National Football League

5 signs the Minnesota Vikings are for real

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

foxsports

The Minnesota Vikings look like the team to beat in the NFC following an impressive 3-0 start to the season.

Following the team’s first NFC North title since 2009 and subsequent narrow loss to the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC Wild Card Game, the Minnesota Vikings entered 2016 with high expectations.

All of the pieces were there for the Vikings to retain the division title over the Green Bay Packers and make a much deeper run in the postseason, as the roster had very few weaknesses on paper. Those hopes appeared to be shattered when staring quarterback Teddy Bridgewater suffered a devastating season-ending knee injury less than two weeks before the start of the regular season.

Initially, that left the Vikings with veteran journeyman Shaun Hill under center. Minnesota then traded a first and fourth round pick to the Philadelphia Eagles for Sam Bradford, a move widely panned by national analysts.

However, the Vikings have defied all expectations with a 3-0 start against a tough schedule. A road win against the Tennessee Titans didn’t come as a huge shock even with Hill under center, but few expected Bradford to play well in back-to-back victories against the Packers and Carolina Panthers.

With a defense playing at an elite level, and excellent head coach, and enough pieces on offense to win, the Vikings should be considered the team to beat in the NFC.

5. They have already beaten two major NFC contenders

There’s a ton of parity in the NFC early in the season, making Minnesota’s perfect start all the more impressive. The only 3-0 teams in the conference are the Vikings and Eagles, which nobody could have predicted earlier in the season.

Only a few teams in the NFC have a realistic shot at winning the Super Bowl, and Minnesota has already beaten two of them. The Vikings showed they can stop Aaron Rodgers in a 17-14 win over the Packers in Week 2 to open their new stadium.

Last Sunday was even more impressive, as the Vikings went on the road and completely shut down the reigning NFC champion Panthers in a 22-10 victory. If Minnesota can beat those two teams while dealing with injuries all over the place, there’s no reason it can’t emerge as the conference champion further down the line.

The only other Super Bowl contenders in the NFC are the Seattle Seahawks, who have to be worried about the health of Russell Wilson, and the Arizona Cardinals, who haven’t looked right in a 1-2 start. Back-to-back wins against such tough competition has put the Vikings in early control of the NFC race.

Sep 1, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Stefon Diggs (14) warms up before the game against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports

4. The offense has some intriguing weapons, even without Adrian Peterson

The early-season rash of Vikings injuries has impacted primarily the offensive side of the ball. Along with Bridgewater, the Vikings lost Adrian Peterson for an extended period of time with a knee injury and also placed top offensive lineman Matt Kalil on injured reserve last week.

That’s a lot for any team to deal with, but the Vikings’ offense has done enough through three weeks to support the defense. Minnesota’s offense is functioning more efficiently without Peterson, and the roster has some interesting options for Bradford to work with.

Check out these other NFL posts from FanSided:

Ranking 32 NFL coaches by who you’d want a beer with
Top 15 NFL Draft busts of all-time
25 NCAA players destined to appear on a future Madden cover

One of the most important players for the Vikings over the rest of the season will be second-year wide receiver Stefon Diggs. A fifth-round pick out of Maryland, Diggs is one of the most explosive athletes in the NFL, and a guy who can generate a big play anytime he touches the ball.

Diggs’ early season form should thrill the Vikings, as he has 20 catches for 325 yards and a touchdown already. With Diggs occupying the attention of opposing defenses, other Vikings receiving options like Kyle Rudolph and Adam Thielen should benefit.

The Vikings don’t have a running back as good as Peterson on the roster, but they also look a little more creative without him. Athletic third-year back Jerick McKinnon has some intriguing upside, particularly if Minnesota can involve him a little more in the passing game.

One more name to keep an eye on is 23rd overall pick Laquon Treadwell, who racked up 1,153 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns in his senior season at Ole Miss, but is yet to play much. The Vikings don’t need much from their offense this year, and they have the pieces to at least generate a few splash plays per game.

Sep 25, 2016; Charlotte, NC, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Bradford (8) passes the ball as Carolina Panthers outside linebacker Thomas Davis (58) pressures in the second quarter at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

3. Sam Bradford is doing enough to lead a playoff run

After a pair of uninspiring stints with the St. Louis Rams and Eagles to begin his career, it appears Bradford may have finally found a home in Minnesota.

