Vikings Are Right There for League Lead in Huge Category
The Minnesota Vikings have one of the most balanced teams in the NFL, which is why they are 13-2 in a season they entered without any expectations to be competitive. However, the coaching staff around Kevin O’Connell has been incredible, just like the offseason acquisitions.
Vikings Are Right There for League Lead in Huge Category
Brian Flores was hired in the 2023 offseason to repair a defense that led to numerous frustrating moments that year, including a failed attempt to contain a Daniel Jones-led Giants offense in the 2022 playoffs.
The first campaign with Flores calling the shots was up and down, with struggles early and late in the season, sandwiching an elite stretch in between.
When the season concluded, the Vikings ranked 13th in points allowed with 362, a whopping 82 points more than the league-leading Ravens.
This year, however, Flores’ unit is within reach of the top spot. With two games to go, the Vikings are placed second in the points allowed chart.
- Los Angeles Chargers (274)
- Minnesota Vikings (276)
- Kansas City Chiefs (278)
- Denver Broncos (281)
- Philadelphia Eagles (283)
In the last offseason, the defense underwent a significant overhaul. Pass rushers Danielle Hunter, D.J. Wonnum, and Marcus Davenport departed. In addition to that, Vikings fans had to say goodbye to linebacker Jordan Hicks who had a career revival in the 2023 campaign.
General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah had various holes to fill. And so he did.
He signed Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel to handle the outside linebacker duties. They each have recorded 11 sacks in the first 15 games of the season and are strong Pro Bowl candidates.
On the second level, the Vikings signed linebacker Blake Cashman to replace Hicks and team up with sophomore Ivan Pace. And he has also been a wonderful addition. Minnesota has yet to lose a game with him in the lineup. He has a 12-0 record, and his absence was visible in the two losses against the Rams and the Lions.
Perhaps the biggest problem was the secondary, especially on the outside. In the cornerback room, the Vikings needed two new starters, and they found them by signing Shaq Griffin and Stephon Gilmore. Both are older players but they have done an excellent job next to Byron Murphy.
The Vikings’ defense ranks second in the league in EPA/play, in part because they are prominently featured in the takeaway column.
The team also ranks in the top five in every rushing category despite not having any elite disruptors in the middle of the line.
It has turned into a kind of bend-don’t-break defense, a unit that allows opponents to generate some yards but struggles to get into the endzone.
Flores and crew need to close the two-point gap to the Chargers if they want to have the league lead in points allowed. While the top spot is within reach, the Vikings still face the Packers and Lions, two of the best offenses in the NFL.
The Chargers are the heavy favorites, with games against the Raiders and the Patriots left on the schedule.
Regardless, it has been a fun turnaround for Minnesota’s defense after a few years of struggling. An operation with a great defense can always compete for a title, and the Vikings have already made the first step by clinching a postseason spot.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference helped with this article.
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Janik Eckardt is a football fan who likes numbers and stats. The Vikings became his favorite team despite their quarterback at the time, Christian Ponder. He is a walking soccer encyclopedia, loves watching sitcoms, and prefers Classic rock over other genres. Follow him on Twitter if you like the Vikings: @JanikEckardt