The Vikings never reached the end zone today. To beat the Dolphins, they didn’t need to.
Minnesota won 15-10 on the strength of five Will Reichard field goals.
The Vikings were without their best player, wide receiver Justin Jefferson, but they got a great game out of tight end T.J. Hockenson, who caught all 13 passes thrown to him, for 119 yards. On Hockenson’s last catch, he purposely went to the ground just short of the goal line at the two-minute warning, which was smart clock management as the Dolphins were out of timeouts and the Vikings just had to kneel down to win it from there.
Vikings running back Aaron Jones carried a big workload, with 20 carries for 94 yards, and while quarterback Kyler Murray wasn’t great, he was good enough on a day when the Vikings didn’t need to score much.
It didn’t help Murray that the Vikings lost the left side of their offensive line, as left guard Donovan Jackson (knee) and left tackle Christian Darrisaw (neck) both exited the game with injuries.
The bright spot for the Dolphins was running back Ollie Gordon, who had a 100-yard game in his first start in place of the injured De’Von Achane. But Gordon was just about the only player on the Dolphins’ offense who got the job done today. Miami quarterback Malik Willis struggled to find open receivers, and the Vikings’ pass rush didn’t give him much time.
At 0-4, the Dolphins look like the worst team in the NFL. At 4-0, the Vikings look like one of the league’s most pleasant surprises.
Vikings Clips
The Vikings have won three straight games despite failing to gain at least 250 yards in any of them. But there’s a silver lining in Minnesota’s dubious achievement.
In the Super Bowl era, two other teams have won three in a row in the regular season without gaining at least 250 yards. The first was the 1969 Vikings, who went to the Super Bowl. The second was the 1999 Rams, who nearly upended the Greatest Show on Earth for a berth in Super Bowl XXXIV.
The all-time record for consecutive wins without gaining 250 yards, including playoffs, is four. And that team went to the Super Bowl and won it.
The 2000 Ravens won the final two games of the regular season and their first two playoff games without gaining at least 250 yards. In a Week 16 win over the Cardinals, the Ravens gained 214 yards. In a Week 17 victory over the Jets by the score of 34-20, the Ravens were outgained 524 to 142.
In the wild-card round, the Ravens gained 240 yards in a 21-3 win over the Broncos. In the divisional round, the Ravens beat the Titans by the score of 24-10. In that game, the Titans gained 317 yards, and the Ravens gained only 134.
The point is obvious. When a defense is truly dominant, teams can win without much of a contribution on offense. And with coach Kevin O’Connell embracing the reality that winning is the only thing, the Vikings have focused on playing great defense, performing well on special teams, and minimizing the turnovers on offense.
Indeed, the Vikings under O’Connell are 38-4 in the regular season when they have the same or fewer turnovers than the opponent.
The Vikings have won eight games in a row (3-0 this season) thanks to a defense that has at times been dominant.
It has consistently been getting to the quarterback before he can throw the ball.
Via NBC Sports research, Minnesota’s six-game streak of four or more sacks is two short of the all-time record. The Colts set it in 1975, with eight straight games of four-or-more sacks.
Three teams have done it seven games in a row: the 1986 Broncos, the 1969 Lions, and the 1963 Giants.
The current streak is the longest since the Giants did it in 2001.
The Vikings lead the NFL with 14 sacks. Dallas Turner has 3.5.
The Dolphins have added a running back to their active roster.
They announced the signing of Carlos Washington off of the practice squad on Saturday. Washington will flesh out a backfield that lost De’Von Achane for the season to a torn ACL.
Washington played in two games for the Falcons over the last two seasons. He signed with the Dolphins in May.
The Dolphins also announced that they have elevated defensive lineman Mazi Smith and defensive end Rodney McGraw for Sunday’s game against the Vikings. Smith was a 2023 Cowboys first-round pick and he signed with the Dolphins last month. McGraw signed with the Dolphins after going undrafted this year.
It’s the year of the backup quarterback, so far.
Through three weeks, six quarterbacks who didn’t start in Week 1 have since started six games. They’re collectively 6-0.