Bradford only needed one week with the Vikings to take over the starting quarterback job from Hill, and has done much better than the team could have possibly expected. Despite barely knowing the offense, Bradford completing 22 of 31 passes for 286 yards and two touchdowns against the Packers in one of the best games of his career.

Minnesota didn’t ask Bradford to do too much the next week against Carolina’s tough defense, but he was efficient enough, completing 18 of 28 passes for 171 yards and a touchdown. Overall, Bradford has a quarterback rating of 107.8 through two weeks, much higher than his career mark of 81.6.

Going back to the last few games of 2015, Bradford is in the best form of his career. Neither the Rams or Eagles had the best surrounding talent or coaching situations while he was there, so it’s entirely possible the Vikings can unlock whatever upside Bradford has left.

Bradford has taken a ton of hits in his first two weeks under center for the Vikings which is a big concern, but Minnesota was somewhat able to neutralize that by using short, quick throws in the second half against Carolina. The Vikings won’t ask Bradford to do too much, as even average quarterback play could be enough to win with this roster.

Sep 18, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer against the Green Bay Packers at U.S. Bank Stadium. The Vikings defeated the Packers 17-14. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

2. They have one of the best coaching staffs in the game

If Zimmer hadn’t already proven his coaching ability by rebuilding the Vikings in his first two years, the 3-0 start in 2016 only confirms that he’s one of the top head coaches in the entire NFL.

A longtime assistant in both the college and professional ranks, Zimmer got his first chance at an NFL job with the Dallas Cowboys as a defensive backs coach in 1994 and went on to win a ring in Super Bowl XXX. Dallas hired Zimmer as defensive coordinator from 2000-2006, and he later held the same post in Atlanta and Cincinnati.

The stint with the Bengals is what really helped Zimmer break into the head coaching ranks, as he was named the 2009 Assistant Coach of the Year and led defenses that were consistently ranked in the top 10 across all categories. That defensive acumen has shown in Minnesota so far, as the Vikings have gone from the 32nd ranked scoring defense in 2013 to perhaps the best unit in the NFL during Zimmer’s tenure.

Besides creating one of the best defensive schemes in the NFL, Zimmer’s old-school motivation style appears to be working well in the Minnesota locker room. If it weren’t for Bill Belichick, Zimmer would be running away with the Coach of the Year voting in just his third season.

While the Vikings are winning because of their defense, offensive coordinator Norv Turner deserves plenty of credit. Turner may have a less than stellar record as a head coach, but he’s proven himself as one of the top coordinators in the game, and did a great job to get Bradford ready in such a short amount of time.

Sep 18, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings linebacker Anthony Barr (55) against the Green Bay Packers at U.S. Bank Stadium. The Vikings defeated the Packers 17-14. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

1. An ultra-talented young defense is hitting its prime

Over the past five years, including just before Zimmer took over, the Vikings have been stacking the defensive side of the ball with high draft picks. That’s paying off for the team, as Minnesota has moved from the 32nd to 11th to fifth ranked defense over the past three years, and is only getting better.

Zimmer’s first draft pick with the Vikings was UCLA linebacker Anthony Barr at No. 8 overall in 2014. Barr has been the centerpiece of the turnaround, as he’s quickly developed into one of the best linebackers in the NFL.

The 2015 draft is what is turning the Vikings defense from great to completely dominant. Cornerback Trae Waynes was terrific against Carolina, linebacker Eric Kendricks looks like a nice complement to Barr, and defensive end Danielle Hunter established himself as a pass rushing force as a rookie.

Minnesota has been tough against Rodgers since Zimmer came aboard, and the Green Bay star had a poor game in Week 2 while being sacked five times. The Vikings turned right around and sacked reigning MVP Cam Newton eight times, tying a career high. Overall, Minnesota has allowed 4.4 yards per play, forced nine turnovers, and recorded 15 sacks, all top marks in the NFL.

While the foundation is young talent, veterans Harrison Smith and Everson Griffen are among the best players in the league at their positions. There’s really no weaknesses on the Vikings defense, particularly if Zimmer can develop Waynes into a shutdown corner.

It’s still early, but Minnesota looks to be on the same level defensively as the 2015 Broncos or 2013 Seahawks, which could result in a Super Bowl title.