The Bye Is the Perfect Time For Perfect Vikings To Work Out Imperfections
Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images
Fans of the Minnesota Vikings head into the team’s Week 6 bye on Cloud 9, with their favorite team sitting at a perfect 5-0 record. According to ESPN, the Vikings had a 1% chance of being undefeated entering into their bye week, and here they are: joining the Kansas City Chiefs as one of two teams to still be undefeated.
BetMGM‘s preseason over/under for the Vikings was at 6.5 wins. The online sportsbook even noted to bet the under, making the bold prediction of there being a “real possibility” the team could start 0-8. The additions of Sam Darnold and other key free agents to complement a top-heavy, talented roster are making skeptics look foolish, at least for the first third or so of the season.
Despite the odds stacked against them, coaches undoubtedly will sing a tune in “coach-speak” that this was the expectation all along, then highlight there are elements to always improve upon. Normally, this is run-of-the-mill football jargon, but the way head coach Kevin O’Connell and defensive coordinator Brian Flores have operated this season, they are bringing this cliché to life.
There are several reasons why this team has defied the odds en route to a perfect record. And not just a perfect record, a nearly unprecedented run of dominance by NFL standards where they have trailed for only 3:26 – the fifth-best margin since the 1970 merger.
The Vikings have trailed for 3 minutes, 26 seconds this season. Per ESPN Research, that puts them in the highest of company. Only 4 teams since the 1970 merger have trailed for less time in Games 1-5. All went to the Super Bowl, as did the team with the next-best mark. Details: pic.twitter.com/QGoH8vUc9i
— Kevin Seifert (@SeifertESPN) October 7, 2024
Darnold’s renaissance season has been the biggest story in the NFL, as he’s tied for second in touchdown passes with 11. Aaron Jones is bringing toughness and is anchoring a rushing attack that was dormant last season, all while showing off his pass-catching prowess. This is all happening while the offense is getting elite contributions from their core players like Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, Christian Darrisaw, and Brian O’Neill.
But even with the offense ranking sixth in points per game, it is Brian Flores’ defense that has been the backbone of this team in making elite offenses look decisively confused. Even a 20-year future Hall of Fame quarterback like Aaron Rodgers had three interceptions on Sunday, just the sixth time it has happened in his career.
Free agent additions Andrew Van Ginkel, Jonathan Greenard, Blake Cashman, and Stephon Gilmore each have had defining games and moments as they’ve led a unit that is fourth in points allowed (15.2), second in takeaways (13), and first in defensive DVOA (-37.1%), which is an advanced metric that evaluates situational performance. Their defensive DVOA is historic so far this season, and their mark is more than double the LA Chargers who are in second place (-15.9%) for the 2024 season.
The Vikings have held leads of 13 points or more in each game. They have two blowout wins, a 22-point victory against the New York Giants and 27-point margin against the Houston Texans. The season opener was the first time the Vikings have won by more than three scores in nearly five seasons, and already, Minnesota has done it twice this season.
Rookie kicker Will Reichard is perfect on the season (9 FGs, 16 XPM), and was especially clutch last week against the New York Jets, going 3-for-3 on field goals in a game decided by six points. He’s been a revelation for a team with well-documented historical kicking woes.
Perfection in the NFL can be defined by record, but in a highly competitive league that gave birth to the phrase “Any Given Sunday,” it’s beyond difficult to win week after week. The Vikings’ perfect record is impressive, but the team doesn’t come without imperfections.
The massive expectations to succeed and the constant need for adjustments define the NFL. The last two weeks have been a microcosm of that notion, with the Vikings holding big leads, only for their opponents to adjust and outplay Minnesota in the second half, leading to narrow one-score wins.
The biggest reason has been a seasonal trend under the Kevin O’Connell regime to be prone to giveaways. Last season the Vikings finished with the NFL’s second-most turnovers (34). The last two weeks have seen Minnesota turn the ball over five times, including a muffed punt that directly led to a touchdown that gave the Green Bay Packers hope in a 28-0 game in Week 4. This season, the Vikings are tied for first with nine giveaways.
It’s not just the turnovers themselves, but the fact that several of them have come on Vikings’ side of the field, putting the defense in disadvantageous situations. It puts extra strain on the defense, which makes their play even more impressive, as they’ve usually held teams to field goals. However, that dam is going to break if Minnesota keeps continuing to not take care of the ball.
Outside of Reichard, the special teams unit has been dreadful. Critical penalties on punts have given opposing teams extra life have been a theme, especially over these past two weeks. Once again, that leads to over-relying on the defense, even if they’ve continued to answer the call.
Life without Aaron Jones, after his injury against the Jets, provided shades of last season’s running game, which forced the offense to become pass-happy and allowed the defense to hang back in coverage. Luckily, Jones’ hip injury is reported to not be serious, but this could become a concern for the offense if he needs to miss extended time.
The Vikings season has been a surprise for everyone, except for perhaps those within the TCO Performance Center, resulting in a perfect record heading into their bye week. This team feels different, with not just a handful of players stepping up, but by getting contributions up and down the entire roster. It’s a true team effort orchestrated by KOC and Flores. But despite having a zero in the loss column, the team will need to use the bye to look at themselves in the mirror and self-scout the deficiencies that have kept opponents in games. The timing is perfect, and having to clear up these blemishes with an unblemished record is a luxury for a team still hoping to defy the odds and flourish as a Super Bowl contender.
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