Weeks of Vikings defenders harassing running backs and receivers in training camp, punching the ball out as plays without tackling wound down sometimes at a walkthrough pace, have seemingly made a difference in a 5-1 start.
The Vikings' roller-coaster defense — allowing 19.7 points (t-11th) but 384.5 yards per game (26th) — helped seal a fourth straight win with two fourth-quarter takeaways. Despite saying his team played "far from our standard," which included allowing the Dolphins to creep back into the game with three fourth-quarter completions of 20-plus yards, head coach Kevin O'Connell pointed to a few key metrics, including turnover margin and penalties, as consistencies in an otherwise inconsistent squad.
"I don't think it's by accident," O'Connell said. "There was a couple times there where the ball almost got over our heads, and the guys were able to put a roof over it and not allow the big-play touchdowns, those one-play catastrophic plays, and then for us to not turn it over on offense I thought was a big deal. We were far from to our standard, but to not have any turnovers, limit penalties."
The Vikings defense wants to play downhill on routes, often off the line and trying to keep everything in front. That's how cornerback Patrick Peterson undercut a route by Dolphins receiver Trent Sherfield to intercept quarterback Teddy Bridgewater with three minutes left. A couple of minutes earlier, safety Harrison Smith punched the ball out of receiver Jaylen Waddle's hands to force a fumble.
Smith, 33, is now responsible for three of the Vikings' 10 takeaways (tied for fifth in the NFL) after also intercepting Bridgewater off a Waddle drop. Safety Josh Metellus' game-sealing interception in Week 3 was the first of four takeaways by the Vikings defense within the last five minutes of games this season. Overall, Minnesota's plus-4 turnover differential is tied for second in the NFL, trailing the undefeated Eagles' plus-12.
A "daily" focus is paying off, according to Smith, whose forced fumble on Waddle stopped what could've been a first down when the Vikings led 16-10.
"It's kind of a terrifying scenario with him running and just me there, just going to make a tackle really," Smith said. "One thing we touch on a daily basis and it started from Ed Donatell down to Daronte [Jones], all of the coaches from top to bottom, is getting the ball and taking a shot when you can. I don't know if that was exactly the time to take it, but as you're tackling, if you're tackling at the ball level, sometimes good things happen."
Slot cornerback Chandon Sullivan (39) was isolated on Waddle (17) in man-to-man coverage as the Vikings played with two deep safeties and man underneath on second-and-long (not third-and-long; the broadcast was incorrect here). The Vikings either deflected or intercepted eight of 47 throws, but they also allowed 385 passing yards — the franchise's most since Nov. 10, 2019, against the Cowboys.
Sullivan appears to play "trail" technique with deep safeties over the top, but it's not possible for many corners to stick stride for stride with Waddle and deflect a well-timed throw like this — thrown in 2 to 2.5 seconds and targeted in the middle where two-deep shells are vulnerable. Edge rusher Danielle Hunter beats left tackle Greg Little inside, but the ball is out. Smith (22) and Bynum (24) are playing relatively deep to respect the speed. After the catch, Smith breaks down in front of Waddle, redirects and dives to force a fumble and game-changing play.
Dalvin Cook scored on a 53-yard run two plays later to give the Vikings a 24-10 lead.
