After an ugly loss against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 2, that was exactly the kind of performance Kevin O’Connell needed to see. Now, as his team heads overseas for two consecutive weeks, multiple outlets are taking note of what the Vikings may be capable of.

Sizable jump for Minnesota Vikings in NFL Power Rankings

Each week multiple publications react to the performances on the field. Minnesota needed a fourth quarter comeback to best the Chicago Bears in Week 1. Then the slept-walked through an ugly loss to the Falcons. It was the decisive victory against the Bengals that turned heads and has them shooting up the latest NFL Power Rankings.

It’s clear that there is a relatively general consensus when it comes to the Vikings positioning across the NFL as a whole. What’s most notable is how much one victory influenced outlets at ESPN and The Athletic. Both had Minnesota in the 20’s last week, only to jump them up significant spots. They had differing takes on what to watch for from the Vikings.

Kevin O’Connell picked up Carson Wentz four weeks ago, and even with limited practice reps and basically no training camp, Wentz guided the Vikings to a blowout win while throwing for two touchdowns and averaging 8.7 yards per pass. At this point, it would be fun to see which quarterback you could drop onto this roster with O’Connell and still win a game.

The Athletic

Through three weeks, the Vikings have the NFL’s best defensive expected points added per play (minus-0.17). But they also have a core of older veterans, and injuries have been an issue. Safety Harrison Smith (personal health issue) missed two games. Linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel (concussion) missed one, as did cornerback Jeff Okudah (concussion). A chest contusion forced defensive lineman Javon Hargrave to sit out the second half in Week 3. Linebacker Blake Cashman (hamstring) is on injured reserve through at least Week 4. That’s a pretty significant list before October.

Kevin Seifert – ESPN

It is exciting to think how much Wentz could thrive in this offense. Like Sam Darnold last season, he presents another experimental signal caller with a high-floor for Kevin O’Connell to work with. As Kevin Seifert mentions though, the injuries are the greatest cause for concern.

Even after seemingly exiting the Bengals game healthy, O’Connell stepped to the podium on Monday and revealed rookie guard Donovan Jackson had wrist surgery. Minnesota will be without their complete offensive line through at least Week 7. They need some injury luck, and they need it quickly.

European swing presents opportunity for MN Vikings

In Week 4 the Minnesota Vikings will play the NFL’s first ever game in Ireland. As the road team against the Pittsburgh Steelers, they see Aaron Rodgers across the pond for a second-straight season. It’s a game they need to win, and one that could separate them from the competition.

Pittsburgh is very similarly ranked among the four power rankings (16.5 average), and the difference could come down to execution. Rodgers lit up the New York Jets in a revenge game during Week 1. He has been less effective in the past two weeks (loss to Seattle, win over New England).

"THE KICK IS BLOCKED!"

Kevin Kugler on the Packers-Browns Fox call with an insane finish in progress. #NFL pic.twitter.com/scuBhBpbx1

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) September 21, 2025

Beyond the Steelers, Minnesota sees a consistent London participant in Cleveland. The Browns are not close to the same level among power rankings (23.25 average). Despite a shocking upset of the Green Bay Packers in Week 3, Kevin Stefanski’s team remains rudderless.

The quarterback situation is a mess, and top wide receiver Jerry Jeudy has done nothing to follow up his breakout 2024 campaign. Another neutral-site road game, beating the travelling Dawg Pound is something that needs to take place.

Minnesota returns home to face the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 7, after their bye, on October 19.

Despite having one of the best records in the league, the Vikings are now starting to move back up in NFL power rankings on various sites. Even so, they’re still trailing the Detroit Lions in the NFC North, sitting one game behind with the Lions who hold a 10-1 record.

The Minnesota Vikings are proving they’re the real deal this season. Their offense is holding its own, averaging nearly 25 points per game, which puts them 9th in the league, and racking up 351 yards per game, good for 10th overall.

The real highlight is their defense though. They’re currently 4th in the NFL for total defense and 5th in scoring defense, proving they’re not just about putting up points, they’re also locking teams down.

Minnesota Vikings – Week 13 NFL Power Rankings

ESPN, The Athletic, Pro Football Talk, and Sportsnaut all dropped their latest power rankings heading into Week 13. According to Sportsnaut, the Vikings held steady at No. 7, the same spot they occupied last week. However, in the other rankings, Minnesota has started climbing back toward the top.

