Vikings' defense might have saved their season after an early failure to support the in-flux offense
- - Vikings' defense might have saved their season after an early failure to support the in-flux offense
DAVE CAMPBELLNovember 4, 2025 at 5:16 AM
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1 / 3Vikings Lions FootballDetroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs (0) is tackled by Minnesota Vikings safety Josh Metellus (44) and linebacker Blake Cashman (51) during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
EAGAN, Minn. (AP) — The Minnesota Vikings fully expected to ride the rollercoaster of young quarterback development, with J.J. McCarthy effectively a rookie after the knee injury that kept him out of last season.
That doesn't mean they were fully prepared.
When McCarthy was sidelined by a severely sprained ankle after his second game, they turned to veteran Carson Wentz, who won twice and played admirably through pain but hadn't started a meaningful game in nearly three years before he took over. Injuries along the offensive line exposed a lack of quality depth.
The defense the Vikings invested heavily in the last two offseasons and believed would be a sturdy support for an in-flux offense failed more often than not to produce a winning performance over the first seven games.
The team that general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah said before training camp was built to win any type of game looked lost.
But facing the largest point spread as a betting underdog in four years coach Kevin O'Connell, in a venue they'd lost five straight games in, the Vikings delivered perhaps their most impressive victory under O'Connell by beating the two-time defending division champion Detroit Lions on the road on Sunday.
Defensive coordinator Brian Flores sent constant pressure at Jared Goff as the Vikings racked up five sacks and 11 quarterback hits, both season highs. The performance was just as valuable for team confidence as the conference standings.
“You get down in the dumps, feeling like you ain’t have the right plan and all that, but we just have to trust and believe it,” edge rusher Jonathan Greenard said after the 27-24 victory.
Not only did the Vikings even their record at 4-4 to tighten the NFC North race, but they proved to themselves and the Lions that, yes, they're capable of stopping the team that had become their biggest nemesis after so many decades of consistently beating them.
Over their five-game losing streak to the Lions that was stopped on Sunday, the Vikings allowed 30-plus points in each game and an average of 408 yards from scrimmage. They allowed only 305 yards this time, the fewest by the Lions in the series since Nov. 4, 2018.
The Lions rushed 20 times for 65 yards, after going for 322 yards on 58 attempts on the ground over the two matchups with the Vikings last season. The tone the defense set was underscored for the coaching staff as they reviewed the film of the game Monday.
“There were many many times when you see the first defender arrive," O'Connell said, “and then there's three or four purple hats showing up quickly.”
What's working
Special teams has been the most consistently productive and reliable group for the Vikings, starting with kicker Will Reichard, who made a franchise-record 62-yard field goal in Week 3 and hasn't missed a try closer than 50 yards. Ryan Wright has a career-best average of net yards per punt (44.6). The Vikings have blocked two field goals, their first time with multiple blocks in a season since 2012.
Undrafted rookie Myles Price had a 61-yard kickoff return on Sunday, his latest hint that the Vikings are close to their first kick return touchdown since 2022. Price actually scored on a 99-yard return in the third quarter against the Lions that was erased by a holding penalty.
What needs help
Pass protection problems have been a running theme for the Vikings under O'Connell, and keeping the heat off McCarthy over the balance of the season will be paramount. The Vikings have been sacked or intercepted on 15.2% of their pass attempts, the worst rate in the league.
Stock up
Defensive tackle Jalen Redmond and linebacker Eric Wilson have each earned starter-level playing time after beginning the season in more limited roles. Redmond leads the team with four sacks, and Wilson is next with 3½. They've both been reliable run-stoppers, too, while the Vikings struggled to do so in multiple games over the last two months.
Stock down
Edge rusher Dallas Turner, who was taken seven picks after McCarthy last year, was thrust into a critical role with Pro Bowl pick Andrew Van Ginkel's lingering injury and simply hasn't made a satisfactory impact for a first-round draft pick at this stage of his career.
Injury report
The Vikings are collectively healthier now than they've been all season, with center Ryan Kelly (concussion) the only starter still on injured reserve. His return hasn't been determined, but the 10th-year veteran will begin working out on a side field this week.
“He seems to be in a good place and we want to see the next part of that process begin,” O'Connell said.
Running back Aaron Jones (shoulder) left Sunday after totaling 98 yards on 11 touches, but he avoided a serious injury and is expected to practice this week. Tight end Josh Oliver (foot) and fullback C.J. Ham (hand) were out against Detroit with short-term injuries.
The return of Van Ginkel (neck), who missed five of the first seven games, gave the defense a major boost. Knee trouble for offensive tackles Christian Darrisaw and Brian O'Neill was a significant disruption to the offense over the first two months, but they both played every snap against the Lions for the second time in three games.
Key number
3 — The Vikings have picked off only three passes through eight games after leading the league last season with 24 interceptions, five more than the next-closest team.
Up next
The Vikings have their next two games at home against Baltimore and Chicago, affording McCarthy a relatively comfortable stretch during which to find his footing against opponents ranked in the bottom quarter of the league in most defensive categories.
Momentum would help for games that follow at Green Bay and Seattle. They rank second and third in the NFL, respectively, in fewest yards per play allowed — and fifth and eighth in fewest points per game allowed.
If the Vikings manage this month to stay on the fringe of the cut for the NFC playoffs, they have a favorable opportunity to make up ground to start December with three straight NFC East foes, none of which currently has a winning record. Though rematches with the Lions and Packers will be a tall task, they get both at home to finish the schedule.
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Source: “AOL Sports”
