No. 2 (unchanged): NFL Staff, Bleacher Report
For most of their unbeaten start, the Minnesota Vikings have been fueled by some of the best games of Sam Darnold’s career. On Sunday in London, the seventh-year veteran had his worst game of the season — completing just 14 plays on 31 attempts for 179 yards with an interception.
It doesn’t matter. Because as good teams often do, when one side of the game falters, another side steps in to take its place.
For the Vikings in Week 5, it was the defense that saved the day. The Vikings picked off Aaron Rodgers three times on Sunday — including the first time Rodgers was intercepted twice in the first quarter. One of those interceptions was returned 63 yards for a touchdown by Andrew Van Ginkel — his second pick of the season.
On a day when the Vikings lost leading running back Aaron Jones to a groin injury, Minnesota gained just 82 yards on 30 carries and Darnold struggled, Minnesota put the clamps on Rodgers and the Jets. New York had just 254 yards of offense, turned the ball over three times and was held to five third-down conversions on 17 attempts.
Now the Vikings will head into their offseason in a position no one expected — as the only undefeated team in the NFC, and a team near the top of Bleacher Report’s NFL power rankings.
“After five weeks, it’s OK for everyone to start believing in the Vikings.” [Bleacher Report NFL analyst Brent] Sobelski said. “More importantly, Sam Darnold played his worst game of the year, and the team still won. When a quarterback doesn’t perform well and yet his team still finds a path to victory, they are officially a good all-around team. Darnold will bounce back.” , The Jets feature a good defense, and this particular contest had extenuating conditions for playing in London, and the bye week comes at an opportune time, as the Vikings now have two weeks to prepare for their rival, the Detroit Lions.