Vikings quarterback Carson Wentz started and won at Chicago in Week 2. Seahawks quarterback Drew Lock started and won at Arizona in Week 2. Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. started and won at Green Bay in Week 3. Giants quarterback Jameis Winston started and won vs. the Titans in Week 3. Washington quarterback Marcus Mariota started and won vs. the Seahawks in Week 6. And Bears quarterback Case Keenum started and won vs. the Eagles in Week 3.
In Week 4, two more quarterbacks who didn’t start in Week 1 are expected to start their first games of the season: Bears quarterback Tyson Bagent vs. the Jets and Buccaneers quarterback Jalon Daniels vs. the Packers.
The situation shows the importance of having two, if not three, quarterbacks who can be counted on to play, and play well. A game here or a game there in the absence of the starting quarterback could eventually make the difference between making the playoffs or missing the bus.
The Vikings will not have their top receiver when they play the Dolphins on Sunday.
Head coach Kevin O’Connell announced in his Friday press conference that Justin Jefferson is out after suffering an ankle injury in last week’s win over the Buccaneers.
Jefferson did not practice all week.
In three games so far this season, Jefferson has 13 catches for 179 yards with two touchdowns.
Additionally, Charles Demmings (hamstring) and punter Brett Thorson (right hamstring) have also been ruled out.
O’Connell said Johnny Hekker will be elevated from the practice squad to punt on Sunday.
Myles Price was named the NFC’s special teams player of the week on Wednesday and Thursday brought another award for the Vikings wideout.
Price has also been named the conference’s special teams player of the month. Both awards were firsts for the second-year player.
Price’s biggest play in September came last Sunday when he returned a punt 86 yards for a touchdown in Minnesota’s 23-16 win over the Buccaneers. It was Price’s first NFL touchdown and the first kick return for a touchdown of any kind in the league this year.
Price is averaging 21.4 yards per punt return and he also leads the league with 353 kickoff return yards.
The Vikings have scratched and clawed their way to a 3-0 record. Dating back to last year, Minnesota has won eight in a row.
They’ve done it with defense and special teams. Their offense, to date, has not been good enough.
Via NBC Sports research, the Vikings could become the first team in the Super Bowl era to win four straight games without gaining 250 or more yards.
Currently, the Vikings have the worst offense in the NFL, with an average output of 238.3 yards per game. (The Titans rank 31st, with 249.3.)
Yes, the Vikings are prevailing in the only stat that matters: points scored vs. points allowed, one game at a time.
The offense nevertheless needs to improve. If/when it does, the Vikings could emerge as a true contender.
For now, wins happening without a high-powered offense become money in the bank for January. If they can ever pull the cord on the Kevin O’Connell lawnmower, Minnesota will be able to play with — and to beat — anyone.
Before the 2024 draft, former Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh had plenty of glowing things to say about former Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy.
So it’s no surprise that Jim Harbaugh had many positive things to say about McCarthy to Harbaugh’s brother, John, before John’s Giants traded for McCarthy.
“I mean, John called me and asked me,” Harbaugh told reporters on Wednesday. “I said, you know, John, I love you. I love J.J. I think you guys would be . . .’ so, really, I’m telling you the same thing that I told my brother.”
For whatever reason, things didn’t work for McCarthy in Minnesota. But they worked for McCarthy in Michigan. Maybe McCarthy responds better to the Harbaugh rah-rah style. Maybe McCarthy’s second act with the Giants will go better than his first NFL stint.
However it goes, McCarthy needed a fresh start. And playing for Jim Harbaugh’s brother may be the next best thing to playing for Jim Harbaugh.
Vikings receiver Justin Jefferson still has a chance to play on Sunday. But he won’t be on the field to start the practice week.
Head coach Kevin O’Connell told reporters in his press conference that Jefferson will not participate in Wednesday’s session.
But Jefferson remains day-to-day after suffering an ankle sprain during the Week 3 victory over the Buccaneers. O’Connell specifically said it’s not a high ankle sprain.
His status for Week 4 is uncertain, but Jefferson has not been ruled out.
Jefferson has caught 13 passes for 179 yards with two touchdowns so far in 2026.
O’Connell also noted Chuck Demmings and Brett Thorson will not practice on Wednesday.
Minnesota’s full injury report will be released later in the day.
