The Minnesota Vikings overcame a 12-point deficit against the Green Bay Packers last Sunday to win 39-22. It was a bizarre game, considering the Packers held a 22-10 lead with 5:09 to play in the third quarter. So the final score didn't fully reflect the game flow through two-and-a-half quarters.
NFL Media wasn't impressed by what he saw in the first 40 minutes and dropped the Vikings three spots in his Week 2 power rankings. Nick Shook of Around the NFL ranked Minnesota 22nd in his latest power rankings.
The Vikings found a way to turn what was trending toward an ugly, disheartening season opener into a 17-point triumph. The result still seems absurd to me, given that the Packers led by 12 points late in the third quarter, but Brian Flores' defense
(along with some penalties by the opposition) can swing a game that quickly. Now the Vikings have to hope Kyler Murray can return before long. With all due respect to Carson Wentz, Minnesota's ceiling is lower with him in the lineup.
It's hard to call Sunday's win a statement. Both sides showed concerning facets that led to the 12-point deficit. Yet the way the Vikings stormed back shouldn't be overlooked, especially since they put the game out of reach with six minutes to play in the fourth quarter.
But to drop Minnesota in the rankings is puzzling, too.
I don't think I should be surprised that Shook ranked Green Bay ahead of them (16th), because preseason predictions shape how teams start the year. But the Saints went up one spot from 22 to 21 after losing on Sunday. The Cardinals jumped up six spots after their win. And the Chargers, who lost to Arizona, dropped four spots but are still ahead of the Vikings.
Power rankings aren't worth getting worked up over after reading hundreds of them over the years. Wins count the same no matter how you get them in the NFL. But Shook's list is a head-scratcher, even if some of his concerns are valid.
This article originally appeared on Vikings Wire: Where did NFL media rank the Vikings in their Week 2 power rankings?
