NFL power rankings: Vikings continue to drop

They’ve lost eight fumbles and allowed every single opponent they’ve faced to score first, which at least partially explains how they’re sitting at 1-4. So, do we take any solace from the fact that they were competitive against the Chiefs? It’s very hard to when Justin Jefferson had a tough game and left with a hamstring injury, and it’s even harder when the script plays out similarly to previous losses. A fumble on the first scrimmage play of the game, which no doubt was a point of emphasis all week in practice from Kevin O’Connell and his staff. … Clock and game management errors. … Offensive and defensive failures at key moments in a winnable game. That’s a lot to clean up before facing the Bears on the road. And now the Vikings must move forward without their best player for at least the next four contests, as Jefferson is hitting injured reserve.

Wide receiver Jordan Addison has been what the Vikings drafted him to be, a solid second option behind Justin Jefferson. Addison has 19 catches for 249 yards. Third-round cornerback Mekhi Blackmon is starting to show some flashes. He’s had nine tackles in the last two games he’s played and was active against the Chiefs on Sunday.

The Vikings are about to get a taste of a possible future without Justin Jefferson.

The Vikings were the worst 13-win team ever last season, by plenty of measures. This season, they’re clearly the best 1-4 team. That’s not even an argument. But 1-4 is a bad place to be in the NFL, and it’s starting to feel like an unsatisfying end to the Kirk Cousins era, which has been unsatisfying before this season.

They competed against the Chiefs, but it doesn’t matter. At 1-4, they now start playing division games, which gives them a chance to get back in the race. Or does it?

Mattison himself has been decent when called upon, and a pair of touchdown receptions has boosted his fantasy point total. But in building their offense around receiver Justin Jefferson, and in attempting to come back from early deficits, the Vikings simply haven’t run the ball much. They lead the NFL in passing attempts (204) and have fewer carries by running backs than all but one team. The biggest surprise is that Mattison, a powerful inside runner, hasn’t been able to punch it into the end zone on any of his 11 red zone carries. The Vikings are one of two teams that don’t have a rushing touchdown. — Kevin Seifert

I understand regression to the mean, but this is getting ridiculous. It feels like the football gods are punishing the Vikings for going 11-0 in one-possession games last year, as they have now been within one possession in all five games and lost four of them. For what it’s worth, I was impressed by the way Brian Flores and the Minnesota defense were able to frustrate the Chiefs.

After falling by seven points to the Kansas City Chiefs Sunday, all five of the Vikings games have been decided by one score. And in losing four of them, any hopes the Vikings have of making the postseason is circling the drain. It’s not hard to see why the Vikings are losing these close ones, either—Minnesota’s 12 giveaways lead the league.

As if all that’s not bad enough, the Vikings also lost star wideout Justin Jefferson to a hamstring injury. The severity of the injury is unknown, but quarterback Kirk Cousins told reporters the team is hopeful that his absence will be short one.

“Justin has done a phenomenal job for the last three-and-a-half years of staying healthy and being healthy every week, which is hard to do,” Cousins said. “Even with this injury, it makes you pause and be grateful for how healthy he has been.”

Why is offensive balance often a virtue? Consider one-win Minnesota, which has thrown more passes (204) than any team in the league while attempting the fewest runs (91). However that calculus might have to change with All-Pro Justin Jefferson’s hamstring injury forcing him to IR.

The Vikings were by far the luckiest team last season when it came to recovering fumbles. They fumbled the ball 18 times on offense but lost just eight of those. But on defense, they forced 11 fumbles and recovered 10. Through two games this season, the Vikings offense had put the ball on the turf six times … and lost all six of them. The defense had forced just one fumble but didn’t recover it.

There are bright spots, to be sure. The team lost to the Eagles by only six in Week 2, despite Justin Jefferson’s fumble out of the end zone on what should have been a scoring drive. They lost to the Buccaneers by a field goal in Week 1. And just like the Vikings’ advantageous 2022 fumble luck has regressed to begin this season, their run of astounding bad luck shouldn’t continue for 15 more games. Brighter days are ahead. But for those who thought last season’s Vikings were overrated and wouldn’t be able to weather less fortunate bounces of the football, 2023 has been proof. —Riley McAtee

The Vikings’ magical late-game mojo is gone, replaced with critical costly mistakes and falling just short of finishing. Now Justin Jefferson needs to fight through a hamstring injury to keep things from unraveling further.

The Minnesota Vikings may have outplayed the Chiefs on Sunday. However, the Chiefs were perfect in the red zone, and they limited their mistakes where the Vikings could not. And in the end, those mistakes cost them the game.

The Vikings don’t necessarily need to make a move for an RB because they’re not contending in 2023. But it’s quite clear that Alexander Mattison and Cam Akers are not a duo capable of carrying the load, even in a league that has almost completely devalued the position.