The Minnesota Vikings are the last remaining undefeated team in the NFL after both the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers suffered their first losses in Week 7. Minnesota, meanwhile, defeated the Indianapolis Colts, 16-10 on Sunday to improve to 6-0. The Vikings boast the league's best defense entering Monday, allowing just 12.3 points per game, but are only 23rd in offense at 20.8 points per contest.
With offseason quarterback signing Kyler Murray appearing, thus far, to be more of a game manager this fall, Minnesota has plenty of skeptics. Mike Sando of The Athletic talked with an anonymous veteran NFL coach who sees the Vikings having a short playoff journey in the winter. "They are 6-0, but this is a first-round playoff loser," the coach said.
"They have lived this life before. Aaron Jones got hurt today, too, so that is an issue." Fortunately for Minnesota, it was reported on Monday that running back Aaron Jones' knee injury that he suffered on Sunday "is not considered to be significant." The Vikings, notably, have also played four inferior opponents (on paper) over the last four weeks. Since opening the year with wins against the Green Bay Packers (4-3) and Chicago Bears (5-2), Minnesota has defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-5), Miami Dolphins (1-6), New Orleans Saints (2-5) and Colts (2-5) from Weeks 3 to 7.
Things should get more challenging for Murray and company, with matchups versus the Detroit Lions (4-2), Buffalo Bills (5-1), Packers and 49ers coming up across the next month. If the likes of Jones and superstar wide receiver Justin Jefferson stay healthy, Murray keeps doing enough to keep his team in games and the defense remains elite, the Vikings could make their first deep postseason run of the decade.
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