ESPN: No. 5 (Last Wk: No. 6)

The FPI accurately puts the Vikings’ defense at the top of the reasons the team is in an excellent position for a playoff berth. Coordinator Brian Flores’ group bamboozled opposing quarterbacks early this season and has continued to find ways to pile up takeaways (22) and sacks (38). As a result, opponents are averaging 17.9 points per game (fifth best in the NFL). The offense has been middling, but that’s probably a win given rookie first-round quarterback J.J. McCarthy’s season-ending knee injury. The Vikings have gotten far more from quarterback Sam Darnold, including 21 touchdown passes, than anyone could have expected. – Kevin Seifert (ESPN)

Related: Former Vikings GM Contracted to Oversee New York Jets GM Hire

The Athletic: No. 6 (Last Wk: No 7)

The Vikings had a 300-yard passer, two 100-yard receivers and a 100-yard rusher in the same game for the first time since the 2000 season, and Justin Jefferson was not part of that. Sam Darnold got the passing yards. Jordan Addison and T.J. Hockenson got the receiving yards and Aaron Jones got the rushing yards. Darnold’s 330 passing yards were the fifth-most of his career, but his lack of playoff experience makes it hard to pick this team as a Super Bowl contender. – Josh Kendall (The Athletic)

Related: Final Vikings PFF Grades: Highest and Lowest Graded Players from Week 12 vs Bears

Pro Football Talk: No: 6 (Last Wk: 7)

With three straight home games, they could fatten up their record before a finishing kick that consists of at Seattle, Green Bay, and at Detroit. – Mike Florio (PFT)

Minnesota Vikings look to continue the climb in Week 13 vs Arizona Cardinals

The Minnesota Vikings have had a relatively smooth stretch in their schedule over the past few weeks, but this week, they’re up against a team with a winning record for the first time since Week 7. That was when they faced the Detroit Lions and took their first loss of the season.

Related: Minnesota Vikings Injury Update: Latest News on Darnold, Robinson and Pace Jr 

The Arizona Cardinals are currently tied for the top spot in the NFC South, making this matchup a solid test for the Minnesota Vikings. The Vikings are aiming to keep up with the Detroit Lions in the NFC North standings and improve their record to 10-2 on the 2024 season.

Weeks nine through eleven, pushed Minnesota all the way down to 8th, in every power ranking we have been tracking, throughout the season. So… what is the Vikings’ lot in the NFL power rankings life after yet another underwhelming victory in Nashville vs the Titans?

Minnesota Vikings moving up NFL Power Rankings once again

Well, the Power Ranking gods liked it more than what happened vs the Jags. Flipping a two-game losing streak into a two-game winning streak has Kevin O’Connell’s crew back on the rise, as high as No. 6 over at ESPN.

The Minnesota Vikings have well surpassed the 6.5 win total they were put on by oddsmakers, entering the season. The path to 8-2 hasn’t always been the prettiest, but every team currently set to make the 2024-25 playoff bracket can say that about a number of their wins too.

Related: Vikings QB Sam Darnold Pulls Shocking PFF Grade vs Titans

Sam Darnold has shown his deficiencies, but he has proven he’s good enough to win games in this league. Flores’ defense is one of the best in the NFL, but can get leaky at times. If this team could just avoid turning the ball over so much, they can hang with anyone.

NFL pundits not convinced the Vikings are legit

NFL pundits remain unconvinced of how “for real” Minnesota really is. Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk), a lifelong fan, says,“The Vikings are simply not fun to watch.” Nate Davis (USA Today) feels the same way, and mentions how they are 5-0 vs AFC teams, which makes some of these upcoming NFC battles even more important, for tiebreaker + playoff seeding purposes.

“They’re a league best 5-0 against the AFC. If only those wins didn’t count for so little in the tiebreaker department.”

Nate Davis – USA Today

The top five is in sight, but the Vikings will need to show more than they have during their past two wins. Sam Darnold didn’t throw an interception on Sunday, but he was charged with a fumble on a pitch to Aaron Jones that should have been caught. If O’Connell wants his team to be taken seriously, then they have to limit self-inflicted wounds and play more disciplined.

Let’s be real. If the Minnesota Vikings want to be a true contender, they need to stomp on the Bears while they are down. Chicago is a mess. Rookie quarterback Caleb Williams gets worse, as the season goes on, and the organization feels like it’s on the brink of imploding on a week-in, week-out basis. Head coach Matt Eberflus has already fired his offensive coordinator, and his job could be next.

Related: Should Minnesota Vikings Fans Be Worried About Dallas Turner?

