2020 NFL Power Rankings: Minnesota Vikings
Throughout the 2020 NFL season, we will compile a consensus NFL Power Rankings that averages the rankings of all 32 NFL teams.
Here is where the Minnesota Vikings rank in terms of average, best and worst:
- Average ranking: 23.0 (22nd)
- Best ranking: 20th (NFL.com)
- Worst ranking: 29th (CBS Sports)
Below you will find a Week 4 roundup for the Vikings in our consensus 2020 NFL Power Rankings.
The Athletic -- Rank: 23
What we learned: Their offense folded with the game on the line. The Athletic's Chad Graff wrote about how Mike Zimmer seemed to blame the offense, while Kirk Cousins seemed to blame the defense after their loss to the Titans. Minnesota looked much better than it did the first two weeks. The defense was far from perfect, but with 6:31 left, the offense had the ball and a two-point lead. Penalty, sack and an 8-yard Cousins checkdown on third-and-15. They went 12 yards before punting. After the Titans went ahead with a field goal, Minnesota's offense got another chance with 1:44 left, needing a field goal to win. On second-and-10, Cousins wasn't ready for the Garrett Bradbury snap, resulting in a 14-yard loss. Two plays later, on fourth-and-24, Cousins was intercepted, and the game was over. Given how well the offense had played throughout the game, that was a disappointing finish.
CBS Sports -- Rank: 29
At 0-3, their season is basically over. They are terrible on defense, which is strange under Mike Zimmer.
USA Today -- Rank: 22
Only Carolina has fewer sacks than Minnesota's three. With DE Danielle Hunter sorely missed, might be time for Mike Zimmer to ratchet up the blitz.
ESPN -- Rank: 21
What we got wrong: The interior of Minnesota's OL would improve in 2020.
Although the Vikings did move Pat Elflein to right guard and had a competition between two former backups for the starting job at left guard, many anticipated the continuity of this group (i.e., settling on a starting five early in camp) would yield a better result than we've seen so far. Kirk Cousins experienced the third-highest pressure rate of his career (47%) against Tennessee, and Dakota Dozier and Dru Samia are among the worst-ranked guards (per PFF) in the NFL. This unit hasn't gotten better because its personnel has not gotten better. -- Courtney Cronin
Although the Vikings did move Pat Elflein to right guard and had a competition between two former backups for the starting job at left guard, many anticipated the continuity of this group (i.e., settling on a starting five early in camp) would yield a better result than we've seen so far. Kirk Cousins experienced the third-highest pressure rate of his career (47%) against Tennessee, and Dakota Dozier and Dru Samia are among the worst-ranked guards (per PFF) in the NFL. This unit hasn't gotten better because its personnel has not gotten better. -- Courtney Cronin
NFL.com -- Rank: 20
A crushing loss for the Vikings, who wasted a double-digit second-half lead at home to fall to 0-3. You can hang this latest setback on the defense, which allowed 444 yards, including 119 yards rushing to Derrick Henry and multiple deep-strike completions by Ryan Tannehill. Consider what the Vikings wasted: Dalvin Cook set a career high with 181 rushing yards and a score, while rookie first-round pick Justin Jefferson broke out with a monster 7/175/1 performance. To get those games and still find yourself winless entering Week 4 ... that's a tough pill to swallow. The loss sets up a "Loser Goes Home" match against the 0-3 Texans on Sunday in Houston.
Previous update: Minnesota Vikings Week 3 NFL Power Rankings Roundup
More Minnesota Vikings pages:
- Minnesota Vikings Mock Draft Roundup
- Minnesota Vikings Snap Counts
- Minnesota Vikings Franchise Leaders
- Minnesota Vikings Draft History
- Minnesota Vikings Schedule
- Minnesota Vikings Tickets
- 2021 NFL Mock Draft
- 2022 NFL Mock Draft
- 2020 NBA Mock Draft
- Fantasy Football Rankings
- Fantasy Football Mock Drafts
