After a surprising and dominant victory over the San Francisco 49ers, the Minnesota Vikings have sent shockwaves throughout the NFL, and their rise in the power rankings has become a hot topic. When asked about this impressive climb, Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell delivered a humble yet powerful response that captured the attention of the football world.
Standing in front of the media in the locker room, O’Connell, still wearing his headset and with a slight smile of satisfaction, addressed the question of the team’s improved status in the NFL power rankings. “It’s great to see the recognition, but for us, it’s about focusing on one game at a time. Rankings don’t win championships—hard work and preparation do,” O’Connell said, his voice steady but filled with determination.
The win against the 49ers, a team considered a Super Bowl favorite, was no small feat. The Vikings dominated the game with explosive plays on both sides of the ball, stunning the heavily favored 49ers and their fan base. From the opening whistle, the team executed a flawless game plan that left the NFL world buzzing. Players celebrated with excitement on the sidelines, and the energy was palpable in the stadium as fans cheered louder with each big play.
After the game, O’Connell’s calm demeanor contrasted with the high emotions of the night. His focus was already on the next challenge, despite the magnitude of the victory. “We have to keep building on this, stay grounded, and continue to prove ourselves each week,” he added, emphasizing the need for consistency.
This unexpected win and O’Connell’s leadership have not only elevated the Vikings in the rankings but also raised the expectations of fans and analysts alike. As the season continues, all eyes will be on Minnesota to see if they can maintain their momentum and continue their climb toward NFL supremacy.
The Vikings made a massive statement after taking down the defending NFC champion 49ers in Week 2. With Sam Darnold at quarterback, some national pundits are still skeptical of buying into Minnesota as legit playoff contenders, but some are.
We have compiled a batch of power rankings from across several different media sources and put them in one comprehensive list. Let’s see where the Vikings and their NFC North foes rank…
The Athletic – No. 7 (up from No. 14)
Josh Kendall of The Athletic seems to be buying into Darnold and the Vikings. He was the highest on them after their Week 1 win over the Giants, but he thinks they took another step after taking down the 49ers.
CBS Sports – No. 5 (up from No. 18)
Pete Prisco and CBS Sports were thoroughly impressed by what they saw on Sunday. After jumping 13 spots in their rankings, no national media outlet is higher on the Vikings than CBS Sports.
SI.com – No. 9 (up from No. 18)
“Though it’s early, the Vikings have a legitimate top-10 passing offense and a defense that has allowed fewer points than only the Steelers, which played the Denver Broncos, and the Chargers, which has played both the Raiders and the Panthers,” Connor Orr of SI wrote. “Brian Flores is carving a pathway back to a head coaching chair so far with a pair of memorable performances against great offensive minds.”
NFL.com – No. 15 (up from No. 20)
Eric Edholm from NFL.com moved the Vikings up five spots, but he still doesn’t seem to be buying them as a legitimate playoff team. He called Sunday a “coaching gem” from Brian Flores, but ranked them behind teams like the Steelers and Jets.
Yahoo! – No. 11 (up from No. 20)
Frank Schwab gave the Vikings credit, saying, “There are not many better coaching staffs in the NFL,” and that Kevin O’Connell and Brian Flores are the biggest reason for their 2-0 start.
ESPN – No. 11 (up from No. 22)
ESPN moved the Vikings up only one spot following their Week 1 win, but they’ve now jumped 11 spots all the way up to No. 11. Jalen Nailor’s Week 2 performance was highlighted as the team’s “Most important backup/role player.”
PFT – No. 11 (up from No. 24)
Mike Florio was the lowest on the Vikings following their Week 1 victory, but he jumped them 13 spots in his rankings to No. 11. He called them the “worst team in the division on paper,” but they’re all alone in first place.
Division watch
Below are where the rest of the NFC North ranked in the compilation of power rankings above. We’ve averaged out the rankings into one number for clarity. It was not a great week for the Lions and Bears who both had disappointing performances and dropped in rankings. As for the Packers, they proved that they can be successful as Jordan Love rehabs back from injury and improved their ranking dramatically.
Detroit Lions
Average ranking: No. 5.57 (down from 3.14)
Highest ranking: No. 3 (SI)
Lowest ranking: No. 11 (CBS Sports)
Green Bay Packers
Average ranking: No. 11.71 (up from 14.14)
Highest ranking: No. 5 (SI)
Lowest ranking: No. 19 (Yahoo!)
Chicago Bears
Average ranking: No. 21 (up from 15.71)
Highest ranking: No. 16 (CBS Sports)
Lowest ranking: No. 26 (ESPN)