This is the first matchup against the Bears this season, and Minnesota emerged victorious at Soldier Field a year ago. It’s unlikely that Minnesota chases down Detroit or Kansas City in weekly power rankings any time soon. They should surpass a Green Bay Packers team (6th) that they have already beaten this year, and could jump the Philadelphia (5th) to join the top five.

After a somewhat shaky victory overseas, how will the power rankings gods react? Positively. In fact, there doesn’t seem to be any funny business in any of the rankings, entering week six. Every major list has the Minnesota Vikings sitting 1st or 2nd, in their week six NFL power rankings.

Minnesota Vikings remain near top of various NFL Power Rankings

Rankings that pushed the Vikings ahead of the Chiefs, last week, kept them there for week six. Same thing for those who had the Chiefs at the top of their rankings, in week five. They too remain bullish on their original choice for the number one spot.

Related: Minnesota Vikings Defense Rankings 2024

Now, the Minnesota Vikings will go into their bye week pretty much atop the NFL world. It will be interesting to see how the rankings adjust next Tuesday. Neither the Chiefs or Vikings play in week six. I’d imagine that makes both teams pretty safe in the NFL Power Rankings.

What’s next for the Vikings?

I can’t imagine any of the above outlets will move any one-loss teams ahead of the undefeated teams, no matter how well any of those one-loss teams play, while Minnesota and Kansas City watch games from home. Out of the bye, the Vikings will welcome NFC North rival and last year’s division champs, the Detroit Lions to U.S. Bank Stadium.

Winner takes control of the North. It’s an even more crucial game for the Minnesota Vikings. You must win your divisional home games, especially when they’re as good as the Lions. You don’t want to travel to Detroit later this season, already down 1-0 in the season series.

Related: Oddsmakers Like Minnesota Vikings in Stacked NFC North

Minnesota Vikings continue to climb the ranks

At the start of the season, the Minnesota Vikings were sitting near the very bottom of most NFL power rankings. Fast forward four weeks, and they’ve surged all the way into the top 2 across the board, including the No. 1 spot at The Athletic, NFL.com and Sportsnaut. Pinch me…

The Minnesota Vikings are the best team in the league, according to three out of four sources. It’s difficult to wrap your brain around that, after being told how bad they were going to be all summer. As long as they stay near the top, we’ll get used to it eventually…

The Minnesota Vikings’ 4-0 start isn’t a result of good fortune. They’ve controlled almost every game they’ve played, trailing for only 2.5 minutes all season. And they haven’t faced light competition, either.

Related: Minnesota Vikings Partying Like it’s 1998

In just four games, Minnesota has now beaten last year’s NFC Champs, the San Francisco 49ers, along with two preseason Super Bowl contenders, in the Houston Texans and Green Bay Packers. This team is no fluke. They’ve proven that, and pundits are beginning to believe.

The Minnesota Vikings are gearing up for their next challenge as they head across the pond to London to take on the 2-2 New York Jets. So far this season, the Jets are yet to capture the Aaron Rodgers magic they’ve been searching for. That’s why the Vikings are finally favorites, entering the Sunday morning matchup.

Minnesota Vikings leap into rare air after Week 1

It depends on what level of belief you had in Sam Darnold when considering the expectations for the Minnesota Vikings in 2024. Anyone that assumed the veteran could resurrect his career with an ideal opportunity feels pretty good about Sunday. The Vikings dominated Brian Daboll’s New York Giants and Fox Sports’ Bucky Brooks took note. His first power rankings have Minnesota way up top.

“The Sam Darnold experiment is off to a great start, with the veteran thriving under Kevin O’Connell’s tutelage. In a 28-6 win over the Giants, the veteran completed 19 of 24 passes with a pair of touchdowns while connecting with eight different pass-catchers. With the offense clicking on all cylinders, defensive coordinator Brian Flores was able to throw a few haymakers to keep New York’s offense dazed and confused for most of the game. If the Vikings continue to play high-level complementary football with a resurgent quarterback leading the way, the “Purple People Eaters” could emerge as a surprise title contender in the NFC.“

Bucky Brooks on the Minnesota Vikings being his fifth best team after Week 1 (Fox Sports)

Oddsmakers pegged the Vikings for just 6.5 wins coming into the season. After the Week 1 victory over the Giants that number got just a single-digit boost. Brooks clearly is drinking the purple Kool Aid though. Despite the win coming against a bad Giants team, the analyst loved what he saw from Darnold.

Related: What We Learned About the Minnesota Vikings in Week 1 Throttling of Giants

Minnesota was near flawless on Sunday against the Giants. They came into the game as favorites though, and the bigger tests are still in front of them.

