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Minnesota Vikings

As ESPN.com's Ben Goessling noted, the Vikings' offensive performance on Monday night was easily their best of the season. And if the way the unit had played during its first three games made that an easy bar to clear, the good news is that what the Vikings did in a 24-10 win over the New York Giants should be repeatable.

Minnesota's offensive output was relatively modest -- 366 total yards, with 262 of them through the air, and four scoring drives (two of which were set up by turnovers). The Vikings protected Sam Bradford, opened enough holes that Jerick McKinnon gained 85 yards on his 18 carries, and didn't burn themselves with penalties. That was it.

And that might be all this team needs to go a long way.

That the Vikings have one of the best defenses in the NFL should not be in dispute, not after Minnesota flusteredOdell Beckham and dulled the impact of the league's third-ranked passing attack on the heels of victories overAaron Rodgers and Cam Newton. But while the Vikings got a safety and a punt return for a touchdown last week at Carolina, they needed no direct contributions from the defense or special teams on Monday night.

The Vikings' much-maligned offensive line didn't allow Bradford to be sacked. Jeremiah Sirles, who did an impressive job filling in for Alex Boone at left guard last week, played so well in relief of an injured Andre Smith that he might have a chance to keep the right tackle job. As the Vikings cleared enough room for McKinnon, Boone was a commanding presence along the line of scrimmage after an uneven first three weeks.

Reliable offensive line play should be a reasonable expectation, and Bradford continued to make most of the right decisions on Monday night (his too-high pass to Stefon Diggs off an impressive double move notwithstanding).

Bradford completed passes to nine different receivers, hitting the short and the shots (a 40-yarder to Charles Johnson), and most importantly, hasn't thrown an interception since putting on the purple.

The Vikings won't hang 30 points on many teams, though they would have had 27 if not for a wide-left miss from kicker Blair Walsh. But with the way their defense is playing, the Vikings won't often have to score 30.

This isn't to say the Vikings' defense is immune to a game where some team makes enough plays to force Minnesota's offense to trade scores. That day could come, and the Vikings will have to hope their offense is up to the task, especially if that day comes in the playoffs. The formula they employed on Monday night, though, should be good enough to get them through most games. It's not much different from the one the Denver Broncos used to win the Super Bowl last season.

And after becoming the first 4-0 team in the NFC, the Vikings might find themselves in position to wonder about how far they can go.

Meanwhile, the question of the day in the wake of Monday night's game: Why haven't we been doing this withCordarrelle Patterson all along!?

The former first-round pick had been relegated to star punt-team gunner and returner, registering just two catches on two targets last year. Monday night, he saw six targets (five catches) for 38 yards, mostly on short swing or stop passes.

"I talked to him during the week. I told him, 'We're going to get you in the game plan. Now it's up to you what you do with it. It's up to you.' He responded well," head coach Mike Zimmer said. "He keeps working hard. I think it's good for all guys to see. If you work hard good things come. You keep fighting, you keep working and you get your opportunity and you take advantage of it."

The problems for Patterson in the past had multiple facets. Zimmer talked about him not knowing where to line up or not running crisp enough routes. The counter to that argument was always that offensive coordinator Norv Turner should simply feed him close to the line of scrimmage and allow his athleticism to take over. That was almost exactly what Turner did Monday night.

But the reason Zimmer has been so successful is also the reason Patterson had to wait for his breakout night. Talent is only one of the many components that earns a Vikings player time on the field. Watching the defense, it's easy to tell that professionalism, assignment knowledge and play speed are just as -- if not more -- important.

Establishing Patterson on Monday against a banged-up Giants secondary was a brilliant move. Not only is it engaging a superstar talent on offense, but it is throwing a warning shot to the rest of their schedule. Much like the Seahawks sprinkling in Percy Harvin, this is a component that Minnesota might not use every down, but could be effective if they decide to. ...

Kyle Rudolph has caught a touchdown pass in each of the Vikings' past three games, and has caught three of Bradford's four touchdown throws this season. He tied for a team high with seven targets on Monday night, catching five passes for 55 yards and a touchdown in the Vikings' win against the Giants, and might have had a second score had he and Bradford been able to connect on a fade route in the first half.

One major problem?

As noted above, Walsh missed his third field goal try in four games this season for the Vikings, this one a 46-yarder that never really had a chance. He has also missed two extra points this year, and Zimmer has sounded more and more like he's losing patience with his kicker.

"We need to make those or it's going to bite us in the rear end," the coach said. "Our team is playing close games. That's how we're built."

Walsh did rebound to hit a 44-yarder not long after his miss, following an interception. But his hold on the job has to be considered tenuous at best.


DEPTH CHART
QBs: Sam Bradford, Shaun Hill, Taylor Heinicke 
RBs: Jerick McKinnon, Matt Asiata, Ronnie Hillman, Adrian Peterson 
WRs: Stefon Diggs, Cordarrelle Patterson, Charles Johnson, Laquon Treadwell, Adam Thielen, Jarius Wright 
TEs: Kyle Rudolph, MyCole Pruitt, Rhett Ellison, David Morgan