The Minnesota Vikings are set to take on the Los Angeles Chargers at noon on Sunday afternoon in a battle of 0-2 teams.
The matchup opened with the Chargers as 1.5-point favorites per Bet MGM but that has dropped to Chargers -1.
Buy Vikings TicketsThe game also shows the dichotomy of two higher-powered offenses that are different, as the Chargers have not turned it over at all while the Vikings have turned it over seven times.
Going into the game, the Vikings are in borderline desperation mode. They need to avoid going 0-3 if they want to contend for the NFC North title let alone a playoff spot. However, there are plenty of reasons for optimism heading into week three.
1. Justin Jefferson keeps improving
It’s no secret that Justin Jefferson is a tremendous football player, but his ability to grow despite how talented he is truly shows his greatness. Through two games, Jefferson has topped 150 yards in each game with a total of 309 yards on 20 receptions. If he keeps up this pace, Jefferson will have 170 receptions for 2,627 yards.
How he has gotten there is what’s most impressive. Jefferson’s ability to maneuver through traffic and beat coverage while moving like Gumby in the open field is truly impressive. He is aging like a fine wine and hasn’t truly entered his prime yet.
2. The Vikings offensive line is doing a good job pass blocking
The overall sentiment with the Vikings offensive line is that they have struggled. There have been warts, especially at left tackle with Christian Darrisaw missing last Thursday’s game against the Eagles. The losses have been brutal, but they have been minimal.
Per Sports Info Solutions, the Vikings have only allowed pressure on 28.0% of passing plays. That ranks eighth in the NFL. It’s an impressive number for a unit that hasn’t been looked at favorably in years. The warts still need fixing, but it’s a good start.
3. Danielle Hunter is still great
Through two games, Danielle Hunter leads the NFL in sacks with 4.0. He also has nine pressures and has wreaked havoc in the passing and running games. His presence has made a huge impact for the Vikins in their pass rush, especially with the absence of Marcus Davenport.
Once the edge room is fully healthy, we will be able to see how much more impact Hunter can have because he won’t be the sole focus on the edge.
4. The secondary isn't a liability
Going into the season, the secondary was a big question mark. Through two games, it certainly doesn’t feel like a weakness. There have been a couple of coverage busts, but outside of that, they have been rock solid.
Through two games, the Vikings defense is allowing 170 yards passing per game and have done a great job in attacking the football once it’s caught and while it’s in the air. Akayleb Evans looks like a quality starter, Mekhi Blackmon looks legit and Byron Murphy Jr. has lived up to expectations thus far.
Pair all of that with the growth of Camryn Bynum and they have a good group. It’s not great or a true strength, but it’s solid and that’s an improvement.
5. Turnovers won't last
One of the annoying talking points for the Vikings this offseason was the impending regression to the mean in one-score games. It wasn’t about how they played in those games or why it happened, but just that it would regress.
One of the stats that isn’t stable to predict both year-over-year and week-over-week is turnovers. The Vikings have turned the ball over an astounding seven times and that isn’t sustainable as is fumbling the ball six times and losing them all. This will hopefully make an impact on the Vikings offense and help them take a step forward.
6. Greg Joseph is perfect with his kicks
The Vikings issues at kicker are well documented over the last 30 years and so far this season, there haven’t been any issues. Greg Joseph has made his only field goal attempt and all six of his extra points. This won’t continue all season, but it’s a great start.