Minnesota Vikings can put the league on notice in Week 2

A Week 2 matchup with the San Francisco 49ers is where the Minnesota Vikings will truly make their mark as a team. Kyle Shanahan’s team comes in to U.S. Bank Stadium with Super Bowl aspirations. If Darnold can again look strong then the momentum will have officially been built. Brooks has San Francisco as his second best team.

Embrace this feeling.

And then we go hunt it.

Week after week after week.

Turn us up, KO. pic.twitter.com/nh8Zpdv2pt

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) September 8, 2024

“The football world will soon find out if the 49ers can shake the Super Bowl hangover. After dealing with a series of contract disagreements with a handful of stars (Christian McCaffrey, Trent Williams, and Brandon Aiyuk), the team hopes to patch up any hurt feelings and resume its title chase under Kyle Shanahan.“

Bucky Brooks on the San Francisco 49ers (Fox Sports)

San Francisco kicks off their season against the New York Jets on Monday night. It is then that we will see Shanahan’s team for the first time in 2024. San Francisco was bested by Minnesota last year, and Darnold was rostered on that team.

Related: JJ McCarthy is Sam Darnold’s No. 1 Fan

The 49ers are a formidable challenge for Darnold. His poise in the pocket on Sunday could be the difference if he is able to carry it over to the next matchup. Conversely, an overreaction to a Minnesota loss against the Super Bowl runner up should be cautioned as well.

Minnesota Vikings down bad in initial power rankings

The Athletic published their first power rankings of the season on Tuesday, and the top looks as expected. Super Bowl participants in the form of Kansas City and San Francisco take the first two spots. Andy Reid and Kyle Shanahan’s teams were the last ones standing a year ago, and they reloaded ready to go for it again.

The Minnesota Vikings are now without Kirk Cousins, and J.J. McCarthy is expected to sit behind Sam Darnold. Darnold has previously flamed out with two different franchises. The burden of proof is on him to make it work in an ideal situation. Publications will take a wait and see approach on this Kevin O’Connell collection. Minnesota is 23rd overall; a bottom-third ranking across the league.

Jefferson became the highest-paid non-quarterback in the league this offseason when he signed a four-year, $140 million contract extension. That raise comes with heightened workplace expectations because instead of playing with a veteran quarterback in Cousins, Jefferson will have some combination of journeyman Sam Darnold and rookie J.J. McCarthy this season. Jefferson already has 4,825 receiving yards, the most by any player in his first three seasons. He’ll have longtime Packers running back Aaron Jones to help on offense this season.

The Detroit Lions (3rd), Green Bay Packers (8th), and Chicago Bears (15th), are all seen in a much better light among divisional foes. After winning the NFC North last season, it appears as though the hype train for Detroit isn’t losing any steam either.

Related: ESPN Not Sold on the Minnesota Vikings for Next Three Seasons

Projecting Minnesota Vikings provides massive uncertainty

Any level of prognostication at the current juncture is little more than a guess. The Minnesota Vikings have to be viewed through the lens of what Sam Darnold was. O’Connell is hoping that he can provide a situation capable of generating an unseen version of the former first round pick, and most projections are baking that in.

Darnold brings a massive amount of wait and see to Minnesota this year, and his performance is largely where the beginning and end of their outcome lies.

Brian Flores gets another year to work with Minnesota’s defense, but some of the biggest contributors are gone there too. Johnathan Greenard could be a big come up following the departure of Danielle Hunter.

Dallas Turner may explode onto the scene as a menace edge rusher. None of those things will be known until the Vikings take the field. Less work needs to be done for the bar to be raised defensively, but a substantial amount has to happen for it to matter.

Related: 6 Vikings Training Camp Battles that Matter in 2024

Until the Vikings go out and prove it, they will be seen as one of the worst teams across the league. It will be their play, and the results that follow, where the needle is ultimately moved.

The Bills rarely lose at home and they certainly do not blow 17-point 2nd half leads at home. Unless it’s last weekend with Kirk Cousins, Justin Jefferson and Patrick Peterson in town. So even more important than padding their win column, the Vikings earned the respect of many on Sunday.

Vikings Earn Most’s Respect in Week 11 Power Rankings

Those now drinking the purple Kool-Aid include Sports Illustrated and Sportsnaut, both of which have the Vikings as their #1 ranked NFL team. Who else is on the purple power train? Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk.com) is driving it, apparently. He has the Vikings ranked #1, too. This after listing them much lower than other power rankings entering the season. Now, Florio has dubbed them a “Team of Destiny”.

