The Vikings get Week 4 at home with a perfect record and a familiar face on the other sideline.
Minnesota is 3-0 after the first three weeks of the 2026 season and will host the Miami Dolphins on Sunday at U.S. Bank Stadium. Miami, meanwhile, is still looking for its first win of the year, and Brian Flores is set to be part of the story again as the former Dolphins head coach returns to face the team he once led.
The matchup will come with the usual Week 4 build-up: injury updates for both teams, inactives before kickoff, predictions from national experts, and the biggest angles to watch as Sunday approaches. Minnesota’s and Miami’s injury reports are expected to be posted after each team’s first practice of the week on Wednesday, September 30.
One of the biggest questions in Minnesota centers on Justin Jefferson. The star receiver left the Week 3 game early in the first quarter after hurting his ankle and did not return, even though he hoped to. Less than 24 hours after the Vikings beat the Bucs, the injury was reported as not believed to be serious, and Jefferson could even be available against Miami.
There’s also the question of Kyler Murray’s play. His first start of the season in Week 1 ended after 11 snaps because of a concussion.
In Week 3, he stayed on the field for the entire game, but the performance didn’t inspire much confidence. Sunday will be another chance to see whether that outing was a one-off or a sign of what’s ahead, especially against one of the NFL’s worst defenses.
Flores’ return adds another layer. He coached the Dolphins from 2019 to 2021 before being fired after the 2021 season, even though Miami finished 9-8 after opening the year by losing eight of its first nine games.
Now he’ll be on the opposite sideline with Minnesota’s defense, and the Vikings will be looking to make life miserable for Dolphins quarterback Malik Willis inside U.S. Bank Stadium.
And then there’s Will Reichard, who has been flawless through the first three games. The Vikings kicker has made all seven of his field-goal attempts and all six extra points this season, and he has connected on 26 straight field-goal tries dating back to last year. With Minnesota’s offense struggling over the last two weeks, Reichard has carried plenty of the scoring load, and it will be worth watching whether that perfect streak survives another week.
In Other News...
Vikings Have A New Broncos-Linked Roster Question To Watch
Brett Rypiens latest NFL stop came in Tampa Bay after the Buccaneers had to look for quarterback help following Baker Mayfields injury, another reminder of how quickly the leagues roster churn can open a door for familiar names. For Minnesota, the more relevant development is on the other side of the ball, where former Broncos running back Audric Estime surfaced for a tryout with the Vikings as teams continue sorting through depth and insurance options late in the season.
Estimes workout gives Minnesota another Broncos-linked roster question to monitor, especially as the Vikings keep an eye on the kind of backfield move that can quietly matter when injuries pile up. Delarrin Turner-Yell also had a tryout with New Orleans, and a number of other former Broncos have been moving through recent signings and auditions around the league, but the Vikings next decision on Estime is the one worth watching most closely. [Read more 🡒]
Vikings Win Streak Is Hiding A Bigger Kevin OConnell Problem
The Vikings are still undefeated through three weeks, and the mood around the building has been shaped mostly by Brian Flores defense, which has done the heavy lifting while the rest of the roster tries to settle in. Even with that strong start, the broader picture is harder to ignore because Kevin OConnells offense has not come close to matching the pace of the teams record.
The issues only look bigger in the wake of Justin Jeffersons absence, since Minnesota has struggled to generate anything consistent without its top target. The most recent game brought the Vikings lowest offensive success rate in 20 seasons, and the club now sits last in the league in total yards per game, leaving OConnell with a much tougher problem than the win-loss column suggests. [Read more 🡒]
Vikings May Have Found The Special Teams Weapon They Needed
For a team off to a 3-0 start, little edges can feel huge, and the Vikings got one on special teams from an unexpected source. Myles Prices punt return for a touchdown was the kind of swing play that can change the mood of a game in a hurry, but it also stood out because of how cleanly it came together. Tai Felton, Charles Demmings, Jay Ward and Chaz Chambliss all had a hand in making the lane work, turning what could have been a routine return into a rare score.
It was Minnesotas first punt-return touchdown since 2016, which makes the moment more than just a flash play in one recent game. For a team trying to stack wins early, finding a reliable spark in the return game matters, especially when the blocks, coverage and timing all line up the way they did here. The bigger question now is whether this was a one-time burst or the start of a much-needed weapon the Vikings can keep leaning on. [Read more 🡒]