and trips to and from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester to recover from a large tumor between his cerebellum and brainstem.

Now, as Isaiah battles to become cancer-free, he has the NFL Coach of the Year frontrunner in his corner.

Saint Paul Seminary shared the details of Kevin O'Connell's solace:

An astute observer might have noticed Vikings Head Coach Kevin O'Connell wearing a purple and yellow wristband above his right hand during Minnesota's Monday Night Football victory over the Chicago Bears on Dec. 16. One side of the bracelet features "Isaiah 43:19," which reads "Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert." The other side says "Zaestrong" in honor of 5-year-old brain cancer patient Isaiah Masek.

Isaiah's condition was brought to O'Connell's attention by Father Nels Gjengdahl, who serves as the team's Catholic chaplain and dean of men at The Saint Paul Seminary, and led to an invite to practice.

One day before hosting Chicago on Monday Night Football, the young boy journeyed to Vikings headquarters to watch the team in its final preparations for the prime-time matchup. Afterwards, Isaiah gave O'Connell the bracelet and the Vikings coach promised to wear it in front of a national audience.

"Great to have you at our walk-through today," O'Connell wrote on Isaiah’s CaringBridge site, which has periodical updates. "I support you in your journey and know that you are strong and full of courage."

Isaiah's mother, Krista, a Saint Paul Seminary counselor, shared that O'Connell's support is the latest in a series of moments that's uplifted the Masek family throughout an extraordinarily difficult few months.

The GoFundMe campaign for Isaiah, which states his diagnosis was discovered on a brain MRI after "strange headaches and bouts of persistent vomiting," has nearly doubled its original goal of $15,000.

"I'm honestly overwhelmed with how the community has supported us," Krista conveyed in this article. "So many beautiful tears of empathy. They care in a way I never would've known was possible."