The Minnesota Vikings are still unbeaten, and that fact has pushed them into the upper tier of the national NFL conversation. After Sunday’s 16-10 win over the Indianapolis Colts at U.S. Bank Stadium, Minnesota moved to 6-0 and became the league’s only undefeated team when the San Francisco 49ers lost in Atlanta and the Kansas City Chiefs fell in Seattle.
That perfect record has the Vikings sitting at No. 2 in the latest consensus NFL power rankings, with a 2.8 average across 10 outlets. That’s a big jump from 4.1 last week, and it reflects how much the rest of the league shifted around them as the losses piled up elsewhere.
The defense remains the engine. Through six games, Brian Flores’ unit has given up a league-low 12.3 points per game and 252.8 yards per game, while also stacking up 21 sacks and 11 takeaways.
The offense, on the other hand, is still searching for traction. Minnesota is averaging just 20.8 points and 281.6 yards per game, and running back Aaron Jones exited the Colts game with a knee injury and is considered day-to-day.
The schedule is about to get a lot less forgiving. Minnesota’s next four games are at Detroit, home against Buffalo, at Green Bay, and then a trip to Mexico City to face San Francisco.
Across the weekly rankings, seven of the 10 outlets moved the Vikings up, while two left them where they were. USA Today was the lone holdout in the other direction, dropping Minnesota. Every outlet in the table has the Vikings in its top five now, up from nine last week.
CBS Sports put Minnesota at No. 1, with Pete Prisco moving the Vikings from third to first after the 49ers and Chiefs lost. He pointed to the team’s split identity, noting that Minnesota is first in scoring defense but 23rd in scoring offense.
Sports Illustrated made the biggest leap, jumping the Vikings from seventh to second. Conor Orr wrote: “I thought this was one of the best representations of what I have been trying to articulate: Brian Flores’s defense is absolutely on pace to be one of the greatest defenses ever. This should create an obvious urgency at the deadline.”
Fox Sports also slotted Minnesota at No. 2, moving the club up from fifth. Ralph Vacchiano praised the defense but questioned how far the team can go without a more functional offense. He also noted the upcoming stretch against the Lions, Bills, Packers and 49ers.
Bleacher Report followed the same path, moving the Vikings from third to second. Brent Sobleski emphasized how heavily the defense is carrying the team and cited Minnesota’s blitzing of Daniel Jones on 85 percent of his dropbacks Sunday, the highest rate by an NFL team over the last 20 seasons. He also pointed to the injury to Aaron Jones and the need for the offense to produce more.
USA Today stood apart from the rest, dropping Minnesota from third to fifth. Nate Davis wrote: “Maybe they’re the 2000 Ravens and only need to score 17 points a week … which is close to what they’re providing. That wouldn’t be such a concerning trend if they weren’t having so much difficulty handling teams like Miami and Indianapolis.”
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Vikings Are 6-0 But Fans Can See The Real Test Coming
The Vikings have turned a 6-0 start into one of the NFLs early surprises, and it has not happened the way most unbeaten teams usually look. Minnesotas defense, with Brian Flores setting the tone, has been the driving force, allowing the fewest points per game in the league and keeping the team afloat while the offense has searched for a steadier rhythm.
Minnesota has scored just 125 points through six games, tied for the second-fewest by any 6-0 team since 1950, which is why the unbeaten record comes with a little more caution than celebration. The schedule is about to offer a much tougher read on where this team really stands, with the Lions, Bills, Packers and 49ers up next and three of those games on the road. [Read more 🡒]
Vikings Suddenly Have A Week 8 D Line Decision To Make
The Vikings have spent the early part of the season easing their 2026 rookie defensive linemen into the mix, leaning on more experienced options while Caleb Banks and Domonique Orange continue to develop. That approach may have to shift in a hurry for Week 8, with Banks exiting the Week 7 game against the Colts and not making it back onto the field.
Domonique Orange is the next name to watch here, especially after showing some improvement in his performance grades. If Banks is sidelined against the Lions, Orange could be in line for a bigger role in the rotation, giving Minnesota another look at a young interior piece it has been trying to bring along carefully. [Read more 🡒]
Jakobe Thomas Keeps Waiting As Vikings Safety Battle Gets Tougher
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For Thomas, the assignment is less about waiting for an opening than about making himself impossible to ignore in practice and on special teams. Minnesota can afford patience when the current trio is playing at a high level, but the competition at safety is not going to ease up on its own, which means Thomas will have to keep building toward a chance that may still be some time away. [Read more 🡒]