Through Week 4 of the 2026 NFL season, there are only three undefeated teams. The Minnesota Vikings are one, but they’re clearly a step down from the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers.
Unfortunately for the Vikings, their 4-0 record might not be all it seems on the surface. Instead of this Vikings team being among the class of the NFL, this strong start might be a bit more fraudulent than their record indicates.
ESPN’s Aaron Schatz’s analysis of the Vikings was a brutal one, as he highlighted multiple key statistics that point towards the Vikings being one of the worst 4-0 teams in NFL history since the 2000 season.
Vikings get reality check despite 4-0 record
“The Vikings are the eighth-worst 4-0 team since 2000,” Schatz writes. “… They currently rank 31st in offensive DVOA, ahead of only the Chargers. They’re second in defensive DVOA, barely behind the Seahawks. And the Vikings have the benefit of this season’s best special teams unit, with Myles Price leading the league in kick and punt return yardage.”
Minnesota’s offense is holding this team back. Kyler Murray hasn’t looked good through the first four weeks, Justin Jefferson is banged up, and they’ve lost some key offensive linemen as well.
While the defense and special teams units are among the best in the NFL, there are some really concerning metrics about their offense that have this 4-0 start in question.
As Schatz noted, “If we go back to 1977, the Vikings are still 13th worst out of 136 teams to start 4-0.”
The Vikings’ 4-0 record might be fraudulent, as the underlying metrics indicate that this team isn’t as good as it appears to be.
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A close victory over the Miami Dolphins and a win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with terrible offensive production were their last two weeks. Neither was encouraging.
In Week 2, they beat the Chicago Bears but didn’t score a touchdown, only winning because of their elite defense and special teams. Week 1 was the only time this team truly put up good offensive production, scoring 39 against the Green Bay Packers.
Overall, however, this Vikings team clearly has a lot of problems. They might be 4-0 and sitting atop the NFC North through Week 4, but the signs are there that this team isn’t actually as good as their record indicates.
Schatz’s analysis of the Vikings is brutal, but it’s fair. They have a lot of work to do to prove they aren’t frauds this season, and they can begin by seeing Murray and the offense put together a big day against a weak New Orleans Saints defense.
