After a week of well-needed rest, the Minnesota Vikings go on the road to Las Vegas to take on the Raiders at 3:05 p.m. CST.
Minnesota has had a lot of changes throughout the year, new quarterbacks, pass catchers have had to step up, but one change that can be felt from game to game is the vast improvement of this Vikings’ defense.
At this very moment, Minnesota is eighth in EPA allowed per play and ninth in defensive success rate. They’re top-ten in defensive passing DVOA (10th), defensive rushing DVOA (6th) and total defensive DVOA (8th).
Compare that to last season’s 27th-ranked defensive passing DVOA, 18th-ranked defensive rushing DVOA and 24th-ranked total defensive DVOA.
This defense has been the engine on this team’s path to the playoffs and will have to continue to be as they look to crash the dance this season.
The Raiders have been playing better as an offensive unit but there are still areas that defensive coordinator Brian Flores can exploit. To get this team back on track, the defense must follow these four keys to victory against a Raiders team looking to play spoiler.