The Minnesota Vikings improved to 5-0 with a convincing (if disappointing) victory over the New Orleans Saints. A 23-13 final is fine, but the game should have been at least 29-7, more like 33-7. But a win is a win; in the end, that’s all that matters.
Early in the 2026 season, when the Vikings seemed to be getting the most breaks, they got another one: a bye. A Week 6 bye didn’t look appealing before the season, but it couldn’t have come at a better time. Injuries abound, and just one week off is all the doctor ordered to get healthy before what is sure to be the scariest stretch of the schedule. After Week 5, the next five opponents have a combined 17-8 record, including the current Super Bowl favorite, the 49ers, and the Bills.
Except for the Vikings, of course. Duh.
Aaron Jones, Sr., RB1: Jones shouldered the burden as the passing game took a hit amid the loss of Jordan Mason. All the while, he himself was bumped. Since Week 1, he has surpassed 100 all-purpose yards in every game except the win against the Buccaneers, in which he had 92 yards. He is currently 5th in the NFL in carries and 6th in rushing yards. His 410 rushing yards so far is one less than the Vikings. put together net passing yards in weeks 1 through 3. At age 31, his performance so far totaled nearly 1,400 rushing yards. He likely won’t reach that total as Mason is slated to return, but we wouldn’t be sitting at 5-0 today if Jones wasn’t leading the way.
Kyler Murray, Up: The performance against the Saints was exactly what was needed and more. Murray built on his outstanding 4th quarter against the Dolphins to include his first complete game: 24 of 30 for 229 yards, a touchdown, and an excellent 109.6 QB rating. What really drove the excitement level to 11, however, was his 51 rushing yards in key situations, moving the chains and extending drives. It’s exactly what we envisioned when we signed him in the offseason. Injuries have delayed it a bit, but fashion is our friend. If Murray continues to improve in the coming weeks, the sky is the limit for what this team can achieve this year. Why? because…
Vikings Defense, Historic (Potential): In another week that makes an opposing quarterback more uncomfortable than I do at a Taylor Swift concert, Brian Flores’ group laid the early groundwork for a potentially historic unit. With about 30% of the season in rearview, the Vikings gave up just 12.8 points per game (11.6, not including the Saints’ fumble-recovery TD). Advanced analytics from standard sources rank them #1 in the following categories: EPA/plays allowed, points per drive, red zone conversion rate, pressure rate, and sack rate. This is on top of their high rankings in the traditional categories: passer rating allowed (#1), completion percentage (#1), turnover differential (#1), takeaways (2nd), sacks (3rd), and yards per pass attempt (7th).
Guys, I watch a lot of football. I rarely miss a primetime NFL game, and I have a four-screen Sunday Ticket setup when the Vikings aren’t playing. This is a huge source of annoyance for my husband. One of many, really. You shouldn’t be playing well on defense in 2026. Years of rule changes favoring offenses and quarterbacks, along with the salary cap and other factors, have made defensive dominance more difficult than it was 20 years ago. The 80s and 90s? Forget it. The defense the Vikings play today should never happen in the modern NFL.
I’m not ready to call this defense historic yet, but if it handles the upcoming test of potentially dangerous, high-powered offenses (Lions, Bills, Packers, 49ers) in a similar fashion, then, yes, I declare it the best NFL defense in many seasons since the Legion of Boom in Seattle and the best Vikings defense since the Purple People Eater.
Will Reichard, Modern-Day Elvis. No one since The King of Rock ‘n’ Roll has reshaped pop culture and redefined their chosen field. It was bigger than Beatlemania. Paul needs John; John needs Paul; they both need to be challenged by George; and Ringo had to steady the ship (and the loser). Doesn’t Thrill need anyone. The charisma. The aura. He throws arrogant conceits, confronts players, and pushes away anyone who dares enter his orbit uninvited. Will Reichard is a vibe. It’s only a matter of time before she’s linked to some famous Gen Z actress or singer I’ve never heard of.
Only one kicker has won the NFL MVP: Mark Moseley in 1982. But that was a strike-shortened season, and he actually missed a field goal. After five weeks, Kilig is your NFL MVP. He was 15-for-15 on field goals (5-for-5 from 50+ yards) and 8-for-8 on extra points, for 53 points. For reference, that’s about half of the Vikings’ overall scoring (109 points).
That said, it might not be the end of the world if he misses one, say, up 31-7 to the Jets in Week 17. Going into the postseason without missing a field goal brings back a particular memory. Am I the only Vikings fan whose mind is so lost and scarred by past heartbreaks that I even think about something?
The Vikings have the NFL’s toughest remaining schedule (.568) when they return home from the bye. While the combined 9-1 records of the 49ers and Bills play a role, the sledding going forward is still very difficult. Two Lions games and a trip to Lambeau Field still lie ahead, for example. The good news is, of the 12 remaining games, seven are at US Bank Stadium, and the 49ers game is on a neutral field.
With an improving, healthier offense driven by a more comfortable Kyler Murray and the NFL’s best defense, there’s legitimate reason to back the loftiest expectations over the next few months. I don’t care if the ’72 Dolphins, ’85 Bears, and ’89 49ers are on the schedule.
Coming out of the gate 5-0 is huge, but it doesn’t change the calculus for this season: playoff success. We’ve seen variations of this movie over the past decade, and I wanted no part of any of the previous results. After going 5-0 in 2016, we went 8-8 and missed the playoffs. Two years ago, 5-0 became 14-3, and Vikings fans wished they would miss the playoffs. I don’t care if we lose that and go 15-2. We must tear up the previous scripts and rewrite the ending. Maybe it’s Halloween season, but I’m done with horror movies. Time for one of those cheesy, feel-good Hallmark Christmas closing scenes. Kevin O’Connell needs it, and, more importantly, a long-suffering, loyal Vikings fanbase needs it. It’s the 50th anniversary of our last Super Bowl appearance. Enough is enough. It’s time.