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Most improved player: DE Everson Griffen

How they've improved: The Vikings brought back the 33-year-old defensive end, who spent 2010-19 in Minnesota, to be a rotational pass-rusher. Five games into the season, Griffen has played his way into the starting lineup. He has transitioned into a different role, splitting reps between defensive end and three-technique on passing downs. Griffen played a season-high 72% of snaps against Detroit and supplanted D.J. Wonnum in the lineup. With four sacks in five games -- after a total of six a year ago with Dallas and Detroit -- Griffen has cemented himself as a piece of the Vikings' pass rush that they cannot do without. -- Courtney Cronin

No Dalvin Cook? No problem! That was the general sentiment -- perhaps not behind the scenes at Vikings headquarters -- but around the team as it prepared for the winless Lions on Sunday. Naturally, Minnesota found itself in a street fight against Dan Campbell's scrappy group, which pushed the Vikings to the brink before the kicker saved the day. Greg Joseph hit four of five kicks, including the 54-yarder as time expired in a 19-17 win over Detroit. It was a redemptive moment for Joseph, whose miss from 37 yards out cost the Vikings a win over the Cardinals in Week 2. Still, concerns linger over an offense that looked all but unstoppable in the season's first three weeks. Is it a simple slump, or a sign of bigger issues?

They are 2-3 and barely scraped out a victory over the Lions. The offense has lost its power the past two weeks. That has to change quickly.

After leaving Minnesota in 2020, four-time Pro Bowl DE Everson Griffen is doing a heckuva job rekindling his career with the Vikes. He doubled his sack total to four Sunday after notching two in his first start of the season.

Breakout player: It's hard to get targets and touchdowns while playing alongside Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen, and yet receiver K.J. Osborn has turned into a very good WR3 in Minnesota, just one year after not registering a catch or even a passing target in his rookie season. Osborn's production has dipped a bit in the past two games after his hot start (he had 167 yards in the first two weeks), but he's given a spark to a Vikings offense that has needed it.