Vikings’ bizarre 4-0 start is powered by defense and a whole lot of field goals

| Getty Images The Minnesota Vikings are 4-0, standing today as one of the three undefeated teams left in the National Football League. And while you never apologize for winning games in the NFL, how the Vikings have maintained this status is one of the quirkiest aspects of the early 2026 season. While the other two teams are led by potent offenses with one of the league’s best rushing attacks (the Kansas City Chiefs) and one of the league’s best passing games (the San Francisco 49ers), the Vikings are winning largely with their defense. In fact, almost solely with their defense. We can start with Sunday’s 15-10 win over the Miami Dolphins. While Minnesota outgained Miami 336 to 198, and racked up 20 first downs compared to just eight for the Dolphins, all 15 points for the Vikings came off the right foot of kicker Will Reichard. Five field goals, zero touchdowns, for Minnesota on Sunday. Zooming out for a moment, this is now the second game this season where the Vikings did not score an offensive touchdown, and every point came from their kicker. In Minnesota’s Week 2 win over the Chicago Bears, the Vikings used three field goals from Reichard to win by a final score of 9-3. And Sunday’s final score of 15-10 saw the Vikings join a rather small list. According to Kevin Seifert of ESPN, Minnesota is just the third team in NFL history to begin the year 4-0 despite failing to score a touchdown in multiple games. The other two teams on that list? The 1922 Chicago Cardinals … and the 1923 Chicago Cardinals: Yes, T.J. Hockenson could have scored on the final 3rd down. But since he did not: Per ESPN Research, the Vikings are the 3rd team in NFL history to start 4-0 despite going multiple games without a TD. The other two times: 1922 Chicago Cardinals 1923 Chicago Cardinals — Kevin Seifert (@SeifertESPN) October 4, 2026 But wait, there’s more! As discovered by Bryan Knowles from FTN, the Vikings — with just seven touchdowns this season — have scored the fewest touchdowns from a team that started 4-0 since the 2003 Carolina Panthers, and the tenth-fewest touchdowns from a 4-0 team in league history: The Minnesota Vikings have seven touchdowns, and are 4-0. That's the fewest touchdowns in a 4-0 start since the 2003 Panthers, and tied for the 10th-fewest all time. pic.twitter.com/no3ji1hj5P — Bryan Knowles (@BryKno) October 5, 2026 And when you break down Minnesota’s scoring this year, while Reichard is by far the Vikings’ leading scorer with 42 points this year, the entire Minnesota offense has combined to score 44 points, just two more than the kicker: As found by Pro Football Reference, Reichard’s 42 points leads the NFL through four weeks. A final note on Minnesota’s offense, through the prism of Expected Points Added. Looking at every NFL offense through four weeks — noting that the New Orleans Saints and the Atlanta Falcons have yet to play — note where the Vikings offense is on this graphic from RBSDM, which examines EPA/Rush and EPA/Pass: Minnesota is below league average in both categories, in a cluster of teams that includes the Philadelphia Eagles, the Los Angeles Chargers, and the Dolphins. Those other three teams have a combined 2-10 record. So exactly how are the Vikings winning? It does start with the defense. Brian Flores’ unit is almost off the chart when you look at EPA allowed against both the run and the pass this season, again from RBSDM: And you can pick almost any other defensive category, and the Vikings are at or near the top of the league. Minnesota has held opposing passers to an Adjusted Net Yards per Attempt of just 4.5 (third-best in the league) during a season where the league average ANY/A for NFL quarterbacks is 6.3. For reference, Jacoby Brissett has an ANY/A of 4.5, and Jameis Winston checks in at 4.3. The Vikings have held opposing offenses to just 94.5 yards per game on the ground (seventh-best in the NFL) and 194.8 yards per game in the air, again seventh-best in the NFL. But where Minnesota’s defense really sets itself apart is in conversions against, and in scoring allowed. The Vikings have allowed third-down conversions on just 22.6% of chances this season (the best mark in the league), and teams have scored a touchdown when reaching the end zone on just 18.2% of chances this season (again the best mark in the league from any defense). And Minnesota has allowed just 12.8 points per game this season, topping that category among NFL defenses. Now, some context. Minnesota’s four wins have come against the Green Bay Packers, the Bears, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and now the Dolphins. Both the Dolphins and the Buccaneers have yet to win a game, the victory over Chicago came on a wet and dreary day in the Windy City, and the Packers’ offensive line has been underwhelming, to say the least. So these numbers may change as the Vikings play some better offenses, like the Buffalo Bills in Week 9 or the San Francisco 49ers in Week 11. Returning to the offense for a final moment, if there is one thing Minnesota is doing right, it is this: The Vikings are taking care of the football. Minnesota has turned the ball over just twice this season, both on interceptions, and that turnover percentage of just 4.5% is seventh-best in the league. With a defense like theirs, the old adage of “end every drive with a kick” remains true. Through four weeks, this Vikings team remains undefeated. Even if the recipe to get there is rather quirky.

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