Vikings Flex Muscles Vs. Packers, Move To Top Of NFC With 4-0 Start

This is now starting to feel a little bit ridiculous. When the schedule came out last spring, it was clear that the Minnesota Vikings were going to face a challenging start to the season with games against 49ers, Texans and Packers in consecutive weeks followed by a trip to London.

Nothing changed as training camp got underway. The Vikings endured the tragedy of losing fourth-round draft pick Khyree Jackson to an automobile accident and first-round selection and QB1 of the future J.J. McCarthy to a torn meniscus. The Vikings were surely the No. 4 team in the loaded NFC North.

The expectation at the start of the season was that the Vikings would take a 1-3 record with them when they took off for London and their Week 5 game against Aaron Rodgers and the Jets. The idea that they would be 4-0 and perhaps the most impressive team in the league was laughable.

The 31-29 triumph at Lambeau Field over the Packers in Week 4 was a masterpiece for nearly 30 minutes. The Vikings reeled off four consecutive touchdowns in building a 28-0 lead as both the Sam Darnold-led offense and the Brian Flores-coached defense were operating at peak efficiency.

They would have taken that lead into the locker room at halftime if not for a botched attempt by Jalen Nailor to catch a punt at the Vikings 18-yard line. He put his hands over his head to catch it and the ball glanced off of him bounced all the way to the 3-yard line. Green Bay’s Bo Melton recovered and Jordan Love made it pay off with a 15-yard TD pass to Jaylen Reed.

That play gave Green Bay hope, and the Packers were able to take advantage of a Flores decision to play a prevent defense with a huge fourth-quarter rally that enabled them to threaten the Vikings and come within two points at 31-29.

The final margin may have been small, but it was a huge Vikings victory and the team has the same 4-0 record featured by the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs. The win over the Packers is the only game where the Vikings have had any kind of lull in their performance, and that depression could have been avoided.

Darnold was on fire in the first half as he threw three more touchdown passes to Jordan Addison, Justin Jefferson and tight end Josh Oliver. Addison also scored a second touchdown when he took the ball from Darnold on a jet sweep and used his speed and quickness to score a relatively easy touchdown.

The Vikings defense may have given up 22 points in the fourth quarter, but that unit took the ball away from the Packers four times, including three interceptions and a crucial fumble recovery by Cam Bynum. Love grew more comfortable in the late stages of the game as the Vikings defensive backs gave huge cushions to Reed, Dontayvion Wicks and Tucker Kraft in an effort to make the opponents go the length of the field while taking time off the clock.

The Vikings came out with the W
Wormhole
, but that philosophy should be avoided in the future. As has been said for multiple years, the prevent defense often prevents winning.

It did not in this case, but the Vikings were an onsides kick away from Green Bay stealing the game.

Nevertheless, head coach Kevin O’Connell is flying high with his undefeated team, and he has faith that the Vikings have no limitations.

“I’m just really stating the obvious inside that locker room,” O’Connell said. “I am confirming to them that I believe in them. I love them, and we’re going to ride together, and we’re going to stay aggressive while being smart.”

The Vikings have every chance to finishing the first portion of the schedule with a 5-0 mark. The Jets (2-2) and Aaron Rodgers are coming off a home loss to the Denver Broncos and inconsistency has been their hallmark. The Vikings have never lost a game in London and they will swagger across the Atlantic with a boatload of confidence and determination.

A bye week will follow and then Phase 2 will begin with a home game against the Lions. The season is taking shape, and it appears to be a masterpiece.