Locked & Loaded, the Vikings are Scampering Toward Relevance with Reinforcements in Tow
K. Joudry
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At long last, the Vikings are going to have an offensive line that’s at full health.
The injury update from the Minnesota Vikings indicates that starting center Garrett Bradbury is ready to roll. Minnesota thus gets the chance to head into their daunting Chiefs matchup with a fully healthy fivesome at OL. The team will need all the help they can get when it comes to slowing Chris Jones and a KC defense that’s allowing just 15 points per game.
More concerning, the Vikings have four players who aren’t a sure thing. EDGE Marcus Davenport, QB Nick Mullens, LB Brian Asamoah, and S Lewis Cine are going into the game with “Questionable” attached to their name, per the team.
The Vikings Are Heading Toward a Healthy Week 5 Contest
Adding to the team’s reinforcements is Hakeem Adeniji, a backup OT who has been elevated to the active roster. In combination with Bradbury, Adeniji represents the team’s ongoing desire to have the offensive line shift from a weakness to a strength.
Ideally, the big men up front make a habit of clearing large running lanes for Alexander Mattison and Cam Akers. The RB tandem had an excellent day in the Week 4 triumph over the Panthers; they’ll need to be even better to topple Kansas City.
The issue is one that’s been discussed on PurplePTSD. The Vikings will lose if shutting down Patrick Mahomes comes down to just a handful of players. He’s at such a high level that the best way to overcome him is to lean on a fully unified effort. Offensively, there needs to be long, methodical drives that chew up the clock. The Chiefs’ QB1 can’t be tossing touchdown passes if he’s sitting on the bench.
Consistently getting first downs is a surefire way of neutralizing Mahomes since it involves him holding a tablet rather than a football. Winning the time of possession battle is a near must to win the game.
Take a look at how the team has done in this regard following four games:
| Week 1 | Bucs — 30:39 | Vikings — 29:21 |
| Week 2 | Eagles — 39:28 | Vikings — 20:32 |
| Week 3 | Chargers — 26:47 | Vikings — 33:13 |
| Week 4 | Panthers — 38:29 | Vikings — 21:31 |
A locked and loaded offensive line is a positive development for Kevin O’Connell, Kirk Cousins, and the rest of the Vikings’ offense. An unpredictable, balanced offense is part of what’s needed to come away with the win on Sunday.
Meanwhile, the defense is getting some mixed news.
The Danielle Hunter/Marcus Davenport experience is a positive one, at least so far. Much remains to be proved when it comes to the Vikings’ pass rush, but most are feeling encouraged by what they saw against the Panthers.
Davenport, at least per his head coach, is a disruptive presence. His ability to create havoc opens things up for other defenders to find success. Unsurprisingly, D.J. Wonnum and Patrick Jones had their best games of 2023 with Davenport on the field. Getting him in shoulder pads and with a full serving of snaps would make a world of difference for Flores & Friends.
Quite possibly, Asamoah could have a role on Sunday. The speedy linebacker could be an option to take some snaps covering Travis Kelce or maybe even as a QB spy. Having him available would be just another weapon for Flores to work with as Minnesota pushes for the upset win.
The game will take place at U.S. Bank Stadium and will begin at 3:25 CDT. A win would push Minnesota’s record up to 2-3, meaning a Week 6 Bears contest would have the potential for the Vikings to get up to .500.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference helped with this piece.
K. Joudry is the Senior Editor for Vikings Territory and PurplePTSD. He has been covering the Vikings full time since the summer of 2021. He can be found on Twitter and as a co-host for Notes from the North, a humble Vikings podcast.