6 time Pro Bowler says Vikings D is "Legit"

Let it be known that the world is no longer sleeping on the 2024 Minnesota Vikings.

6-Time Pro Bowler Has Thoughts on Vikings’ 4-0 Start

The organization is 4-0 entering Week 5, and the world fully bought into the purple team when it knocked off the San Francisco 49ers, Houston Texans, and Green Bay Packers in a three-week span.

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The latest example? Six-time Pro Bowler Gerald McCoy, a former defensive tackle, who joined The Rich Eisen Show to pump and the Vikings and confirm their legitimacy.

“Real. They’re legit. They’re for real. If you can play defense at that level, like when the 49ers are playing defense at that level or the Ravens are playing defense at that level — normally, when you’re playing defense at that level, you can name me off like five or six guys. You can’t just rattle five or six guys on the Vikings’ defense. That’s legit defense,” McCoy replied to Rich Eisen when Eisen asked if the Vikings were for real.

McCoy played in the NFL for nine seasons, tabulated the six Pro Bowls, along with three All-Pro nods. He knows defense.

The retired NFLer added, “They’re playing where it’s selfless defense. We play for the team, and we’re gonna go out here and win. That defense, with the level they’re playing — how the offense is playing — they’re playing very good football. The Vikings are legit.”

Minnesota’s defense ranks first in the NFL per DVOA and first in EPA/Play. It has surrendered an unholy amount of passing yards, but that’s because the Vikings have led on the scoreboard for all but three minutes of the 2024 regular season. In fact, opposing teams are forced to throw the football 71% of the time against the purple team. Wild times.

The Vikings have suddenly become darlings per Super Bowl odds, too. This is the NFL’s current pecking order per Super Bowl odds:

Kansas City Chiefs: +500
San Francisco 49ers: +650
Baltimore Ravens: +800
Buffalo Bills: +1000
Detroit Lions: +1100
Houston Texans: +1300
Philadelphia Eagles: +1400
Minnesota Vikings: +1700
Dallas Cowboys: +2100
New York Jets: +2100
Atlanta Falcons: +2700
Green Bay Packers: +2700
The next test — or question from fans — is sustainability. In 2016, Minnesota started the season like gangbusters, sprinting to a 5-0 record before utterly crumpling after the team’s bye. It finished 8-8 following the flawless 5-0 start and missed the postseason.