The Minnesota Vikings football team is 4-0 so far this season. This is the first undefeated start to the season since 2016, where the Vikings started 5-0. The Vikings, led by Head Coach Kevin O’Connell and Defensive Coordinator Brian Flores, have already undergone some tough opponents, facing the San Francisco 49ers, the Houston Texans, and their regional rivals, the Green Bay Packers. This record is impressive, with only the Kansas City Chiefs and the Seattle Seahawks as the other undefeated teams in the league. The Vikings, having never won a Super Bowl, have the reputation of tanking later in the season, and it remains an open question of if this team is really as good as they seem.
The Vikings’ offense is being led by quarterback Sam Darnold. Darnold was a first-round draft pick in 2018, and seemed to be a promising NFL quarterback, until he took the field and ended up with a dismal start to his professional career. The Vikings are Darnold’s fourth team in five years and he has mostly served as a backup quarterback. His play this season, however, has been nothing to scoff at. As of week four, Darnold has one of the highest quarterback rankings in the NFL and the most pass touchdowns. He has shown a lack of polish in a few turnovers and missed plays, but overall he is playing like a starting quarterback on a winning team. The offense has also been electrified by Justin Jefferson, who is widely considered one of the best wide receivers in the NFL. Aaron Jones, a former Green Bay running back, was another offseason coup for the Vikings and has been playing well in the first four games. The Vikings’ offensive line has also been strong and healthy, with no players missing a game yet this season. In the Vikings’ week four game against Green Bay, the offense stalled, scoring only three points the whole second half. It remains to be seen if they can continue their solid season, and of course, injuries could always change the picture, with their star tight end TJ Hockenson already on the injury list for the start of the season.
The Vikings’ defense has also had some star-quality moments. The defense has lots of younger stars on the rise including linebacker Dallas Turner, who is a Vikings first round pick from the 2024 NFL draft. The defense has also allowed for a positive turnover margin for the Vikings all four games, meaning they have created more turnovers than the Vikings’ offense is turning over the ball. The Vikings defense stumbled in the second half of the week four Green Bay game, allowing Packers quarterback Jordan Love to pass for three touchdowns in the second half. The Vikings’ soft coverage opened them up for the Packers and 49ers to both create big plays which could turn out to be a problem as the season goes on.
Overall the Vikings are playing like a 4-0 team. This doesn’t mean they will win the Superbowl — in fact, in 2016, after going 5-0, the Vikings failed to even make the playoffs. However, it does seem that, at least at the beginning of the season, this is a team worth keeping your eye on. With a league full of injuries and upsets, you should never count a team out until they prove otherwise.
Alli Hering is a senior social studies education and political science major from Apple Valley, MN. It is common to run into Alli outside or in the cage reading books instead of doing classwork. She also is a avid sports fan and loves trying new sports and activities! In the future, Alli hopes to combine her passion for writing and politics in the education realm.