The Vikings are one of eight unbeaten teams after two weeks of the 2026 season, but it’s hardly been thanks to sparkling offensive play. In the latest SKOLding Hot Take, Jonathan Pye takes a look at where the Vikings have impressed and how they can keep up this form.
Super Bowl calibre defense?
For the first time since the franchise’s last run to the NFC Championship Game, the Minnesota Vikings have a unit on the team that is Super Bowl calibre. Personnel-wise, it feels like there are no real weaknesses on the unit.
The depth has improved after a selection of good draft picks in the last draft. The revamped defensive line – or the “$7 Million Men” as they were coined last week by NFL analyst Jon Gruden – have added a level of interior play through two weeks that the Vikings haven’t seen since the days of the “Williams Wall”.
Levi Drake Rodriguez is playing a bigger role now in his third year. A warrior in the trenches, he has consistently finished plays and has deserved further playing time in his first two years. He’s showing a stable level of run-stuffing ability.
Jalen Redmond has continued his ascent, and in a bigger market area, he could be deemed a genuine star in the league. His performance against Chicago was stellar, the peanut punch of D’Andre Swift at the 1-yard line on the first drive of the second half prevented a touchdown and a certain momentum shift.
That play wouldn’t have been possible without the superb work of Domonique Orange, the third-round selection in the 2026 draft. For once it was a great feeling to be on the end of a Garrett Bradbury special, as he was bull rushed into oblivion.
For all the noise surrounding Caleb Banks’ less than promising preseason, he had some plays that popped out on the tape after he had to come in and play more snaps after the injury to Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins. It will take time with Banks, just as it did with Dallas Turner, but we have to trust his football fundamentals. The more snaps he plays, the more he’ll learn how to use his size in the professional game. Beating up on Joe Thuney on a couple plays is a great sign for the potential that Banks has!
The offseason was a big pivot point. It was crucial that the Vikings got younger and speedier on the defense. Several money-saving moves were made as Jonathan Greenard was traded to the Eagles, and seasoned veteran defensive tackles Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave were also released. Greenard is yet to play a snap in Philadelphia, still dealing with the injury that ruled him out after the Cowboys game last season.
Championships are won in the trenches and significant depth is needed and that can only be built through the draft and complemented through free agency. In recent years Minnesota has operated the other way round, which has led to the team being one of the oldest in the league when age is weighted to snap counts.
The Vikings now have sufficient depth in most aspects of the defence, the ceiling of the team will depend on any improvements that come from the offensive side of the ball.
Carson Wentz: Game Manager
Carson Wentz has managed the game well the first two weeks of the season. He has done as well you would hope if your starting quarterback goes down with a concussion 11 offensive snaps into the season. He has steadied the ship, he hasn’t fumbled the ball and – according to the stat line alone – hasn’t thrown any interceptions. He had one pick called back for a penalty against the Packers, and Jordan Addison broke one up on the first drive of the game against the Bears.
The offense has been safe and cautious, especially against the Bears last week. After an initial 8-yard run, Kevin O’Connell called seven straight passes to get into the red zone before stalling out on the almost-interception and a pass that went just out of Justin Jefferson’s reach in the back of the end zone.
With the weather conditions, it was wise of O’Connell to pull back the offense and lean on Aaron Jones and the run game. The offense wasn’t going to win this game against the Bears, but any short field given up could harm the defense, who turned out to be the unit that controlled the fate of the game.
When you have a top three defense in the league with a backup quarterback, punting the ball is never a bad option; taking a sack instead of throwing up a contestable catch to one of your receivers is never a bad option; taking a field goal instead of going for it on fourth and medium is never a bad option. It’s imperative to live to fight another day and ride the hot hand of the defense and the special teams unit.
Assessing the team’s ceiling
It is imperative for the offense to kick on if the Vikings want to make a run in the playoffs this year. The passing game needs some legs, and Kyler Murray needs time in the system. The next three games before the bye should provide that before the team faces stronger oppostion.
The question is, are the 2026 Minnesota Vikings going to be like the 2025 Seattle Seahawks or the 2025 Houston Texans? A basic level of offensive competence is required to make the difference. Turnovers created by the defense need to be capitalised on with touchdowns, not field goals or even punting the ball back as happened against Chicago last week.
It’s time to see more trick plays, and more shots to the end zone to Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison. While they are good run blockers, at the end of the day, their job is to catch passes and both are being criminally underused through two weeks. Kevin, it’s time to unleash the offense, and combine Frank Smith’s run game with your deep passing game.
Do you have any big opinions you want to share about the Vikings? Let us know by sending us an email to UKVikingsFanClub@gmail.com or drop a DM to any of our social media channels.