Vikings Preserve 3 Undefeated Streaks
The Minnesota Vikings knocked off the New York Jets on Sunday, holding off a late-game advance after New York nearly circumvented a 17-0 Vikings lead.
Vikings Preserve 3 Undefeated Streaks
Next up for Minnesota is a bye week when the club hopes to put the finishing touches on injury recoveries for T.J. Hockenson and Aaron Jones.
Along the way in England, the Vikings preserved three undefeated streaks. There are those ranked in ascending order (No. 1 = most important streak).
3. The Kevin O’Connell Turnover Stat/Streak
Vikings’ Record under Kevin O’Connell,
Breaking Even or Winning Turnover Battle:
22-0
Vikings’ Record under Kevin O’Connell,
Losing Turnover Battle:
3-14
Purple football is just one big fat turnover referendum under O’Connell. Here’s the easiest way to digest it: if Minnesota protects the ball or forces turnovers on defense, it wins. Plain and simple. The game ends unkindly 88% of the time when it loses the turnover battle.
In Week 5, Rodgers threw 3 interceptions in London, all pretty damn deadly. His first was returned for a pick-six by outside linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel.
After that, safety Camryn Bynum picked Rodgers off, and 90 minutes later, new cornerback and five-time Pro Bowler Stephon Gilmore sealed the deal with a game-winning pick. Minnesota turned the ball over twice to New York’s thrice.
Updated Streak: 22-0 under Kevin O’Connell when winning the turnover differential battle or breaking even.
2. The London Undefeated Streak
Minnesota won an exhibition showdown in London 41 years ago — and then never stopped winning there.
Since that victory, various iterations of Vikings have won three more times, knocking off the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2013, the Cleveland Browns in 2017, and the New Orleans Saints (in a thriller) during the 2022 campaign.
London is incredibly friendly to the Vikings, evidenced by a fifth dub across the pond. The ratio of Vikings fans to Jets faithful was damn near four to one.
Updated Streak: 5-0, including an exhibition, in London.
1. 5-0 to Start the Season
The Vikings are mowing down all suitors, and only the Kansas City Chiefs have matched their pace. These are updated Super Bowl odds after Minnesota’s Week 5 triumph:
- Kansas City Chiefs: +500
- San Francisco 49ers: +700
- Baltimore Ravens: +7500
- Houston Texans: +1100
- Buffalo Bills: +1100
- Detroit Lions: +1100
- Minnesota Vikings: +1200
- Philadelphia Eagles: +1500
- Green Bay Packers: +2500
- Dallas Cowboys: +2500
- New York Jets: +2800
- Atlanta Falcons: +2800
Minnesota is now the seventh-likeliest team to win the chip in February and can climb even higher in 13 days if it beats the Lions at U.S. Bank Stadium.
For the first time in eight years — we’re not gonna talk about what happened that year — the Vikings are undefeated through five weeks.
Updated Streak: 5-0 in 2024
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the purple team, with 4-7 episodes per week. His MIN obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL.
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
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