The Vikings enter Week 4 still unbeaten, and the matchup got a lot friendlier for Minnesota on Monday when Miami lost De'Von Achane for the season.
According to ESPN, Achane tore his ACL and will miss the rest of the year. That leaves the Dolphins thin at running back just as they head into U.S. Bank Stadium to face a Vikings defense that can make life miserable when it gets its way.
Without Achane, Miami is left to lean on Jaylen Wright and Ollie Gordon II to handle the ground game. Wright, a fourth-round pick in 2024, has started two games in his career and has 141 carries for 547 yards and two touchdowns across three seasons. Gordon, a sixth-round pick in 2025, has 90 career carries for 247 yards and four touchdowns.
The contrast in styles is clear. Wright is the lighter, quicker option at 5-foot-10 and 205 pounds.
Gordon brings the bigger frame at 6-foot-2 and 225 pounds. The Vikings will likely see both on Sunday, but the absence of Achane changes the whole feel of Miami’s offense.
That matters because the Dolphins have already struggled badly on that side of the ball. They’re averaging an NFL-worst 12.0 points per game and 290.7 total yards per contest, which ranks 26th. That’s the kind of production that gives Brian Flores’s defense a chance to pin its ears back and attack.
Minnesota should make stopping the run the priority, forcing Miami into a pass-heavy script and putting pressure on quarterback Malik Willis. Willis signed a three-year, $67,500,000 contract this offseason to be their starter after parting ways with Tua Tagovailoa, but the early returns have been rough. He’s guided Miami to a 0-3 start while completing 57% of his passes with one touchdown, two interceptions and a 74.1 passer rating.
If the Vikings can shut down the rushing attack, the Dolphins will need major contributions from Malik Washington, Caleb Douglas and Chris Bell. That’s a lot to ask with their top offensive weapon out.
Minnesota’s secondary has its own issues, sitting at a 53.2 coverage grade on Pro Football Focus, 23rd in the league. So this isn’t just about making Miami one-dimensional - it’s also a chance for the Vikings to clean up some things on the back end while the pressure ramps up in front of them.
The challenge for Minnesota will be finishing tackles and not letting Gordon turn short gains into something bigger. His size and power make him a tough bring-down, and Kevin O'Connell will likely hammer home the importance of finishing plays in practice this week.
Still, this is the kind of game where the Vikings can dictate the terms. U.S. Bank Stadium should be loud with a 3-0 team on the field, and Flores’s aggressive style could make the atmosphere even louder if Dallas Turner and company can get to Willis and make him uncomfortable.
That’s the path for Minnesota in Week 4: take away the run, squeeze the pocket, and make the Dolphins try to survive through the air.
In Other News...
Vikings Just Lost Another Depth Piece To A Desperate Giants Team
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For Minnesota, it is another reminder of how thin depth can get in a hurry when other teams are hunting for experienced bodies. Ward had been sitting on the Vikings practice squad, but New York needed a quick fix and made room by releasing Josh Tupou, leaving Minnesota to absorb one more roster loss while the market around a damaged Giants defense keeps shifting. [Read more 🡒]
Vikings Finally Explained The J.J. McCarthy Trade Fans Feared
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Kevin OConnells reaction added another layer to the story, because the head coach described an emotional exchange with McCarthy after the announcement. For Minnesota, the explanation matters as much as the transaction itself, since any departure involving a high-profile young quarterback is going to invite questions about timing, trust and whether the organization sees the move as a football decision or something more complicated. [Read more 🡒]
Giants Plan For J.J. McCarthy Says Plenty About Vikings Trade
The Giants reported plan for J.J. McCarthy is a revealing one for the Vikings as much as it is for New York. Minnesota moved on from the quarterback in exchange for a 2027 fifth-round pick, and the direction the Giants are taking with him suggests they see a player whose best early fit is in a run-heavy setup rather than as the centerpiece of a high-volume passing game.
For Vikings fans, that naturally brings the trade back into focus. McCarthys college success came in a system that did not ask him to carry much of the passing load, and his time in Minnesota showed how difficult that transition could be when the offense asked for more. If the Giants are already shaping their offense around those concerns, it only sharpens the question of what the Vikings believed they had, and why they were willing to move on when they did. [Read more 🡒]