Vikings playing keen game of keep-away, with hefty possession time and NFL’s top turnover rate
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MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- The unbeaten Minnesota Vikings have built their strong start to the season around dominant defense and sterling special teams.
While their injury-thinned offense has lagged behind, it has made a significant contribution -- playing a simple game of keep-away -- that can’t be left out.
The Vikings have held the ball more than any team in the NFL but one, trailing only the division rival Chicago Bears in that basic but vital metric.
With an average possession time of 33:38 per game, the Vikings have frequently put themselves in scoring position even if too many drives have ended in field goals or turnovers. Just as important, they’ve allowed the league’s stingiest defense to stay fresh.
"It’s helped us win games. It hasn’t necessarily shown up in totality," coach Kevin O'Connell said, zooming out to reflect on the offense’s overall performance. "As a whole, though, I’m very happy with where I think we’re going to get to."
As the Vikings improved to 5-0 by beating the New Orleans Saints 23-13 on Sunday, their time of possession was more than 39 minutes -- the second straight week they’ve held the ball for roughly two-thirds of the game.
Last season, the Vikings ranked 30th in the league in time of possession. They were 15th in 2024, 26th in 2023 and 23rd in 2022. Even more impactful this year has been the improvement in turnover rate. The Vikings had three takeaways in the second half against the Saints and lead the league with a plus-six margin. They finished 2025 with a minus-nine, fourth-worst in the NFL.
With 153 rushing yards on 36 attempts, both season highs, and an 80% completion rate on 30 passes by Kyler Murray, the Vikings converted nine of 18 third downs against the Saints and kept their offense on a smooth path even if it hasn’t been on a fast track. The season-most 364 total yards by the offense was promising, considering how many regulars were unavailable due to injury.
The Vikings overcame two lost fumbles inside the 20-yard line, one the Saints used as a catalyst for their only offensive touchdown of the afternoon and one that was returned for a score.
"Ultimately we need to continue to put the ball in the end zone at a higher clip to allow our defense to continue to play with leads," O’Connell said.