The Vikings’ top 3 questions series has seen one main query remain stubbornly persistent: can the offense finally become somewhat competent? Scoring just 15 points against the Miami Dolphins is bad. Every single point came off the foot of Will Reichard.
So, lots of pressure to figure things out.
Kevin O’Connell wants his side of the ball to get back to being a high-flying, yard-chewing, point-scoring machine. Can they get there at some point? Part of what has made the Vikings an odd football team is that they’re now a defense first operation that’s leaning on the ground game, meaning that the pivot away from Mike Zimmer and toward Kevin O’Connell has involved becoming a lot like a Zim team. Can the Vikings go far with this sort of setup?
The Vikings’ Top 3 Questions | Week 5
Question No. 1 — Can a Second Safety Please Step Up?
If things don’t improve, then maybe the move is to get somebody from off the trade market. The onus is on the in-house safety options to avoid that possibility.
Josh Metellus appears secure in his role. There’s then the cluster of other options: Theo Jackson, Harrison Smith, Jay Ward, Jacob Thomas, and Jakobe Thomas. Somebody needs to step up. Best guess is that it’ll be either Jackson or Smith, but the UDFA Thomas is a sneaky name to know.
So far, the corners have been healthy and playing well. Seeing one go down to injury (fingers crossed that doesn’t happen) would expose how leaky this secondary might become.
Question No. 2 — Who Takes a Turn Shining on Specials in Week 5?
Special Teams Coordinator Matt Daniels is finally getting credit for doing excellently. For a little while, Coach Daniels has been doing great work but he’s now getting widespread applause due to his end of things being elite.
Look for kicker Will Reichard to continue being an assassin. So, too, should Myles Price continue being a threat. Those two alone give the specials ample firepower.
Something to watch for in Week 5 is the return of rookie punter Brett Thorson. He missed Week 3 and Week 4 while recovering from injury. Now healthy, Thorson could be an important player since field position has been such an important detail for a Vikings team that hasn’t found a lot of rhythm on offense. Maybe it’s the P1 who takes a turn with sizzling play on specials.
Question No. 3 — So, Do Kyler Murray and Kevin O’Connell Figure Things Out?
The Vikings need this clunky, awkward marriage to work. If it doesn’t, can they really turn to Carson Wentz for long-term work in 2026?
The Week 4 game involved the Vikings getting into a small groove toward the end, chewing up the clock while playing keep away with the pigskin. In particular, Murray found some good chemistry with TE T.J. Hockenson alongside RB Aaron Jones. That’s a start.
The official word is that Justin Jefferson is questionable. I think the Vikings are doing Vikings things here. Put differently, they’re being cautious with the WR1. Somehow, Coach O’Connell needs to find a way of igniting a connection between Murray and Jefferson.
Senior Editor for Vikings Territory & PurplePTSD . Twitter & Bluesky: @VikingsGazette. Email: k.joudry[at]vikingsterritory[dot]com. Canadian. Jude 1:24-25.
