The latest power rankings started to trickle in before we saw a crazy trade deadline happen but that didn’t stop the experts from ranking the Vikings highly in the latest power rankings.
Last week, the majority of analysts had the Vikings in the top five and that continued through this week as they maintained and gained in most rankings with a 34-26 win over the Arizona Cardinals.
Without further ado, here are the latest power rankings across the NFL.
Mike Florio-Pro Football Talk
Last week: 5
This week: 6
Florio has been a major critic of the Vikings but he has come around and put them in the top five.
“We’ll find out how good this team really is in November, every opponent this month is currently at or above .500.”
Nate Davis-USA Today
Last week: 5
This week: 5
Davis still has questions about the Vikings, but he has them firmly in the top five.
“You hate to question the legitimacy of a 6-1 team, but we’ll find out a lot over the next two weeks as QB Kirk Cousins returns to Washington for the first time before the Skol Train heads to Buffalo.”
Dan Hanzus-NFL.com
Last week: 7
This week: 7
The Vikings aren’t quite a top five team in the eyes of Hanzuz, who has the Vikings staying at seven.
“Patrick Peterson waited a long time to get his opportunity for revenge on the Cardinals. And while the veteran cornerback didn’t snag the two interceptions he’d promised all week against his former team, he was active and extremely engaged throughout Sunday’s 34-26 win, Minnesota’s sixth in seven tries this season. “I’m still waiting on (general manager) Steve Keim to call me,” said Peterson, who left the Cardinals after the 2020 season. “Still haven’t talked to him.” The Vikings never seem to win comfortably, but they’ve opened up a comfortable lead over the Packers and Bears in the otherwise-scuffling NFC North.”
Conor Orr-Sports Illustrated
Last week: 5
This week: 5
Orr took awhile to come around on the Vikings, but he has had them in the top five for three weeks.
“Patrick Peterson’s Call of Duty celebration has taken the Vikings from power rankings nuisance to one of our official teams of 2022. You have to respect the attitude, along with the suddenly dangerous, scrambling Kirk Cousins. Cousins made some gritty plays from the pocket, such as the one completion to Adam Thielen that set up (an eventually blocked) field-goal attempt.”
Doug Farrar-Touchdown Wire
Last week: 7
This week: 5
Farrar is like Orr in that it took him a minute to come around on the Vikings but he is firmly there now.
“The Vikings have long established they are the kings of the NFC North this year. The question now becomes whether they can credibly contend for the No. 1 seed in the conference. Minnesota handled the challenge of a revitalized Cardinals squad. Can they survive a November slate that includes Washington, Buffalo, Dallas, and New England?”
