The Minnesota Vikings came in at the third spot on Fox’s NFL Power Rankings on Monday afternoon. The outlet put the rankings on social media.
The Buffalo Bills and Seattle Seahawks were the two teams ahead of the Vikings. In the meantime, the team has a ton of momentum after beating the Chicago Bears by a 9-3 margin. This puts them at 2-0 and in first place in the NFC North.
Rounding out the top five were the San Francisco 49ers in the fourth spot, and the Philadelphia Eagles in the fifth spot.
Vikings Have Won In Different Ways
It’s been a tale of two games for the Vikings so far this season. The first game, and win, came over the Green Bay Packers. They were able to win the contest by a 39-22 margin. The game did not lack offense, as both teams were able to move the ball down the field. Fortunately, the Vikings were able to get the job done after moving the ball down the field in the fourth quarter. Quarterback Carson Wentz was able to save the day and give the Vikings their first win in the Kyler Murray era.
Sunday’s game against the Chicago Bears was a bit different. It was a pretty physical effort on a rainy Soldier Field. Unlike the opener, the offenses for both teams struggled. Running back Aaron Jones Sr. was. able to carry the day for the Vikings, as he recorded over 100 rushing yards for the first time since 2024. There were undoubtedly a lot of things to clean up, but the Vikings were able to get the job done.
It’s been a few years since the Vikings have been able to achieve any major success within the division. The last time they won the division was in 2022. That year, they had a 13-4 record. The season was magical and a major positive point in Vikings history. They began the season with a 7-1 record, and they did not look back. They were in command the entire season.
Consistency Has Propelled Vikings To Success
This season, the hallmark of the team has been consistency Caleb Banks, Domonique Orange, and Dallas Turner have all been major contributors to this defense. If anything, they have fit well with the defensive scheme of coordinator Brian Flores. This was exemplified in Sunday’s game against the Bears. The defense shut down the Bears offense on nine consecutive drives.
The organization has also been able to put together solid quarterback play. Kyler Murray went down with an injury in the opening week of the season. He is expected to return for this Sunday’s game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In the meantime, Carson Wentz has been able to hold the fort down, and he did just enough to help the Vikings secure a victory on Sunday.
The resurgence of running back Aaron Jones has been impressive. He ran for over 100 yards for the first time since the 2024 season. The running back was able to battle through an injury he suffered early in the game and power through in the win over the Bears. Jones has been the physical running back the Vikings have needed, as well as a stabilizing presence for the offense.
Yes, it is still early in the season. However, it’s clear that the Vikings are making strides to become a top team on both sides of the football. It will be interesting to see as they develop on both sides as the season progresses. However, the early returns are certainly positive. This season has been an exciting one for Vikings fans, and the results are showing up on the field so far.
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