Inside the Vikings, Week 5: "Home game" in London, QB Sam Darnold earning more trust
MINNEAPOLIS — It's October, and there might not be a scarier team in the NFL right now than the Minnesota Vikings, who share a perfect record with only the reigning Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs. Fresh off a thrilling win over the rival Green Bay Packers, what's next for the red-hot Vikes?
Here's the latest from CBS Sports writer and Vikings insider Cody Benjamin:
News bits
The Vikings will forgo typical Thursday plans in preparation of overseas travel to London, where they'll be the "home team" for Sunday morning's matchup with the New York Jets. They're due to arrive in the United Kingdom Friday morning, embracing a six-hour time change. Brian Flores' defense should be reinforced across the pond, with coach Kevin O'Connell indicating that starting linebacker Ivan Pace Jr. (ankle) is on track to return following a two-game absence. Star tight end T.J. Hockenson (knee), meanwhile, is likely to remain sidelined despite being eligible to return from the physically unable to perform (PUP) list
Insider buzz
The rest of the NFL is now paying close attention to quarterback Sam Darnold's meteoric ascent at the helm of O'Connell's offense, but with each game, the veteran is also earning more trust internally. It's not a coincidence that his number of passing attempts has increased each week — from 24 in Week 1, to 26, then 28 the last two weeks. O'Connell sees clearer than anyone the improved mettle of his signal-caller, and he's been increasingly comfortable letting Darnold test the limits of his arm, as evidenced by some downfield shots against Green Bay while the Vikings held a big lead. It's a perfect pairing at this juncture, in part because neither party is afraid of failure, boosted by such a strong supporting cast and defense.
The big picture
For weeks, we've called each high-profile Vikings matchup a "prove-it" game for Minnesota. Roughly a quarter of the way through the regular-season calendar, it's time to start calling their games "prove-it" matchups for the opposing side. Only the Chiefs are also 4-0, and even they haven't been the polished total package that's been present in Minnesota this fall. Things change quickly in the NFL, and it's fair to maintain an "I'll-believe-it-when-I-see-it-in-January" mindset as it pertains to Darnold and Co.'s near-flawless start. But as we enter Week 5, there's truly been no more balanced contender than what O'Connell and Kwesi Adofo-Mensah have built.
Around the North
The Detroit Lions (3-1) pulled off a thrilling Monday night victory over the previously unbeaten Seattle Seahawks, showcasing offensive toys like David Montgomery and Jameson Williams. They'll visit the mercurial Dallas Cowboys (2-2) in Week 5 before coming to Minnesota for what could be a fight for first place in the North. The Packers (2-2) will try to parlay their second-half efforts against the Vikings into a road victory over the banged-up Los Angeles Rams (1-3). And the Chicago Bears (2-2) will look for more strides from No. 1 overall draft pick Caleb Williams by hosting the Carolina Panthers (1-3).
