Through six games, the Minnesota Vikings’ defense looks impenetrable. Entering Monday, the Vikings lead the NFL in points allowed per drive, defensive success rate, and EPA per play. They also rank first in scoring defense at 12.3 points per game, with the second-place team, the Kansas City Chiefs, nearly five points behind them at 17.2.
Going up against Brian Flores’s defense for three hours isn’t enjoyable, and the Indianapolis Colts found that out the hard way as the Vikings improved to 6-0 with a 16-10 victory on Sunday afternoon. But while the Colts were the latest in a string of teams the Vikings have made look silly this season, they may have identified a weakness in their run defense.
Led by potential trade target Jonathan Taylor, the Colts ran for 154 yards on the ground in a losing effort, accounting for roughly 70 percent of their 218 total yards. While the passing defense took care of things with four sacks and an interception off Daniel Jones, it’s still something to monitor, as they’ll face some of the league’s best running backs in the next couple of weeks.
Minnesota Vikings run defense has been an underlying concern
The Vikings’ run defense isn’t at a catastrophic stage, but it’s something to keep an eye on. The Vikings have allowed the NFL’s 12th-highest yards per carry this season at 4.2 after Sunday’s win over the Colts. Although that doesn’t seem like a terrible number, it’s notable considering the running backs they’ve faced to begin the season.
Minnesota held the Green Bay Packers to 66 rushing yards in their season-opening victory, but they were also without Josh Jacobs and relying on the underwhelming tandem of Marshawn Lloyd and Kaleb Johnson.
The degree of difficulty went up the following week as the Vikings traveled to face the Chicago Bears. While the volume was up thanks to the monsoon at Soldier Field and Caleb Williams’s scrambling ability, D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai combined for 92 yards on 26 carries.
The Vikings were able to bottle up Bucky Irving for 46 yards on 15 carries in a Week 3 matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and held the New Orleans Saints to 55 rushing yards in Week 5. But they were stung by Ollie Gordon for 100 yards and a touchdown on nine carries, including a 53-yard run during a Week 4 win over the Miami Dolphins.
Outside of Alvin Kamara, who is more known for past fantasy football glory at this point in his career, the Vikings haven’t taken on a household name. But Taylor was their first exposure to that problem as he ripped off a 38-yard touchdown run on the opening drive of the game and finished with 95 yards on 18 carries.
Seth McGowan even contributed with 46 yards on 11 carries, and it helped keep the game close going into the fourth quarter and helped Indianapolis own a nearly four-minute advantage in time of possession.
Such a game plan could be a good way to attack the Vikings' defense, which blitzed Jones on 85 percent of his dropbacks on Sunday. ESPN's Kevin Seifert said it was the highest rate in the past 20 seasons, but it was also mitigated because the Colts didn't throw much, and it could be a similar approach other teams take as the Vikings face a string of marquee backs in the next several weeks.
Vikings will face a gauntlet of top running backs after 6-0 start
The Vikings open their toughest stretch of the season as they travel to face the Detroit Lions in Week 8. While the Lions have many ways to hurt an opponent, Jahmyr Gibbs is the engine, ranking third with 103.3 rushing yards per game this season. The Buffalo Bills’ James Cook is just ahead of Gibbs at 104.5 yards per game and will visit the Vikings in Week 9.
Jacobs had a nondescript season debut, running 11 times for 36 yards during Sunday’s loss to the Lions. But he’s a key component of the Packers' offense that the Vikings didn’t face in the season opener and will have to deal with in Week 10.
The Vikings’ trip to Mexico City to battle the San Francisco 49ers in Week 11 includes a test against Christian McCaffrey, and the Vikings come home in Week 12 to take on Bijan Robinson and the Atlanta Falcons.
The schedule eases up over the final six weeks, but the Vikings still have to face Chuba Hubbard of the Carolina Panthers, Breece Hall of the New York Jets, and rematches with Gibbs and Swift. This also doesn’t include mobile quarterbacks such as Josh Allen and Jayden Daniels, who could help their offenses move the chains with their dual-threat ability.
For now, the Vikings’ run defense isn’t something that could derail their 6-0 start. But if they can’t do better than Sunday, opposing teams can attack and use it to water down Minnesota’s top-tier defense.
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