atOptions = {
'key' : 'a07b2d8c9a7181f1d33446e01c1f4fd0',
'format' : 'iframe',
'height' : 60,
'width' : 468,
'params' : {}
};
At 2-1, the Minnesota Vikings are mostly performing well, escaping the initial three-game slate with an afloat record against mediocre opponents. The real test arrives after the bye in Week 6, and before then, the team must clean up three main facets.
While the 2025 Minnesota Vikings have a winning record at 2-1, a few areas still need clean-up on both sides of the ball.
Minnesota is excelling on defense, generally speaking, rushing the football at an unusually good clip, and winning the turnover battle, but the following three items need urgent repair.
The Vikings Must Fix These 3 Things
It’s a to-do list for Kevin O’Connell’s team.
under Kevin O’Connell. His offenses are built on explosive plays, and when the operation is rolling, Minnesota is scoring fast. Until recently, too, the Vikings had a hard time running the football at a consistent clip. Signs have shown that the rushing offense has turned the corner with Jordan Mason involved, however.
Perhaps the time of possession will stabilize with Carson Wentz fulfilling his “game manager” role in the next two weeks. Center Ryan Kelly said about Wentz this week: “I think he had a great week last week of preparation. It’s not an easy offense to learn. I was here since April, and it still took me a while to figure some things out because you’re starting to see the end evolution.”
“We’re many evolutions down with this offense now, and if you weren’t here for the origin, it’s a little hard to pick up. We went from A to Z — how did we get here? I think a crash course for him. He was obviously in LA for a little bit, so there’s some carry-over in the McVay system with Kevin.”
 scrambles in the first quarter of the NFL Week 3 game between the Minnesota Vikings and the Cincinnati Bengals at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis on Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025. © Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images</p>
<p>” data-medium-file=”https://vikingsterritory.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=788,height=444,fit=crop,quality=80,format=auto,onerror=redirect,metadata=none/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Carson-Wentz-3.jpg” data-large-file=”https://vikingsterritory.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=1180,height=633,fit=crop,quality=80,format=auto,onerror=redirect,metadata=none/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Carson-Wentz-3.jpg” src=”https://vikingsterritory.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=788,height=444,fit=crop,quality=80,format=auto,onerror=redirect,metadata=none/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Carson-Wentz-3.jpg” alt=”Carson Wentz scrambles from pocket against Bengals in Week 3 game.”><figcaption>Minnesota quarterback Carson Wentz (11) scrambled Sep 21, 2025, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, during first-quarter action against the Bengals at U.S. Bank Stadium. Wentz broke free from the pocket to extend the play in the Week 3 contest, drawing cheers from the crowd as he maneuvered past defenders while directing Minnesota’s offense early in the matchup. Mandatory Credit: Sam Greene-The Enquirer-USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images.<span></span></figcaption></figure>
</div>
<p>Wentz played a clean game in Week 3, and a quarterback controversy may be on the way when J.J. McCarthy heals from a high ankle sprain — if Minnesota goes undefeated on Wentz’s watch.</p>
<p>Kelly added, “But I think he’s done a great job. I mean, that’s just the professionalism — you don’t stick around this league for this long without being a pro, being on top of your stuff. And it’s the work that nobody sees — in here, walking through plays before and after, just figuring out concepts, motions, runs, all of our checks and stuff like that.”</p>
<p>“It’s critical for him, and he’s done a great job.”</p>
<p><strong>2. The Passing Game</strong></p>
<p>Comically, per the way O’Connell called the offense in 2022, 2023, and 2024, Minnesota ranks 30th through three games in passing yards and dead last in passing playcall percentage. Vikings quarterbacks have also accounted for the second-worst interception percentage per attempt, and no team has been sacked more when dropping back to throw. One might recall the loss against <a href=)
the Atlanta Falcons when J.J. McCarthy got knocked around all night. That inflated the bad sacks-allowed numbers.
Entering Week 4, as strange as it sounds, Minnesota has one of the very worst passing offenses in the business. Perhaps that will stabilize with more Carson Wentz snaps or McCarthy’s eventual development under center.
For now, Minnesota is not passing the football effectively or efficiently.
3. Penalties
The purple team ranks dead last per penalties per play through three games. No NFL team is worse in terms of penalty percentage. It also ranks third-worst in total penalties, regardless of percentage.
the Cincinnati Bengals last weekend, so the 38-point win put deodorant all over the 13 penalties. For the most part, nobody really cared about the penalty parade.
Still, the coaching staff knows of the problem, and as early as Week 4 in Ireland, Minnesota must nip the penalty malady in the bud.