With an offense taking care of the football and a defense tormenting big-name quarterbacks seemingly every week, the Minnesota Vikings have the look of a legitimate Super Bowl contender.
The Vikings (4-0) finished the first quarter of the 2016 season with a 24-10 win over the New York Giants on Monday night, making Minnesota one of three NFL teams to get through four weeks without a loss. If the season ended today, it’d be difficult to tab any team but the Vikings as the early NFC favorite.
“We’ve still got a long way to go,” head coach Mike Zimmer said. “We’re not handing out any medals tonight.”
After four games, the Vikings have the NFL’s best turnover differential (plus-10). Minnesota leads the league in takeaways (11), and only the Eagles have fewer turnovers.
Minnesota’s offense isn’t lighting the world on fire, but the team’s only turnover this season came on a lost fumble by Andrew Sendejo immediately following a fumble recovery by the Vikings safety. At quarterback, newcomer Sam Bradford still hasn’t thrown an interception after three starts, and he’s completing close to 70 percent of his passes despite no running game and a shaky offensive line. Receiver Stefon Diggs is on pace for 100 catches and almost 1,500 yards, while tight end Kyle Rudolph has a touchdown catch in three straight games.
Cautious offense is acceptable when Zimmer’s defense is playing as well as it is.
The Vikings have faced Marcus Mariota (second overall pick in 2015), Aaron Rodgers (two-time NFL MVP), Cam Newton (2015 NFL MVP) and Eli Manning (two-time Super Bowl MVP) to start the season, but the quartet of quarterbacks have taken 15 sacks and thrown six interceptions, with a combined passer rating of just 67.7.
In just the past two weeks, Minnesota shut out Panthers receiver Kelvin Benjamin and held Giants receiver Odell Beckham Jr. to three catches and a career-low 23 yards.
Overall, Minnesota’s defense has allowed just 50 points in four games, while scoring 14—via two defensive touchdowns and a safety—on its own. The Vikings also have a punt return for a touchdown.
Maybe Minnesota’s start isn’t sustainable over a full season. Turnovers can be unpredictable, and Bradford is just one bad block away from an injury that would forever change the Vikings season.
However, Bradford has looked surprisingly comfortable and efficient in Norv Turner’s offense, and Zimmer’s defense is a dominant group that will keep Minnesota in every game. Four games don’t make a season, but it’s clear at the quarter mark of 2016 that the Vikings are one of the few legitimate contenders in the NFC.
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