Minnesota Vikings Defense is the New Purple People Eaters

After another defensive showing, the Minnesota Vikings remain undefeated. The Viking defense has a chance to make a name for themselves, like the Purple People Eaters of the 1970’s.

Coming into yesterday’s game at Carolina, most did not give the Minnesota Vikings a chance. After loosing a hall of fame running back, and their starting left tackle, most thought that would be too much for the team to overcome.

Head Coach Mike Zimmer had the team coming out with a chip on their shoulder. The team knew they were going to be counted out, and were ready to prove everyone wrong.

As we saw last season with Denver, teams with stellar defenses do not need an explosive offense to win games. They just need an offense that does not make big mistakes or cause turnovers.

This is exactly what the Vikings have been doing so far this season.

Over the last two seasons, there has been many games in which the Vikings go down early, and after a big momentum changing play, they follow their defense to the victory.

That was the story yesterday, after falling to an early 10-0 deficit. The game changer was when punt returner Marcus Sherels took a punt 54 yards to the house.

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After that, the Vikings never looked back. This was the spark they needed to rally the team and put the game out of reach.

Yesterday, the league’s MVP, Cam Newton, had his hands full. He was sacked 8 times, once for a safety, and intercepted 3 times. Everson Griffen accounted for three of those sacks himself.

Zimmer constantly makes half time adjustments that can not be matched by any other coach across the league. His knowlege of the game, and the talent of the defensive side of the ball, allows him to do that.

People are starting to take notice. After taking out division rival Green Bay and Aaron Rodgers, and now NFC Champion and league MVP Cam Newton, the Vikings will not be underestimated again this season.

The Vikings defense are 1st in the NFL in sacks, with 15. They are tied for second in interceptions, with 5. The Vikings are tied for second in forced fumbles, with 5. They are first in fumbles recovered, with 4. They are third in points allowed, with 13.3.

This Vikings defense is forcing turnovers on 25.7% of opposing drives. That stats is what pops out most.

Stacked at talent on all three levels of the defense, the Vikings have done very well drafting over the last few years. This team is buying in to what Coach Zimmer is preaching, and the underdog mentality can only help.

If this team can keep up their play, they will be compared to the legendary Minnesota Vikings defenses of the 1970’s, also known as the Purple People Eaters.

The latest Vikings win has pushed them up different sports media outlet’s “Power Rankings.”

In Bleacher Report’s latest rankings, the Vikings come in at number 3, only behind the Broncos and Patriots.

Here is what they had to say about the Vikings.

"Take a look at the most talented team in the NFC.Even without Adrian Peterson. Even without two starting offensive linemen. Sam Bradford threw a few perfect passes and—even against the defending conference champs—the Vikings pulled away.Why? Because Mike Zimmer’s defense swarmed Cam Newton from the second quarter on. It picked him off three times, sacked him eight times and made his afternoon a living nightmare in the run game.That sounds an awful lot like the way last year’s Super Bowl champions won games. I’m on board."

Next week, the Vikings will come home to play the New York Giants, who they routed 49-17. We must remember this was a Giants team without Odell Beckham Jr, and Victor Cruz. Although I am not sure if those two players presence will add up to 32 points.

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We should be in for another good game this week though. It is doubtful that the Vikings will be underdogs in any of the remaining regular season games after showing the power their defense has.

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