If it feels like the sky is falling for the Minnesota Vikings, it’s because it kind of is.
The team has four losses through five games. They are dead last in the league in turnover differential. All of the magic that led this team to win nearly every one-score game last season has not only dried up, but seems to be enacting some sort of karmic retribution, causing the team to fall apart in every late-game situation.
To top it all off, Justin Jefferson is on injured reserve.
For some Vikings fans, this team is already a dead man walking. The fat lady is warming up, and they’re already arguing over which college quarterback is more “tank” worthy. But if you think the doom and gloom attitude from this fanbase is bad now, just wait until this team struggles at Soldier Field this Sunday. If they find a way to lose to the Chicago Bears this weekend, Vikings Twitter will reach whole new levels of bleakness.
But for the guys in that locker room, Jefferson’s absence doesn’t mean they can give up and simulate the rest of the season. They’ve got a crucial game this Sunday against the 1-4 Bears, a game that may require a renewed dedication to toughness and physicality to win.
Despite some early-season struggles, the Vikings have found something in the running game the past few weeks. Minnesota’s rushing attack has been a steadying presence on the offense, helping to cover some of Kirk Cousins‘ up-and-down performances. They carried the day in the Viking’s lone win against the Carolina Panthers and performed admirably against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Minnesota’s offensive line has created some solid running room despite the slow start this season, earning an impressive 80.4 PFF run-blocking grade. Christian Darrisaw has been an absolute mauler, and Brian O’Neill has been elite out in space. The Vikings interior has also found ways to use angles and get solid push in the run game. It’s been a long time since fans have seen an above-average offensive line, but they’ve had a serviceable unit thus far.
The Vikings also had great blocking from their tight ends. The offseason addition of veteran tight end Josh Oliver seems to have been one of their best moves of the year. He slid right in as one of the most effective run blockers on the team. The versatility he provides can’t be understated, and has been a great complement to what T.J. Hockenson brings as a receiver.
With quality blocking up front, they’ve made running room for the duo of Alexander Mattison and newcomer Cam Akers. Mattison is not an elite runner. But he’s shown a much greater understanding of the blocking scheme, and his improved vision pops off on tape. Mattison is patient working through his reads and decisive when he picks a lane.
Mattison is never going to be an elite runner due to athletic limitations, but he can be a productive one if he can continue to develop this veteran savvy. Against a Bears defense with yards to be had, Mattison needs to continue to take what his blockers get for him and stay on schedule.
Meanwhile, adding Akers as the change-of-pace runner behind Mattison has yielded promising returns. Akers hasn’t done anything exceptional yet in Minnesota, but he’s got solid burst as a runner that adds another dimension to this attack.
With Jefferson on the sideline for at least four weeks, Kevin O’Connell and Cousins are going to need to find new answers. Minnesota’s offense is largely built around the superstar receiver, and what the complementary weapons are able to do because of Jefferson’s presence. Therefore, it’s naive to think that K.J. Osborn and Jordan Addison will be able to match that production by themselves, making it all the more important that this offense establishes balance on Sunday.
This Bears team is looking to find some confidence. Even in what is likely a lost season, they’ve got a clear goal: Fix Justin Fields and move forward as a franchise. They’ve got every reason to try and win this game and get some positive momentum.
The Vikings’ season hangs in the balance, but the last thing they can afford is to give Chicago confidence by sputtering on offense. It may seem like a tired cliché, but establishing the run and throwing off play-action gives Addison and Osborn the best chance to fill the gaping Justin Jefferson-shaped hole in this roster.
