The Vikings found a way to keep rolling in Week 5, beating the Saints 23-13 even as injuries kept stacking up and a few on-field mistakes crept in. The win sends Minnesota into its bye week undefeated, with the break giving the team a chance to get healthier before it returns in two weeks against the Indianapolis Colts.
A big part of that result came down to how Kevin O’Connell managed the roster he had available, and which players turned expanded roles into real production.
The clearest example was at tight end. T.J.
Hockenson came into the game after a massive showing against the Miami Dolphins, when he grabbed 13 passes for 119 yards, but he lasted only two snaps before exiting with a concussion. That forced Gavin Bartholomew into a much bigger job, and he handled it well.
Bartholomew logged 44 offensive snaps and eight on special teams, then finished second on the team with five catches for 33 yards while posting a 71.3 Pro Football Focus grade.
Minnesota also got a full workload from Blake Cashman, who was one of only two defensive players to be on the field for all 45 snaps. Unlike some others, he made the most of it.
Cashman led the team with nine tackles, added one tackle for loss and a quarterback hit, and earned a 79.2 PFF grade. On a defense where Brian Flores is trying to manage resources carefully, Cashman has become the kind of presence the Vikings can’t really afford to pull off the field.
Josh Metellus was the other defender who played every snap, but his night went the opposite direction. He finished with the lowest PFF grade among Minnesota defenders at 46.7. That comes at a time when the Vikings are trying to trim Harrison Smith’s workload without losing too much from the secondary, while Theo Jackson played 31 defensive snaps and Jacob Thomas got only three.
Another spot that looks worth watching after the bye is the offensive usage at receiver. Jauan Jennings played 49 offensive snaps against New Orleans but didn’t catch a pass and was targeted only once.
That kind of volume with that little return is hard to justify, especially when Jeshaun Jones and Tai Felton both looked better despite having fewer opportunities. Jones, in particular, could start taking on a larger share of those snaps once Minnesota comes back from the break.
There was also a notable shift at tight end after Hockenson went down. Bartholomew took over the receiving duties, while Yurosek handled the blocking work.
But Yurosek did more than just seal the edge; he also caught a pass. He logged 39 offensive snaps and 14 special teams snaps, a sign that the staff trusts him heavily.
He can help Caleb Tiernan by doing the blocking work Josh Oliver had been doing before his season-ending injury, but Sunday showed he’s not limited to that role alone.
In Other News...
Mike Pettines Vikings Exit Looks Even Stranger After His NFL Return
Mike Pettines exit from the Vikings already carried a little intrigue when he left amid philosophical differences with Brian Flores, but his latest move only adds another layer to it. After stepping away from coaching following the 2025 season, the veteran assistant is reportedly headed back to the sideline, this time with the Cowboys, a turn that keeps his NFL resume very much in motion.
For Minnesota, the part worth watching is the path that led him there. Pettines next stop is tied to familiar connections in Dallas, where he has previously worked closely with defensive coordinator Christian Parker and head coach Brian Schottenheimer. It is the kind of coaching reunion that makes his Vikings departure look even more unusual in hindsight, even if the full story of how his return came together is still unfolding. [Read more 🡒]
Vikings Bye Week Moves Hint At A New Concern On Offense
During the bye week, the Vikings took a look at some veteran help at wide receiver, working out JuJu Smith-Schuster, DWayne Eskridge and Dayton Wade while also bringing in quarterback Cam Miller for a workout. It is the kind of move that usually says as much about depth and injury management as it does about immediate need, and it suggests Minnesota is at least keeping its options open on the offensive side of the ball.
The receiver group got the most attention, with Smith-Schuster standing out among the names the team evaluated, a reminder that the search is not just about adding bodies but finding someone who can fit quickly if called upon. And while the Vikings were sorting through those possibilities, they also lost running back Audric Estime from the practice squad, with Cleveland moving to sign him away, another small but notable hit to the back end of the roster. [Read more 🡒]
Vikings Enter Bye With A Rising Star And A Real Concern
The Vikings go into the bye week unbeaten at 5-0 after handling the Saints, and the early part of the season has given them plenty to like on offense and defense. Kirk Cousins has looked sharper than he did a year ago, and the supporting cast has helped carry Minnesota through the first month-plus, with Luke Musgrave and Andrew Booth Jr. among the names making real noise.
Booths rise has been especially encouraging, with the young defensive back tying for the league lead in interceptions and giving the Vikings another playmaker in a secondary that needs them. On the other side of the ball, though, the passing game still has a question hanging over it, and Jalen Jennings has yet to turn the opportunity around even with injuries around him creating openings that should have mattered. [Read more 🡒]