Vikings Week Three Takeaways
Who would have thought that three weeks into the 2024 NFL Season the Minnesota Vikings would be undefeated? The Vikings rolled past the Houston Texans on Sunday with a 34-7 victory that was in my eyes even more impressive than their win over the 49ers last week. Momentum is building for this team and they are becoming more and more likable by the week. The Minnesota Vikings might actually be the real deal this season, but only time will tell. Now let’s get into some takeaways I have based on watching the game over the weekend.
First Takeaway: Sam Darnold Is in the MVP Conversation
Through three weeks of football, Sam Darnold ranks first in the NFL in passing touchdowns and quarterback rating among starters that have played the first three games. He has made smart decisions at every turn and has constantly kept the Vikings in a position to win these games. The NFC North quarterback situation is very interesting at the moment as Darnold very well could be the best in the division at the moment, especially with Jordan Love out right now. Darnold did suffer a knee injury during the game on Sunday but reports are saying he only has a knee bruise and avoided any structural damage, so he shouldn’t miss any time. Darnold has been a huge part of the reason that Minnesota is undefeated and if the Vikings can keep up this success, then there is no reason to think that Sam Darnold won’t be in the MVP conversation at the end of the year.
Second Takeaway: The Vikings’ Defense Is Deeper Than We Thought
The Vikings were without two of their best players on the defensive side of the ball in Dallas Turner and Ivan Pace Jr. and many thought this would be a major issue, especially when the team was playing an extremely loaded offense in the Houston Texans. However, the defense didn’t miss a beat and may have even looked better on Sunday than they did in their previous two outings. They were able to hold the Texans to a single touchdown during their matchup, and that is an offense that was averaging 24 points per game heading into Week Three. The front seven harassed C.J. Stroud all game, sacking him five times and forcing him to throw two interceptions. Being able to play as well as they did while missing two of their more impactful players goes to show the depth of this Vikings defensive unit.
Third Takeaway: The NFC Could Be Wide-Open
The NFC playoff picture is looking extremely interesting at the moment with certain teams playing above expectations while others are starting to raise question marks about their viability as contenders. The Vikings and Seahawks are both undefeated and are exceeding most people's expectations heading into the season. On the other side of things, the 49ers and Cowboys, who were widely considered favorites to make the Super Bowl before the start of the season, are sitting with a combined record of 2-4 through their first three games. Now, it is still extremely early and the Super Bowl is very far away, but the NFC is starting to look very competitive and the Minnesota Vikings are right in the mix of things at this very moment.
