The Minnesota Vikings may be going into their Week 5 game with the New Orleans Saints as one of just three undefeated teams in the NFL, but they are clearly an incomplete team according to Power Rankings delivered by some of the major websites.
In most cases, a team with a 4-0 record would have to be rated in the top-5 teams in the NFL. However, in the case of the Vikings and head coach Kevin O’Connell, the team has been brutal on offense this season. A week ago, they ranked 32nd and were dead last in yards per game. After playing the winless Miami Dolphins — a team that may be the worst in the NFL — the Vikings have moved up exactly one spot on offense.
They are as high as No. 3 and as low as No. 10 in this week’s power rankings.
ESPN
This week’s ranking: 9
Last week’s ranking: 9
The Vikings maintained their spot as the No. 9 team in ESPN’s rankings. The explanation provided by Kevin Seifert is quite logical. He points out that while their defense and special teams have been top-drawer this year, the offense has not gotten the job done. There has been little to no growth in the four games the Vikings have played. What makes this ranking sting a bit is that the division rival Chicago Bears are the No. 8 team. The Vikings beat the Bears 9-3 in Chicago in Week 2.
Pro Football Talk
This week’s ranking: 8
Last week’s ranking: 9
Instead of maintaining their spot at No. 9 in Mike Florio’s rankings, the Vikings have actually improved to the No. 8 position. Florio’s succinct one-sentence explanation for the ranking spot lies with QB Kyler Murray’s downturn. He believes the quarterback does not have the explosive athleticism he once did, saying that Minnesota’s new quarterback is “no longer the road runner.”
Fox Sports
This week’s ranking: 10
Last week’s ranking: 12
The Vikings have barely made it into Ralph Vacchiano’s top 10, and the writer admits he has received quite a bit of pressure from Vikings fans to raise the team’s status. However, he has big issues with the Minnesota offense in general and Murray’s play in particular. The fact that the Vikings struggled so badly against the winless Dolphins leaves Vacchiano thoroughly unimpressed.
CBS Sports
This week’s ranking: 3
Last week’s ranking: 4
Long-time NFL writer Pete Prisco holds the Vikings in far more esteem than any of his colleagues/competitors. He acknowledges the offense has a long way to go, but the team’s defense is carrying the load and getting the job done. He has the 49ers and Chiefs in the Nos. 1 and 2 spots, respectively, and the Bears are the only other NFC North team in the Top 10. Chicago ranks No. 8 overall, according to Prisco.
