Alec Lewis notices something different about this Vikings team following Week 8

Things can turn on a dime in the NFL. That’s been the case with the Vikings’ defense the past two weeks. The Lions’ loss wasn’t all that shocking, given how well both teams played, and Detroit has been a good team the past two seasons. But Minnesota was supposed to win in Los Angeles against a banged-up Rams team on Thursday night.

Instead, the Vikings dropped their second game in a row and fans had to watch the Minnesota defense get beat around. The Vikings’ defense was feared during the season’s first five games. Brian Flores had his team flying around and creating chaos on the field, but things changed on Thursday.

The Athletic’s Alec Lewis noted the big change he saw from the defensive unit.

“For more than a season now, when the Vikings defense has been going well, you can sense his players are aware of this. They know how tentative their opponents are, too, having done their best to psych themselves up before exiting the bus at the stadium. The best comparison is a championship boxer who steps into the ring knowing he is capable of utter destruction.

“But the opposite can also be true. You can sense when the Minnesota defenders realize they are touchable that they no longer feel bulletproof. This was apparent late last season and was evident again after Thursday night’s 30-20 loss to the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium.

“The confidence, bordering on arrogance, had evaporated. The Vikings defenders returned to the sideline after allowing touchdowns, settled their helmets on the bench and stared out at the turf longingly, almost as if they couldn’t figure out how the magic had disappeared so quickly.”

Flores and Kevin O’Connell will need to right this ship if the Vikings are to be true contenders in the NFC this season. Minnesota has a stretch of games it can and should win, starting Sunday against the Colts.