The Vikings finally return home on Sunday for their first game at U.S. Bank Stadium since Week 1. They'll welcome a winless Dolphins team struggling to find its footing. Minnesota is balancing a multiplicity of truths: they're undefeated, with an elite defense, but they also have one of the NFL's least productive offenses .
Sunday offers a chance to finally put together a strong performance across all three phases.
The Vikings are a talented team playing winning football, but can they finally silence the criticism that's followed them to this point by decisively handling an inferior opponent? Here are three things to watch as the Purple and Gold fight for a 4-0 start.
As if the Vikings' defensive coordinator needed more motivation to torture an opposing offense, this game may just unlock a new level of chaos from Brian Flores . There is certainly no love lost between Flores and the Dolphins organization after his tenure as their head coach ended in 2022. The reasons behind the firing and the allegations surrounding his time there are major factors in Flores's ongoing lawsuit against the NFL.
The Vikings' defense is already attacking opposing offenses at an astounding rate.
Their league-leading 71% blitz rate through three weeks is 25% higher than the second-place Bucs at 46% (h/t: Doug Clawson of CBS Sports ). Minnesota also leads the league with 14 sacks, while Miami has not sacked an opposing quarterback so far this season.
Let's just say, Flores will look to widen that gap even further. Miami losing its best offensive player for the season-star running back De'Von Achane-certainly doesn't help its chances against Flores's stacked defense.
So far, the Vikings offense has been wildly concerning. They currently average a league-low 238.3 yards per game through three games, and while there are plenty of explanations so far, they simply have to start producing. The Vikings offense will need to take advantage of a Dolphins defense that has proven to be incapable of generating pressure on opposing QBs.
The Vikings will be without their best offensive weapon , as Justin Jefferson missed practice this week with an ankle injury, but there should still be plenty of opportunity . Jauan Jennings in particular will need to step up. In two games of action so far, he's totaled one catch for one yard on three targets.
That simply won't cut it if he's asked to be WR2 on Sunday, regardless of how great he is at blocking.
While the Vikings offense has largely struggled, two special teams players have emerged as some of the most reliable scoring options on the roster. Kicker Will Reichard and WR/returner Myles Price have proven to be incredibly valuable so far in the Vikings' 3-0 start.
Price has had a week of recognition, earning NFC Special Teams Player of the Week on Wednesday and NFC Special Teams Player of the Month on Thursday after his massive 86-yard punt-return TD in Tampa (h/t: Vikings). This follows teammate Isaiah Rodgers winning the NFC's weekly honor for his blocked field goal in Chicago after Week 2.
Reichard, meanwhile, has been automatic this season. He's currently 6-for-6 on extra point attempts and 7-for-7 on field goals, including 2-for-2 on kicks of 50 yards or more.
If the Vikings' offense continues to struggle again on Sunday, the special teams unit may need to step back up to generate points.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/vikings/onsi as Vikings Week 4: 3 Most Important Things to Watch for as Dolphins Come to Town (Brian Flores's Revenge Edition) .
