The Minnesota Vikings keep winning, but the way they’re doing it has put them in a strange corner of NFL history.
After Sunday’s 23-13 victory over the New Orleans Saints, Minnesota moved to 5-0 while becoming the lowest-scoring undefeated team through five games in the past 16 seasons. The Vikings have put up just 109 points so far, which is the fewest by any 5-0 team since 2010.
That number stands out even more because the offense has already had one big outburst. Minnesota scored 39 points in the season opener against Green Bay, then managed only 70 points across the other four wins. In those four games, the Vikings averaged just 17.5 points per contest.
The roughest stretches came in Weeks 2 and 4, when Minnesota scored nine points against Chicago and 15 against Miami and still found a way to come away with wins.
The list of low-scoring unbeaten teams is short, and Minnesota now sits at the top of it for all the wrong reasons. The 2015 Broncos had 113 points through five games, the 2024 Chiefs had 118, the 2016 Vikings had 119, and the 2013 Chiefs had 128.
What’s keeping the Vikings afloat is a defense that has taken over game after game. Minnesota has allowed only 64 points in five games, which works out to 12.8 per contest, and no opponent has scored more than 16 points since the opener against Green Bay.
That defense was again on display against New Orleans, a game in which the Saints were held to 142 total yards. Byron Murphy Jr. also came through with his second interception against the Saints on Sunday, another timely play from a unit that keeps setting the tone.
Minnesota entered Sunday already leading the NFL in fewest points allowed, and the Saints game only strengthened that hold. The formula has been enough to carry the Vikings to 5-0, but the offense has left plenty to clean up if this start is going to turn into something bigger.
There’s also a cautionary note buried in the history. The 2016 Vikings opened 5-0 with 119 points, just 10 more than this year’s group, and still ended up 8-8 and out of the playoffs.
For now, though, Minnesota is undefeated. The defense has made sure of that.
In Other News...
Vikings Defense Is Starting To Look Like Every Offenses Nightmare
Minnesotas defense spent Sunday looking like the kind of unit opposing offenses would rather avoid altogether. In a 23-13 win over the Saints, Byron Murphy Jr. turned in a strong night in the secondary, while linebacker Blake Cashman and the rest of the group helped keep New Orleans out of rhythm and fed a Vikings team that went into its bye week without a loss.
What made it stand out was how little the Saints were able to build, even with a young quarterback trying to settle in. Tyler Shough never found much room to operate, and Minnesotas coverage and pursuit kept the pressure on from start to finish. Murphys two interceptions were the headline, but the bigger story for the Vikings is that this defense is starting to look consistent enough to carry real weight as the season moves forward. [Read more 🡒]
Vikings Stay Unbeaten As Their Defense Sends A Clear Message
The Vikings kept their unbeaten start alive Sunday with a 23-13 win over the Saints, and once again the story was about a defense that keeps making life miserable for opponents. Minnesotas offense did enough to stay in control, but the tone of the game was set by a unit that never let New Orleans find much rhythm and helped push the Vikings to 5-0 heading into their Week 6 bye.
Aaron Jones gave Minnesota an important fourth-quarter cushion with an 8-yard touchdown run, and Will Reichard later added a 55-yard field goal to help close it out. For a team that keeps stacking wins while waiting for its next test, the bigger message is getting harder to miss: the Vikings are not just surviving the early season, theyre dictating how games are played. [Read more 🡒]
Justin Jefferson Just Lost A Record To A Vikings Rival
Justin Jefferson has long been the benchmark for early-career production at wide receiver, but one of his records has now been overtaken by a familiar NFC North rival. Amon-Ra St. Brown has kept piling up catches since entering the league in 2021, and his steady output has put him in position to pass a mark that once belonged to Jefferson.
The new standard arrived during the Lions Week 5 game and was later confirmed by Detroits public relations account, underscoring just how consistent St. Brown has been from the start. For the Vikings, it is another reminder that the divisions top pass catchers are still trading blows, and Jeffersons place atop that list no longer looks quite as secure. [Read more 🡒]