Despite an 0-2 start for the Minnesota Vikings, there have been quite a few interesting things that have happened. It’s rare that you turn the ball over seven times with a -6 turnover differential over the first two games, but the Vikings did just that.
What they also did was stay in both games, losing by just three and six points. They will get the ship righted and the turnovers, which isn’t a stable metric week-to-week, won’t continue at this rate.
Buy Vikings TicketsAfter two weeks, there are some interesting stats that stand out both in a good way and a bad way. Here are the eight that stood out the most
1. Justin Jefferson leads NFL in receiving yards
The league’s best non-quarterback is Justin Jefferson and it’s not close. He has topped 150 yards receiving in each of the first two games and that could easily keep happening with the state of the running game for the Vikings.
2. The Vikings don't have a single rush over 10 yards
The state of the Vikings’ running game is poor at best. They have ran the ball 22 times for a paltry 65 yards, both the lowest in the National Football League. Some of that has to do with the poor blocking and the running back play hasn’t been great either. The Vikings signed Dalton Risner likely hoping he can change things up on the line and make an impact.
3. Danielle Hunter leads the NFL in sacks
Despite the up-and-down nature of the Vikings defense over the first two weeks, the one constant bright spot has been Danielle Hunter. He leads the NFL with four sacks with nine pressures overall according to Pro Football Focus. A 44.4% rate on converting pressures to sacks is also excellent
4. Jordan Addison matches rookie WR record
The Vikings struck gold once again with rookie wide receiver Jordan Addison. They have created their own luck in the 20s by selecting Randy Moss, Percy Harvin, Justin Jefferson and now Addison. He joins Sammy White in 1976 and Harvin in 2009 as the only rookies in Vikings history to score touchdowns in their first two games. That isn’t going to stop anytime soon.
5. Vikings offensive line isn't allowing much pressure
The general tone among fans and analysts is that the Vikings aren’t playing well. Some advanced metrics would disagree. According to Sports Info Solutions, the Vikings have allowed pressure on just 28% of their 88 dropbacks, good for eighth in the NFL. For context, 16th in the league, the Denver Broncos, is at 32.5%. That is a great sign for the Vikings, who have already played a full game without their starting left tackle and center.
6. Ivan Pace Jr. is outsnapping Brian Asamoanh more than 7:1
The find of Ivan Pace Jr. has been a huge one for the Vikings. He has played really well, especially when the Vikings ask him to blitz. Rushing the passer has always been his forte and it’s translating. What is surprising is how much Pace has been playing over Brian Asamoah II. Pace has 107 snaps to Asamoah’s 14, which is quite a surprise with how Asamoah finished the season.
7. Personnel groupings have changed
In the 2022 season, the Vikings used 11 personnel 73% of the time, more than all but four teams. This season, it’s down to 62% of the time, which is 15th in the NFL. Both 12 and 21 personnel have gone up 5% this season, and that percentage will rise with more success in the running game.
8. 7 (almost 8) turnover in two weeks
The Vikings have been successful on offense, but turnovers have crushed them. They have turned the ball over seven times with an eighth being wiped out by a turnover. Six of those have been fumbles and only one player (Kirk Cousins) has been responsible for more than one fumble. That isn’t going to be consistent for the Vikings all year, but it’s worrisome early on.
