Strong Record But Major Offense Questions
The Minnesota Vikings have won their first six games of the 2026 NFL season, but they are far from dominant. Four of their victories came by less than a touchdown. They beat Green Bay 39-22 in their opener and defeated New Orleans 23-13 in Week 5.
Statistical ratings show a heavily imbalanced team. Minnesota ranks 30th in offensive DVOA, staying ahead of only the 1-6 Titans and 0-6 Chargers. On defense, the Vikings rank second behind Seattle, and they hold the top spot on special teams. Minnesota leads the NFL with an 8.5 point differential per game, just ahead of the 49ers at 8.3.
How Past Flawed Teams Fared
Looking back at historical 6-0 teams since 1978, Minnesota is not the weakest. The 1985 Los Angeles Rams also started 6-0 with strong defense and special teams. Led by CFL star Dieter Brock and running back Eric Dickerson, those Rams dropped to a 4-5 record over their final nine regular season games before losing 24-0 in the NFC Championship Game.
The 2000 Vikings team also started 6-0 with a +43 point differential. That group relied on quarterback Daunte Culpepper, Randy Moss, and Cris Carter. They went 5-5 over their final ten games and lost 41-0 in the NFC Championship Game.
Meanwhile, the 2006 Indianapolis Colts started 6-0 with a dominant Peyton Manning offense but a poor defense. That Colts team eventually won the Super Bowl after safety Bob Sanders returned from injury.
Tougher Road Ahead For Minnesota
History shows that offensive performance predicts future success better than defense or special teams. That creates potential trouble for the Vikings. Statistical simulations project Minnesota to finish with an average of 11.7 wins and give them a 4.7% chance to win the Super Bowl.
Schedule difficulty will also change. Minnesota played the second easiest schedule across its first six games, sitting behind only Kansas City. Moving forward, the Vikings face the fifth hardest remaining schedule in the league, including the second toughest stretch of opposing offenses behind Tennessee.
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