3 Keys to a Vikings Win vs. the Chargers
The Minnesota Vikings are preparing to kick off Week 8 of the NFL season with a Thursday Night Football matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers.
Minnesota is once again looking to get back on track after losing to the Philadelphia Eagles just four days ago at home. Here are three keys that could lead to a Vikings win on Thursday night.
Get After Justin Herbert
Justin Herbert has been put under a ton of pressure to begin the 2025 season. The QB has been pressured on 135 dropbacks, more than any other quarterback in the league. It’s not particularly close, either. Cam Ward has been pressured the second-most times, facing pressure on 105 dropbacks.
Meanwhile, the Vikings have the third-highest pressure rate on defense at 29.2%. Hopefully, this means Minnesota will be able to get Herbert out of rhythm early and often in order to force mistakes or wrap plays up with big sacks.
However, it should be noted that Joe Alt could very well be back on the field for the Chargers after missing the past three games. His presence will make it a bit tougher to put pressure on Herbert.
Force Turnovers
Under Brian Flores, the Minnesota Vikings defense has been a high flying unit that forces turnovers with a fervor.
However, that has not been the case so far in 2025. The Vikings have now gone three straight games without forcing a turnover, marking the first time in Flores’ tenure that the Vikings have gone consecutive games without at least one turnover.
On the other hand, this Chargers team has been prone to turning the ball over recently. LA has committed multiple turnovers in four of its past five games, going 2-3 during that span.
Establish the Running Game
It’s something that Vikings fans have pounded the table for since Kevin O’Connell arrived in Minnesota: establishing the running game.
However, once again in 2025, running the football has gone under the radar for this team. The Vikings rank in the bottom five of NFL teams in terms of rushing attempts and rushing yards, and they have only surpassed 100 rushing yards twice in six games.
Again, though, this is an area where the Chargers defense has struggled so far this season. LA has allowed the 11th-most rushing yards this season, and their 5.1 rushing yards allowed per carry is the fifth-worst in the league. The Chargers have allowed at least 118 rushing yards in each of their past five games, so maybe the Vikings can get something going in that department on Thursday.
Editor’s Note: Statistics for this article were found via NFL Next Gen Stats, Pro Football Focus, and Pro Football Reference.
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