The best trades are often times the ones you do not make.
We have discussed where the Vikings are ranked in the weekly Power Rankings with more than a few dismissing it as meaningless. It is. But it is part of the season long journey. Since it is the bye week and there are no games, what do you think the team should be doing? Trades are always an interesting discussion but it takes two to tango. It’s hard to find one that makes sense.
I think that they would have wanted to make the trade before players get the days off for the bye week because it would have given that new player more time to learn. Although, I do not think it should be a factor. It’s nice but you probably would give that new player time off too.
Minnesota Vikings News and Links
6 Major Points as Vikings Reach Week 6 Bye
https://www.vikings.com/news/sam-darnold-aaron-jones-interceptions-sacks-defense-bye-week-6-major-points
Minnesota has a 48-3 edge in its five first quarters, consistently building leads early and protecting them late.
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Sam Darnold slinging the football with confidence | by Craig Peters
Darnold’s confidence has shown up during games, like when he fired four touchdown passes in the red zone against Houston, and during critical drives that put away the 49ers and Jets.
“I’m always comfortable with the decisions that I make. You have to be as a quarterback,” Darnold said. “If you’re ever doubting yourself out there, which is kind of some things that I did early in my career, it can be a long day. So I think just having that confidence in myself to be able to let it rip whenever I see something or when I’m confident, I feel like I can just continue to stay patient that way.
“Wherever the coverage, wherever the defense, wherever they go and whatever guy is open, just throw it to him. It’s as easy as that,” Darnold continued. “But for me, I think it’s just continuing to see the field and just go through my reads and time my feet with my eyes, and if I can do that and stay patient that way, we’ll be good.”
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Aaron Jones undeniable impact | by Lindsey Young
Through the first five games last season, Minnesota was averaging just 80.8 rushing yards per game, ranked 28th in the league with 404 total rushing yards and was one of just two teams (Steelers) to have no rushing scores.
The Vikings at the same point this season have 115.4 rushing yards per contest and rank 16th with 577 total rushing yards. Their 142 total attempts thus far are the NFL’s ninth most.
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The offense has been dynamic without all pieces | by Craig Peters
The offense is in the middle of some rankings but has excelled at key parts of the field.
Minnesota is tied for fifth with a red zone percentage of 68.8 percent and ranks ninth in goal-to-go situations, having scored touchdowns on 81.8 percent of such scenarios.
And, the group has found success despite not yet having its fullest complement of playmakers.
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Creating tremendous pressure | by Rob Kleifield
The Vikings pass rush is cooking quarterbacks on high heat. Last year’s defense ranked tied for 19th in the NFL with 43 sacks. The 2024 squad has 20 already. That’s a seismic shift in opponents’ backfields.
The group enters Week 6 ranked first in hurries (34), knockdowns (30) and pressures (84) and second in sacks, with two fewer than the Giants. The Vikings 32.6% pressure clip is tied with Kansas City, behind Seattle’s blue-ribbon 35.4%. Minnesota has the top blitz rate (41.1%), like 2023 (51.5%), but it’s getting to the QB more frequently.
So, what’s working? First and foremost: smart, versatile and extensive personnel.
Minnesota’s pressures leader, Jonathan Greenard, has 29, which is tied for second in the NFL behind Detroit’s Aidan Hutchinson. Minnesota’s sacks leader, Pat Jones II, has five, which ties his three-season total from 2021-23. Minnesota’s depth is outstanding – nine different players have recorded a sack; only the New York clubs (Giants 11; Jets 10) and the Texans (10) offer a greater wealth of sack-sters entering Week 6.
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Pacing the NFL in picks | by Rob Kleifield
Heating up quarterbacks is helping the Vikings clamp down on receivers.
The defense has intercepted 11 passes, two more than any other team and as many as it did all of 2023. Eight players have contributed with at least one pick. It’s another sign how differently Flores’ designs are coming to life in 2024, how comfortable returning players are executing Flores’ Year 2 vision, and how new arrivals have seamlessly understood concepts, meshed with each other and elevated performance.
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Spectacular specialists | by Lindsey Young
Minnesota returned long snapper Andrew DePaola and punter Ryan Wright, who outlasted veteran Seth Vernon in the punting competition during training camp. The Vikings drafted former Alabama kicker Will Reichard 203rd overall.
Vikings Special Teams Coordinator Matt Daniels said shortly after drafting Reichard, “he’s a guy that you can count on in the biggest moments.”
Through the first five games, Reichard is 9-for-9 on field goals, including three of 50-plus yards, and is 16-for-16 on extra points.
6 Biggest Questions Facing the Minnesota Vikings During Their Bye Week
How sustainable is Sam Darnold’s hot start?
Do the Vikings have enough RB depth?
How quickly will T.J. Hockenson get back up to full speed?
Can Dalton Risner help the Minnesota Vikings?
Is the Vikings’ top-rated defense legit?
Is Will Reichard really this good?
Matthew Coller: How strong are the Vikings by the numbers?
Out of 12 teams that were plus-60 or better, all 12 made the playoffs, 10 reached at least the divisional round of the playoffs and three of them went to the Super Bowl.
While the Vikings’ start to the season has been excellent from a point differential perspective, it hasn’t been on the same level as the best of the best in the last 10 years. Five teams outscored their opponents by at least 90 points with the best being the 2019 New England Patriots, who trounced their opposition 155-34.
Simply put: The Vikings have the best defense in football. By Aaron Schatz’s DVOA metric, which attempts to parse out the yardage that matters and compare teams vs. competition,
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Brian Flores’s unit is the best in the NFL.