But others remain unsold, but most outlets have the Vikings as a top-4 team. Power rankings that emphasize overall efficiency metrics, like EPA and points allowed, aren’t as hyped up on what Minnesota has done through 9 games. That’s why Walter Football refuses to lift such “an overrated football team” any higher than 9th. I guess… if this is what you think “overrated” looks like?

NFL Films shot of the catch seen around the world – #Vikings Justin Jefferson with the play of the season.pic.twitter.com/Z5OLr98jGA

— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) November 15, 2022

Pro Football Talk (Mike Florio): #1 (Last Wk: #2)

Team of Destiny, even if destiny means finding yet another spectacular way to lose in the postseason.

Sports Illustrated: #1 (Last Wk: NA)

To be considered the best, one must beat the best. The Vikings did so, with their lone, blowout loss to the Eagles standing as their only negative on the season. We can attribute this rise to many things, but, most importantly, the Vikings are capitalizing on the moments when luck reveals itself to them and says, “Here, take it.”

Sportsnaut: #1 (Last Wk: #2)

As promised, the Minnesota Vikings maneuver their way up the rankings and receive acknowledgment that they are a Super Bowl contender. Kirk Cousins deserves some credit, but Minnesota’s true hero is Justin Jefferson. With so much firepower on offense and a strong pass rush, Minnesota can cause problems for anyone it faces.

New York Post: #3 (Last Wk: #3)

The Game of the Year featured a nominee for Best Catch Ever. Justin Jefferson’s leaping one-handed grab for a 32-yard gain on fourth-and-18 kept alive the Vikings’ final drive of regulation in a 33-30 overtime win against the Bills. Cousins threw for 357 yards on 50 attempts, and Patrick Peterson sealed the win with an interception on the final play. 

ESPN: #3 (Last Wk: #7)

The Vikings’ new leadership group committed to evaluating Bradbury this season, and he has rewarded that decision. Bradbury has played all but two snaps and ranks No. 10 in ESPN Analytics’ run block win rate metric. As for concern about past struggles in pass protection, he ranks No. 17 in the pass block win rate metric. Add it all up, and Bradbury has been an above-average center in 2022 and is on his way to being a priority free agent this winter. — Kevin Seifert

NFL.com: #3 (Last Wk: #7)

No matter how this season turns out, the Vikings and their fans will always cherish what happened on Sunday in Buffalo. Down 17 points late in the third quarter, Minnesota mounted a furious comeback behind standout performances from their most important players: money throws from Kirk Cousins, mind-exploding catches from Justin Jefferson, a game-changing run from Dalvin Cook, and glorious ball-hawking from Patrick Peterson in a 33-30 overtime win over the powerhouse Bills. It was the type of signature win against a Super Bowl favorite that gives the Vikings legitimacy beyond their stellar win-loss record. Said Peterson to the doubters: “Look at us now. Look at us now. That’s all I could say.”

Yahoo Sports: #3 (Last Wk: #6)

It was OK to be skeptical about the Vikings’ start. This wasn’t a classic dominant 7-1 start. But a win at Buffalo, even as close as that one was, validates Minnesota’s start.

The Ringer: #4 (Last Wk: #5)

The easy way out would be to rank Minnesota over Buffalo coming off a game Sunday that the Vikings likely would have lost had Justin Jefferson not made one of the best catches in NFL history, or if Josh Allen didn’t fumble a snap on the goal line in the final minute of regulation. The reality is that the Bills are still the better team and deserve to be ranked accordingly. Breathe, Vikings fans. Yes, your team just beat the Bills in Buffalo, and yes, they have the second-best record in the NFL. You should enjoy it while also understanding that despite Jefferson’s heroics, the Vikings rank just 16th in offensive EPA per drive and 14th in points allowed per game. They rank just tied for eighth in point differential (35) and have won seven consecutive games by eight points or less. Without a dominant four-quarter win since Week 1, I just can’t put Minnesota into the top tier of this list.

The Athletic: #4 (Last Wk: #8)

As for whether the Vikings are actually one of the league’s three or four best teams, that’s beside the point. They have the easiest remaining schedule, according to The Athletic’s Austin Mock, and are listed as favorites in every game but one (this week’s matchup versus Dallas). At 8-1, Mock projects them as having a 55.1 percent chance to capture the NFC’s No. 2 seed and a 31.1 percent chance to capture the No. 1 seed. Special seasons like that don’t come along very often, so enjoy it while it lasts.

Walter Football: #9 (Last Wk: #11)

Overrated NFL Team: See why the Vikings are an overrated NFL team in our Overrated-Underrated page.