Vikings Embrace Spoiler Role After Third Straight Win, Defense Making History
The Minnesota Vikings are officially out of the playoff picture, but you wouldn’t know it from the way they’re playing. After edging the New York Giants 16-13 on Sunday at MetLife Stadium, the Vikings have now rattled off three straight wins and sit at 7-8 with two games left on the schedule. And while their postseason hopes are gone, their motivation is far from lost.
With back-to-back games against division rivals Detroit and Green Bay to close out the season, the Vikings are leaning into the spoiler role - and they’re embracing it with some serious energy.
“Straight spoiler now. If we can’t go, you can’t go, that’s what it is,” said cornerback Byron Murphy Jr., who snagged an interception in Sunday’s win.
“We definitely know it’s a division game, we know what this team is all about. We’re going to get this dub and get the job done.”
Two Rivals, Two Opportunities
Minnesota kicks off a short week by hosting the Detroit Lions on Christmas Day at U.S. Bank Stadium.
The Lions just took a tough loss to the Steelers, putting a major dent in their playoff hopes. A win by the Vikings could all but seal Detroit’s fate.
Then comes the season finale against the Green Bay Packers - a team that’s reeling. After losing Micah Parsons to a season-ending knee injury, the Packers dropped a heartbreaking overtime game to the Bears.
They’re still alive in the playoff race, but just barely. They’ll need to win out and get help from Chicago to sneak in.
The Vikings would love nothing more than to slam that door shut.
This isn’t about tanking or draft positioning. This is about pride, division rivalry, and finishing strong. That’s the message coming from the locker room, and it’s showing on the field.
Defense Making History
The Vikings’ defense isn’t just playing well - they’re making history.
On Sunday, they completely shut down Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart, holding him to just 33 passing yards, sacking him five times, and forcing an interception. It was the sixth straight game Minnesota’s defense didn’t allow a passing touchdown - a feat that hasn’t been matched since the 1988 Cleveland Browns.
That’s nearly two months without giving up a score through the air. The last time it happened?
Back on Nov. 9, when Lamar Jackson found Mark Andrews in the end zone. Since then, it’s been nothing but clamps.
The list of quarterbacks they’ve stifled in that stretch includes Jordan Love, Caleb Williams, Sam Darnold, the Jayden Daniels/Marcus Mariota combo, and now Dart. It’s not just about who they’ve faced - it’s about how consistently they’ve executed.
“It’s big when everybody is making plays,” said veteran safety Harrison Smith. “It adds a lot of juice, it kind of ignites things.”
If they can keep the streak alive against Jared Goff and the Lions - no small task considering Goff has thrown a touchdown in 21 straight games - the Vikings would tie an NFL record. That’s the kind of challenge this defense seems up for.
Aaron Jones Finds His Groove
While the Vikings’ defense was stealing headlines, running back Aaron Jones quietly put together his best performance of the season.
Jones, who’s battled a hamstring injury since Week 1, stepped up after Jordan Mason exited early. He finished with 21 carries for 85 yards - a season-high - and added two catches for eight more yards. It wasn’t flashy, but it was effective, and it helped Minnesota control the tempo.
He also got to celebrate a win, which was all that mattered to him.
“I’ll take it. Glad we got the win, that’s the most important,” Jones said.
The Vikings totaled 114 rushing yards on the day, including a 12-yard touchdown scramble by quarterback J.J. McCarthy - a play that turned out to be his last of the game.
Brosmer Steps Up in the Clutch
McCarthy exited late in the first half with a right hand injury and didn’t return. That opened the door for Max Brosmer, who hadn’t taken any first-team reps in practice but was suddenly under center in a tight game.
Brosmer didn’t light up the stat sheet - he finished 7-of-9 for 52 yards - but he made the throw of the game when it mattered most. On 3rd-and-17, he dropped a perfect pass to Justin Jefferson along the sideline to move the chains. It was a moment that had the entire sideline buzzing.
“Perfect ball, perfect spot,” Jefferson said. “We don’t work that play too often in practice, J.J. is the one throwing it in practice.
For him to throw that type of ball in that situation on third down to continue the drive, very big. Huge throw.”
If McCarthy can’t go on Thursday, Brosmer will get the nod again - this time under the bright lights of a Christmas Day divisional showdown.
Final Word
The Vikings might be out of the playoff race, but don’t mistake that for a team that’s checked out. They’re playing with pride, purpose, and a chip on their shoulder. With a defense flirting with history and a locker room full of players eager to play spoiler, Minnesota’s final two games suddenly have a whole lot of meaning - especially if you’re a Lions or Packers fan.
The postseason may be out of reach, but the fight in this team is still very much alive.