The Vikings have weathered the storm of a tough schedule, and should reap the benefits moving forward
Apologies on the late open thread for today. Please consider it a part of your evening routine with your nightcap rather than your morning coffee.
I don’t usually play the hypotheticals or “what if”-s in my football writing. Frankly, my understanding of the game isn’t up to par with my baseball knowledge, so I try to stay with things that are more factual or opinions I can validate with my own eyes.
But with that said — it’s hard not to be impressed with the teams the Vikings have beaten, right?
Like, we all knew they had a gauntlet to start the season. Those teams are a combined 13-7 (.650) when not facing the Vikings in 2024. That comes out to an 11-6 season when prorated down to a regular season (closer to 10-6 with the old schedule), which is good enough to win just about every division.
Every single team is .500 or better when facing opponents not named after Norsemen.
And consider where each of the Vikings’ opponents are in the current power rankings on NFL.com:
- Giants – 23rd (but rising)
- Texans – 4th (legit powerhouse)
- 49ers – 18th (12th before a loss to the Cardinals)
- Packers – 8th (a little overrated, but whatever)
- Jets – 20th (but down from 15th because of the Vikings)
When you consider that each of these teams is where they are with the consideration of having lost to the Vikings, theoretically you could nudge them up a few spots besides, right? Maybe that’s flawed logic. I don’t know.
But after the Lions in two weeks, the Vikings have Rams (27th in NFL.com’s power rankings), Colts (21st), Jaguars (29th), Titans (26th), Bears (17th) and Cardinals (22nd) on the schedule before a Dec. 8 revenge game with Kirk Cousins at home (they’re 12th, by the way).
We’ve all seen this movie before, and I know Vikings fans as a populace are immune to getting their hopes up — but this is lined up to be a special year. Enjoy the ride.
I’m quickly finding myself moving Matt Fries of Zone Coverage up my power rankings of Vikings writers, and his latest over there does not disappoint.
Brian Flores’ Defense Went From Feasting On Mediocre QBs to Dominating Elite Ones
In this piece, Fries illustrates how the Vikings had a similarly dominant stretch late last season — but it came against some decidedly mediocre quarterbacks. This season, the Vikings have stymied opposing quarterbacks for a passer rating of 70.3 — the second-lowest in the NFL behind the Bears.
But in this instance, they’ve done it against Aaron Rodgers, Brock Purdy, C.J. Stroud, et al, rather than the likes of Aidan O’Connell — who is starting this week for the Raiders, I might add.
Minnesota Vikings News and Links
Over at Minnesota Vikings on SI, Will Ragatz has a look at some players the Vikings could look into trading for as the deadline approaches. As a reminder, we’re just under a month away from the Nov. 5 trade deadline.
Four positions the 5-0 Vikings could address before the NFL trade deadline
Complicating matters for the Vikings is that they’re unlikely to be able to make a ton happen with just a handful of draft choices in the 2025 draft — so they may have to get creative if they attempt to make a deal, like trading a pick for a player and a later pick, etc.
We’ll see what Kwesi is cooking.
Over at Purple Insider, columnist Brian Murphy has a deep dive into how the Vikings got to 5-0 — most notably via an arduous, and at times tenuous game against the Jets in London last weekend.
if I’m honest, it’s a breath of fresh air from Murphy. I’ve worked in his midst before and always appreciated his work, but I have felt, at times, that it skewed a bit sullen.
Then again, he used to cover the crime beat in Detroit — so anything north of that in the vibes department was probably a welcome change.
From the “you know, I don’t see it happening” department, Heavy.com’s Max Dible thinks the Vikings should trade for Panthers running back Miles Sanders — not only as a short-term Aaron Jones replacement but to lead the backfield in subsequent seasons.
Miles Sanders Could Serve as Aaron Jones’ Substitute Now, Replacement in 2025 and Beyond
Sanders has seen his usage chomped into by Chuba Hubbard, and the 27-year-old back is only in the second year of a four-year deal that was reported as over $25 million (cap stuff and all that is always tricky).
And if I’m honest….yeah, I think I hate it. Sanders rushed 129 times for 432 yards last season (3.3 average) and has only rushed 27 times this season for 97 yards — a slight nudge up to 3.6 yards per carry.
If I’m honest, I’m not even sure the Vikings would take a look if the Panthers cut him.
And from the “hey, that’s kinda cool!” department, Sammy Darnold is going to lead the Trojans out of the tunnel when they face Penn State this weekend. Not a bad way to spend your bye week, though I’d love to hear his candid thoughts on his boys losing to the Gophers last week — which dropped them from the AP top 25.
Minnesota Vikings’ Sam Darnold To Lead USC Trojans Out of Tunnel vs. Penn State
Who says you can’t go home?
In the news
- Remember Trevor Siemian? He’s back in the NFL, or at least on a practice squad, after signing with the Titans. Tennessee has some uncertainty at quarterback with Will Levis dealing with a shoulder injury and Mason Rudolph being Mason Rudolph.
- Colts stud wideout Michael Pittman Jr. was added to the injury report with a back issue and did not practice on Wednesday. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, going on injured reserve is an option — which would knock him out for the next four games. That would include when the Colts come to town to take on the Vikings on Nov. 3 — the fourth game in that four-game stretch. Just something to think about.
- Texans wide receiver Nico Collins, who got the Vikings for four receptions and 86 yards in Week 2, has been placed on injured reserve with a hamstring issue.
- Also dealing with a totally real hamstring injury is Davante Adams. The team even said so.
- Ian Rapoport reported — oh boy, that’s a tongue-twister — that Spencer Rattler will start for the Saints with incumbent Derek Carr sidelined with an oblique tear. That’ll add another quarterback to our weekly watch-along.
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