MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota Vikings improved to 4-0 on Sunday, one of only three unbeaten teams in the NFL, and they’ve done it in an unusual fashion the league has rarely seen.
Their 15-10 win over the Miami Dolphins marked the second game this year in which Minnesota failed to score a touchdown; the other was a 9-3 road win at Chicago in Week 2. No team had opened a season 4-0 with multiple games without a TD since the Chicago Cardinals did it in the early 1920s (1923 and once before in 1922).
The reason the Vikings keep winning is straightforward: their defense has been exceptional, allowing a league-low 12.8 points per game. Meanwhile, over the past three weeks Minnesota’s special teams have contributed 42 points compared with just seven from the offense — a stark imbalance that has carried them through games. Coach Kevin O’Connell acknowledged the offense needs to be more consistent but expressed pride in the team’s 4-0 start.
This pattern of winning despite offensive limitations isn’t new for the franchise. In 2022 the Vikings went 11-0 in one-score games and became the first team to win 13 or more games with a negative point differential. They are also riding a nine-game regular-season winning streak that began in Week 14 of 2025, despite averaging only 272.8 yards per game over that span — the fourth-fewest in the league.
Personnel disruptions have complicated Minnesota’s offensive rhythm this year. New quarterback Kyler Murray left with a concussion on the 11th play of the season, and star receiver Justin Jefferson sprained his ankle seven plays into Murray’s return in Week 3; the two have only been on the field together for 18 snaps. On Sunday, the Vikings also lost left tackle Christian Darrisaw (neck/concussion check) and left guard Donovan Jackson (knee) for nearly half the game. Murray, who split spring and early camp reps with J.J. McCarthy (traded to the Giants on Sept. 28), is still integrating with the offense.
Offensive lineman Brian O’Neill said the line can no longer operate on set internal timing because of Murray’s ability to extend plays, and Miami sacked Murray three times in the first half — the Dolphins’ first three sacks of the season — which sparked audible frustration from the crowd at U.S. Bank Stadium. The Vikings committed five pre-snap penalties, including two false starts, and O’Connell suggested there are cadence-related issues to sort out. Murray accepted responsibility for those breakdowns and promised improvement.
There were encouraging signs late: in the fourth quarter Murray completed 12 of 13 throws for 113 yards, hooked up with Jordan Addison on a 27-yard crossing play and consistently targeted tight end T.J. Hockenson, who matched a career-high with 13 catches and helped the team run out the final 5:41. Hockenson even opted to slide at the 2-yard line on the game’s final play rather than score; O’Connell quipped that if they wanted to put points on the board they should have done it earlier.
Defensively the Vikings were dominant, holding Miami to only one snap beyond midfield in the first half. Edge rusher Dallas Turner added two sacks to boost his total to 5.5 for the season. On special teams, kicker Will Reichard was perfect on the day, making all five of his field-goal attempts to reach 12-for-12 on the year; the crowd even gave him a standing ovation after he appeared on the stadium video board, a moment teammates praised.
Fans showed their impatience at times — booing after early offensive snafus and again when the team chose kneel-downs from the 2-yard line instead of trying to score to end the game. Hockenson acknowledged the fans’ frustration while saying the team appreciates their support and is working to get things rolling.
The Vikings head to New Orleans in Week 5 to face the Saints (1 p.m. ET on Fox) with several injury questions still unresolved: Jefferson’s status is unclear, and Darrisaw and Jackson could miss more time. But with a lockdown defense and a reliable kicker, Minnesota has managed to win games without needing to rely heavily on touchdowns.
Fan Take: This run matters because it underscores how dominant defense and special teams can compensate for offensive struggles, reshaping how teams might build and strategize. If the Vikings keep winning this way, it could encourage more clubs to prioritize defensive playmakers and special-teams consistency as an alternative path to sustained success.
Source: www.espn.com
