Minnesota Vikings defense ranked #2 by The Score
By Adam Carlson
The Minnesota Vikings defense came a long way in a short time under Mike Zimmer, and the folks at The Score recognized their talent in defensive rankings.
Last season, the Minnesota Vikings did a fantastic job defensively. The team ranked well in several defensive categories, including red zone scoring percentage of 44.19 percent (4th in the league) and 18.9 points allowed per game (5th in the NFL).
Related Story: 5 surprise players who could make the team
With the Vikings bringing back all their key defensive players for the 2016 NFL season, there isn’t any reason to think the defense will decline. In fact, some new additions like rookie cornerback Mackensie Alexander and safety Michael Griffin, the team could actually be better than their previous year.
This defensive ability didn’t go unnoticed by The Score, where author Matt Williamson believes that the Minnesota Vikings have the second best defensive squad in the National Football League behind only the Denver Broncos.
Here is what Williamson had to say about the team’s defense in his article on The Score:
"“Mike Zimmer has created this up-and-coming defense in his image. It’s loaded with exceptional young talent at every level. It could be the best in football.”"
More from The Viking Age
- 6 biggest draft steals in Minnesota Vikings history
- Former Vikings first-round pick could reportedly return to NFC North
- Bears analyst has extremely embarrassing Kirk Cousins take
- 6 Vikings who (maybe) won’t make the 53-man roster in 2023
- Predicting what the Vikings will do in the 2023 NFL Draft based on 2022
The official Minnesota Vikings website found his article about the team’s defense and enjoyed the praise. They confirmed that Mike Zimmer has been an absolute saving grace for the team, who previously were always near the bottom of the league in terms of total defense.
"“Minnesota was last in the league in points allowed in 2013, the year before Zimmer was hired. The Vikings improved to 11th in 2014 before jumping up to fifth last season.”"
With the Minnesota Vikings trending upwards defensively, more pressure will be placed on Adrian Peterson, Teddy Bridgewater, and the rest of the team’s offense to put more points on the board and help take this team to the next level.
Next: Vikings game-by-game 2016 season preview
However, even if the offense doesn’t make significant strides during the 2016 NFL season, the Vikings should still be able to be contenders by counting on their strong defense and young, developing players to keep the game within reach, as they will likely continue to be a scary team for opposing offenses in the future.