Things can turn on a dime in the NFL. That’s been the case with the Vikings’ defense the past two weeks. The Lions’ loss wasn’t all that shocking, given how well both teams played, and Detroit has been a good team the past two seasons. But Minnesota was supposed to win in Los Angeles against a banged-up Rams team on Thursday night.
Instead, the Vikings dropped their second game in a row and fans had to watch the Minnesota defense get beat around. The Vikings’ defense was feared during the season’s first five games. Brian Flores had his team flying around and creating chaos on the field, but things changed on Thursday.
The Athletic’s Alec Lewis noted the big change he saw from the defensive unit.
“For more than a season now, when the Vikings defense has been going well, you can sense his players are aware of this. They know how tentative their opponents are, too, having done their best to psych themselves up before exiting the bus at the stadium. The best comparison is a championship boxer who steps into the ring knowing he is capable of utter destruction.