Locked On Vikings Hit - Quick Takes on the Minnesota Vikings
Oct 7, 2026 · 8 min · 11 segments
The 2016 Minnesota Vikings started 5-0 before collapsing, and the 2026 Vikings have some early signs they could be headed down a similar road. Can Kevin O'Connell's Vikings avoid the fate of Mike…
Sam EkstromHost
Today we'll discuss how that 2016 Vikings team fell apart, and whether there's any indicators the 2026 Vikings could be heading down a similar path, a whole episode focusing on this.
And no, I don't think Kevin O'Connell will be wearing an eye patch by the end of the season.
Uh, 2016 had a lot of other weird vibes, like eye surgery for Mike Zimmer, special teams coordinator coaching a game, fired offensive coordinator...
But the 2016 Vikings are, are one of a couple examples in their history where a team that seemed unstoppable ended up missing the playoffs.
This Vikings team has a bye after the fifth game, and they as well are considered the F word by some, frauds.
Like, there's, there's definitely reason to doubt these Vikings, with the reputation Kyler Murray has and as poor as he's looked and the offense has looked, I get why you'd be a doubter.
The 2016 Vikings were propped up by unsustainable defensive and special teams touchdowns.
This Vikings team as well has been propped up by some insane defensive and special teams work.
Now, the 2016 group found the end zone four times in the return game and on defense in the first five games.
They had two punt return touchdowns, they had a fumble recovery touchdown, they had an interception return touchdown, and they won their first five games.
Like, those were some good quality wins, and they kept scoring on defense and special teams.
And then when that dried up and the offense never got going with Sam Bradford and then interim offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur, they couldn't score.
They couldn't score, and the defense couldn't continue doing the same magic over and over again.
It continued playing at a high level, they were in a lot of games, but the offense couldn't put points on the board.
Today we'll discuss how that 2016 Vikings team fell apart, and whether there's any indicators the 2026 Vikings could be heading down a similar path, a whole episode focusing on this.
And no, I don't think Kevin O'Connell will be wearing an eye patch by the end of the season.
Uh, 2016 had a lot of other weird vibes, like eye surgery for Mike Zimmer, special teams coordinator coaching a game, fired offensive coordinator...
But the 2016 Vikings are, are one of a couple examples in their history where a team that seemed unstoppable ended up missing the playoffs.
This Vikings team has a bye after the fifth game, and they as well are considered the F word by some, frauds.
Like, there's, there's definitely reason to doubt these Vikings, with the reputation Kyler Murray has and as poor as he's looked and the offense has looked, I get why you'd be a doubter.
The 2016 Vikings were propped up by unsustainable defensive and special teams touchdowns.
This Vikings team as well has been propped up by some insane defensive and special teams work.
Now, the 2016 group found the end zone four times in the return game and on defense in the first five games.
They had two punt return touchdowns, they had a fumble recovery touchdown, they had an interception return touchdown, and they won their first five games.
Like, those were some good quality wins, and they kept scoring on defense and special teams.
And then when that dried up and the offense never got going with Sam Bradford and then interim offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur, they couldn't score.
They couldn't score, and the defense couldn't continue doing the same magic over and over again.
It continued playing at a high level, they were in a lot of games, but the offense couldn't put points on the board.
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