Brutal -6 Turnover Margin, Running Game Have Led To Vikings 0-2 Start

It’s easy to figure out what the biggest issues are for the 0-2 Minnesota Vikings. It will be much more difficult to correct the problem and get the team back on track.

Through the first two games of the season, the Vikings have turned the ball over 7 times and have taken it from their opponent just one time. They are minus-6 on the turnover/takeaway table, leaving them in last place in Roger Goodell’s 32-team empire.

While the turnover issue can be emphasized by the coaching staff, and gimmicks such as having skill-position players attach themselves to footballs as they prepare for the next game, it is difficult to fix this problem once it begins.

The Vikings are also in last place with their running attack, and that’s a big part of the reason they added running back Cam Akers in a trade with the Los Angeles Rams. The Vikings have rushed for 69 yards through the first two games, and their average of 34.5 rushing yards per game is completely unacceptable for any team that has designs on defending the NFC North championship.

The Vikings made a decision to get rid of Dalvin Cook in the offseason, and that decision was largely financial. Just like the majority of NFL teams, the Vikings don’t believe that committing huge financial resources to the running back position is a good idea. That’s why Jonathan Taylor of the Indianapolis Colts is holding out, and players like Saquon Barkley of the Giants and Josh Jacobs of the are unhappy with compensation running backs receive.

The only running back who appears to have been compensated in a generous/fair manner is Christian McCaffrey, who signed a 4-year, $64-million contract with the Carolina Panthers and was subsequently traded to the San Francisco 49ers. McCaffrey was brilliant with his former team and he continues to play at a sensational level with the Niners.

McCaffrey just tied a 49ers team record when he scored a touchdown for the 12^th straight game Thursday night against the Giants. That puts his name on the same line in the record book as Hall of Famer Jerry Rice – clearly a substantial achievement.

But getting back to the Vikings, head coach Kevin O’Connell tried to sell the Cook departure in football terms. He pointed out that Cook simply had too many zero- and negative-yardage plays, and that backup Alexander Mattison would be better in that area.

Never mind the fact that Cook’s speed and make-you-miss ability made him one of the best big-play specialists at the position. O’Connell wanted more consistency at the position.

Perhaps Akers will help in that area. O’Connell is certainly familiar with him from his days with the Rams as that team’s offensive coordinator in 2020 and 2021.

Akers is 5-11, 212 pounds and runs with power. That’s very similar to Mattison, who checks in at a 5-11 and 215 pounds. Akers gained 786 yards last season, averaged 4.2 yards per carry and scored 7 touchdowns last season. He’s not much in the receiving department, as he caught 13 passes for 117 yards.

Vikings offensive coordinator Wes Phillips says the team still has confidence in Mattison and backup Ty Chandler. “Unfortunately, we’ve had a couple of turnovers in the run game where we obviously need to clean that up,” Phillips said. “Everyone’s aware of that. But we still feel very strongly in Alex and Ty [Chandler] and those guys being able to go in and produce. We know we have to be better in the run game.”

The Vikings need the running game to keep from being one-dimensional. They have the best receiver in the game in Justin Jefferson, one of the best tight ends in T.J. Hockenson and another game breaker in speedy rookie Jordan Addison.

If the Vikings can get anything out of the running game – whether it’s Mattison, Akers or Chandler – and win the turnover battle, they will turn their season around.