The 5-2 Vikings are the NFL's Biggest Fraud

The 5-2 Vikings got off to a hot start, even defeating the likes of the Houston Texans & San Francisco 49ers, but don't be fooled

SPORTS

Serafino Diaz

10/24/20243 min read

The Minnesota Vikings suffered their first loss of the NFL season this past Sunday, falling 31-29 to the divisional rival Lions at home. Watching or following nearly every snap of that game, my postgame conclusion is that the Vikings are the biggest frauds in the NFL. Yes, you heard that right.

So why are the Vikings frauds? Let's dive in and see.

The Defense Cracked

Throughout the first five weeks of the season, the Vikings defense was the NFL’s best, with opposing QBs like Brock Purdy, C.J. Stroud, and Aaron Rodgers raving about how defensive coordinator Brian Flores threw them off their game. Well, in Week 7, Jared Goff and the Lions didn't seem to have any problems moving the ball up and down the field on them.

Lions offensive coordinator and play-caller Ben Johnson effectively gave the NFL a blueprint on how to beat Minnesota- you have to be quick offensively. Most of the Lions’ notable offensive plays came when Goff got the ball out quickly to his receivers, or when Jahmyr Gibbs and/or David Montgomery quickly burst through running lanes. They were not fooled by the exotic coverages and disguises that Flores threw at them. Going forward, given that the NFL is a copycat league, I expect more teams to use Johnson’s gameplan against the Vikings.

Lastly, although linebacker Ivan Pace’s fumble-six gave the Vikings a brief lead near the end of the game, the defense crumbled at the worst possible time on the game’s final drive. They allowed Gibbs, who had 160 total yards on the day, to break away on three long plays for a total of 34 yards, and then Goff completed a crucial pass to Amon-Ra St. Brown to effectively set up the game winning kick.

Offensive Struggles

After building an early 10-0 lead, the Vikings offense largely turned into a pumpkin afterwards. Minus a third quarter touchdown by Justin Jefferson, they had three punts, two field goals, and Sam Darnold threw a bad interception to Lions defensive back Brian Branch.

The Vikings' last offensive drive saw them gain six yards on three plays, as the Lions bottled up Aaron Jones and Darnold threw a high pass that fell incomplete and left the announcers confused as to who the intended target was.

This is the second week in a row where the Vikings have had offensive struggles. They did not score an offensive touchdown in the second half of their win over the Jets, and only have two offensive touchdowns in 16 drives since C.J. Ham’s two-yard rushing touchdown in the Jets game. Similarly to Flores’ defense, teams have solved the Vikings offense. The Lions used the blueprint that Robert Saleh of the Jets gave teams regarding how to shut down Minnesota’s offense.

How The Vikings Can Move Forward

I believe that the Vikings can continue to have success moving forward if their two best coaches, Kevin O’Connell on offense and Flores on defense, adjust their respective schemes. As I've said, teams have figured them out. Not only that, but they have struggled in the second half of games because of a lack of adjustments. The Vikings nearly blew leads against the Packers and Jets because of it, and it was a large factor in this week’s loss.

Both coaches are stubborn with their game plans. O’Connell continues to run the same offensive plays, while Flores does the same on defense. That isn't going to win you a lot of games in this league. The elite teams make in-season adjustments and the Vikings haven't proven they can do that.

Until further notice, this team is a fraud. Sam Darnold has turned back into a pumpkin, teams have figured them out, and the coaches are too stubborn to make adjustments. The Vikings came into this game trailing for only 3 minutes the entire year, and a formidable opponent in the Lions finally hit them back. When the game got tight, the team largely folded like a lawn chair, and the NFL’s elite teams don't do that.

The good news for the Vikings is their next four weeks feature underwhelming opponents, so they should be 8-2 or 9-1 by the time of their next divisional showdown in Week 12 against the Bears. However, if they are going to lose their fraud status, they need to beat another elite team down the road. If they do that, they will earn their “legit team” status back.

Serafino Diaz is a writer at Chaotically Intolerant, Phoenix's finest Vikings, Bucks, and Cubs fan, traveling everywhere I can.