Our Minnesota Vikings are 2-0, and sit atop the NFC North division, after an impressive 23-17 win over the San Francisco 49ers. In fact, the final score is not indicative of how dominant the purple really were, in week two.
Had they not turned the ball over twice inside the red zone, the Vikings would have blown out the defending Super Bowl runner-ups. One way to judge football players in 2024 is with Pro Football Focus grades. Some live and die by it. Others don’t believe in PFF, at all.
Whatever you believe, PFF is a widely trusted tool that allows us another way to assess the Minnesota Vikings. As of today, I’m a huge Pro Football Focus guy, because the grades make me feel good. More than likely, head coach Kevin O’Connell and defensive coordinator Brian Flores are too.
PFF grades are very friendly to Minnesota Vikings
Monday Night Football hasn’t been played yet, at the time this article was written. But as of now, the Vikings hold the 3rd highest overall PFF grade in the NFL. Not just Sunday, but on the season, through two games. KOC’s offense ranks 4th, Flores’ defense ranks 6th.
| Vikings (Thru 2 Wks) | Overall | Offense | Pass | Run | Defense | Cov | RushD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PFF Grade | 83.3 | 79.4 | 83.1 | 79.3 | 76.5 | 79.4 | 77.0 |
| League Rank | 3rd | 4th | 3rd | 7th | 6th | 6th | 2nd |
After months of having it drilled into our brains that the 2024 Minnesota Vikings were going to be a bad football team, it’s almost difficult to adjust expectations so quickly, when the shift is this extreme.
In two weeks, we have gone from EVERYONE picking the purple to finish at the bottom of the division, to them being in the top-10 of many power rankings and ranked a top-3 team by PFF. Will it last? The haters say no.
Related: Brock Purdy Confirms: Vikings’ Defensive Scheme under Brian Flores.. “Man, it’s Crazy”
But as long as the Vikings play well, and Sam Darnold stays within himself, it looks like they can compete with just about anyone. So far, the Vikings’ best players on offense, according to PFF, are Christian Darrisaw and Sam Darnold. On defense, PFF loves Harrison Smith and Andrew Van Ginkel, among others.
| Team Rank | Player | OFF or DEF Grade |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Christian Darrisaw | 83.2 |
| 2 | Harrison Smith | 83.1 |
| 3 | Andrew Van Ginkel | 82.7 |
| 4 | Sam Darnold | 82.3 |
| 5 | Blake Cashman | 81.2 |
| 6 | Brian O’Neill | 80.5 |
Originally a major question mark, Minnesota’s defense now looks like a strength. And if that remains the case, going forward, it will give Darnold a lot more room for error, as he and KOC continue to get more and more on the same page.