Minnesota Vikings' dominant win highlighted by historic performance and controversial draft pick

That is crazy to think about, and he did it in the first half. Brian Flores believed in Rodgers to be the guy for the Vikings, opposite of Byron Murphy Jr, and he's proving it thus far.

RB Jordan Mason

The running game was a major emphasis this offseason for the Vikings. Last season, the short yardage run game wasn't just bad; it was atrocious. They had a great offense overall, but the run game was brutal in short-yardage situations, both because of the talent at running back and the offensive line.

They improved the offensive line tenfold with three new starters on the interior, along with adding Jordan Mason. He was tremendous on Sunday with 116 yards on 16 carries, along with two touchdowns. He was making guys miss, along with running them over consistently. Having that element in the backfield has been such a benefit for the Vikings' offense.

EDGE Jonathan Greenard

When you look at the box score for Greenard, it's not going to be the sexiest. He recorded three tackles, two tackles for loss, and one quarterback hit. His impact on the field has been tremendous in so many ways, especially getting penetration in the backfield.

Even though he didn't get a sack, Greenard forced Browning into one of Andrew Van Ginkel's two sacks and impacted the run game consistently with his presence. Greenard is the best player on the Vikings' defense and continues to prove why the Vikings paid big money to get him last season.

EDGE Dallas Turner

This feels a little bit weird on the surface, but Turner has been really good for the Vikings this season. The flashy plays aren't there right now, but there are multiple elements to his game that have seen significant improvement. Those continue to resonate for Turner and the Vikings.

His strength is so impressive compared to his rookie season, which was the biggest reason why he has taken a step forward. Turner isn't getting washed out by offensive linemen in the running game, and has the awareness to continue pursuing plays on the backside. The flashy plays are going to come, and it's because Turner has the boring stuff down.

LT Christian Darrisaw

This one is simple: Darrisaw's return maximized the Vikings' offense. He was excellent in many ways, especially in pass protection, as the Vikings held Trey Hendrickson to zero sacks. Having him on the field does so much for the Vikings' offense, as he's arguably the most important player on the team.

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