Your typical powers in the NFC (Los Angeles, San Francisco or Green Bay) cannot get up off the mat, while the Eagles and Vikings may have something cooking in a transitional year.
The 5-1 Vikings already lead the Packers by two games in the NFC North, with Chicago and Detroit already out of the conversation. We knew Green Bay was going to step back after the departure of Devonte Adams, but for Minnesota to resoundingly crash the party is a breath of fresh air in an otherwise stale hierarchy.
Minnesota rides a four-game winning streak, with all four wins being by a combined 22 points. Their lone blemish on the schedule was a Week 2 loss to the Eagles. The opener against Green Bay turned out to be a laugher (24-7), but Green Bay has been on the wrong end of a couple other laughers early on.
Ask Zach Wilson and the New York Jets how serious they are to take the Packers this year after Sunday’s victory at Lambeau Field.
Kirk Cousins has 1,502 passing yards (ninth among starting QBs) and 9 touchdowns (T-8th). The 34-year-old veteran is now into the extension of his contract, paying him $31.6 million this year and $36.25 million in 2023. Cousins was the first quarterback to sign a fully guaranteed contract in league history when coming over to Minnesota from the (then-) Washington Redskins in 2018.
Dalvin Cook is simply having another Dalvin Cook year. Sixth in the league in rushing (450 yards) and four touchdowns means that the three-time Pro Bowler is rounding into form as the weather turns colder. Cook already has 43 rushing touchdowns in a little over three years in the league. Cris Carter only caught touchdowns during his tenure with the Vikings, while Cook seems to be doing the exact same at a tougher skill position.
Then there is the topic of the receivers the Vikes have historically turned out. We talked about Carter a moment ago. Then the Vikings had Stefon Diggs turn into the best receiver in the game after the “Minneapolis Miracle” in the 2017 Divisional Playoff against the New Orleans Saints. Diggs moved onto Buffalo in 2020, opening the door for Adam Thielen to shine. Now Justin Jefferson has entered the chat room where the topic is the one receiver in football that no one can seem to cover.
Jefferson already has 46 receptions in just six games, fourth best in the league. His 654 yards are third to only Diggs (656) and Miami’s Tyreke Hill (701). Jefferson has 11 grabs over 20 yards and three over 30. The only major receiving category Jefferson sits outside the top 10 in would be touchdowns (2). Jefferson has gone for 107. 154 and 147 yards each of the past three weeks, but has not scored since the opener against the Packers.
I am partial to Minnesota’s kicker, Greg Joseph. You see, when I attended my first Cleveland Browns’ game in over 30 years back in 2019, Joseph hit the walk off winner with mere seconds remaining in overtime to take down the Baltimore Ravens.
It was Baker Mayfield’s first home start.
Joseph has a long of 56 yards this season, but is only at 69.2 percent on field goals. Last year he finished at 86.8. The smaller sample size early on is going to keep the percentage down, but the two games at the start of the winning streak were by four and three points respectively. Luckily, the Vikings should allow Joseph to correct a lot of these early mistakes by fattening up the offense against the Lions and Washington Commanders the next two weeks.
This is the time Minnesota needs to step up, or step aside to let Green Bay back in the door.
-JC24