There are a bunch of other metrics to back that up. The Vikings are…
— No. 1 EPA on defense
— No. 1 opponent scoring %
— No. 2 pressure percentage
— No. 2 opponent QB rating
— No. 1 QB hits
— No. 5 rushing EPA against
The pressure and coverage have converged together nicely. PFF currently has the Vikings graded as the eighth best coverage team, which is the highest they’ve ranked since 2019. Opponents have also greatly struggled to establish a run game against them.
Conclusions
When we stack up the Vikings versus the rest of the NFL, it’s hard to argue that anyone had a more impressive opening five games to the season. What we haven’t mentioned yet is that their five wins and No. 1 ranked point differential has come against teams that have tons of talent and high expectations — not a bunch of fumbling franchises. The wins haven’t been fluky since they have led all but three minutes and 26 seconds so far this season.
Kevin O’Connell: Sam Darnold is an ‘igniter’ for the Vikings
In an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show on Tuesday, O’Connell said Darnold’s success through the first five weeks of the season is based on confidence: the team’s confidence in Darnold and Darnold’s confidence in himself.
“You come into it with a bunch of confidence in Sam. I know our team had a bunch of confidence in Sam. Sam was really confident after a really good training camp but to have the success that he’s had, in many ways being an igniter for our team with some big critical throws early on in games to help us generate some of the leads that we’ve had,” O’Connell said. “Sam’s making some critical throws to (recapture momentum in a game). Leading us down to get more points on the board and help secure victory for our team.”
Darnold has thrown for 1,111 yards, 11 touchdown passes and just four interceptions, completing 63.5% of his passes, while helping guide the Vikings to an undefeated 5-0 start.
“I knew all along if we could get some guys open, Sam Darnold’s going to hit them. Because he’s talented. He can play quarterback in the NFL, I’ve always believed that. I’m just proud of him,” O’Connell said. “He’s kind of not really worried about anything other than just his role on our team. He’s one of our captains. He works as hard as anybody to be ready to go. I’m not surprised when he goes out and has success.”
“I think the Jets have a really good defense, really talented group. Two really good corners, Quinnen Williams in the middle. Fast speed all over that defense. We knew it was going to be a challenge,” O’Connell said. “We did not perform at our standard, but we found a way to make enough plays to really compliment a defense that was doing a lot of really good things, like they’ve done all season long.”
Four positions the 5-0 Vikings could address before the NFL trade deadline
https://www.si.com/nfl/vikings/news/four-positions-the-5-0-vikings-could-address-before-the-nfl-trade-deadline-01j9s6s1q4x6
Defensive tackle
Let me say this, since I’ve seen some discussions about it on social media: I think a blockbuster trade for the Giants’ Dexter Lawrence is highly unlikely. He’s a superstar in the heart of his prime who New York probably isn’t moving for anything less than two first-round picks. That would be an incredible addition for Brian Flores’ defense, but it would also be quite the bold swing for a team that currently has just just three total picks in next year’s draft. The same is likely true of someone like Titans two-time All-Pro Jeffery Simmons.
Absent a big splash, a depth move at DT could make sense. Maybe a rental like the Jets’ Javon Kinlaw or Tennessee’s Sebastian Joseph-Day?
Running back
A big swing would involve asking about No. 1 RBs on sub-.500 teams: Tony Pollard, James Conner, Nick Chubb, Breece Hall, Travis Etienne, Rhamondre Stevenson, Chuba Hubbard, etc. That feels unlikely, given that Jones’ injury isn’t viewed as overly serious and that teams aren’t typically eager to trade away their top back.
A more realistic move would be to go after solid players who aren’t getting a lot of usage in someone’s backfield — guys like Dameon Piece, Miles Sanders, D’Onta Foreman, and Khalil Herbert come to mind.
Right guard
The Vikings’ weak link on offense is still third-year right guard Ed Ingram, who hasn’t taken the leap in pass protection that they were hoping to see. Through five weeks, PFF has charted Ingram with allowing 17 pressures and three sacks. Both of those figures trail only the Patriots’ Layden Robinson among all guards. Out of the 69 guards who have played at least 100 snaps this season, Ingram’s 29.4 pass blocking grade ranks 67th.
Cornerback
Stephon Gilmore has been very good, as expected. Byron Murphy Jr. and Shaq Griffin have been solid enough, although Murphy does lead all corners (per PFF) in yards allowed and missed tackles so far. All three starters, by the way, are free agents after this season. Next in line at the position this year are Fabian Moreau, Akayleb Evans, and Dwight McGlothern.
Would the Vikings try to take a swing at a star corner like DJ Reed or Denzel Ward or Jaycee Horn? Maybe they call the Patriots about former Flores CB Jonathan Jones?
One stat shows Vikings’ perceived offensive line issues aren’t what you think
The interior is “fine” but they look much worse when you have great tackles. However, one stat absolves them somewhat.
Is Sam Darnold the cause of the Vikings OL issues?
Through five games, the Vikings have allowed 53 pressures through five games with 30 of them being credited to Ingram (17) and Bradbury (13). Is it as simple as they have just allowed a ton of pressure or is there more to it?
Next Gen Stats from nfl.com is a great tool with a lot of interesting data. The Vikings rank top five in two categories:
Sam Darnold’s time to throw: 2nd (3.14 seconds)
Sam Darnold’s percent of dropbacks under pressure: 5th (37.7%)
Those are both big numbers. Darnold has had a lot of time to throw the football and has been given some very clean pockets. Is Darnold holding onto the football the real issue? I think it’s a big factor as to why.
What do my eyes say? You won’t have perfection from the offensive line but the tackles are great and the interior will give you solid play, especially for the money you give them. It’s also important to note that O’Connell is asking them to perform at a very high level
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