The performance put on by Brian Flores' crew Sunday afternoon in New Jersey was flat-out historic.
It extended Minnesota's streak of games without a touchdown pass allowed to six, tied with the 1969 Vikings defense for the most in a single season in the franchise's books. The active run dates to Week 11 against Chicago and includes holding Caleb Williams, Jordan Love, Sam Darnold, Jayden Daniels/Marcus Mariota, Dak Prescott and Jaxson Dart out of the end zone. Together, those passers posted a 64.5 rating.
Minnesota, by the way, can tie the best streak in the Super Bowl era with a "No-Fly" end zone on Christmas Day. The 1988 Browns, 1976 Steelers and 1972 Packers had streaks of seven consecutive games.
Furthermore, the Vikings limited Dart to 13 net passing yards. The 25th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft was 7-for-13 with 33 yards — he lost 20 on five sacks — and an interception secured by Byron Murphy, Jr.
Again, that made history as the fewest permitted by a Purple defense in more than 50 years.
The lowest net passing total given up by a Vikings defense was minus-7 to Archie Manning at New Orleans on Nov. 16, 1975. Manning actually threw for 62 yards and a TD in a 20-7 loss but nine sacks amounted to 69 lost yards. The second fewest was 1 on Dec. 3, 1972, throughout a 23-10 win over Chicago and lefty QB Bobby Douglass, who had two completions, including one for points, for 8 yards but was sacked thrice for a loss of 7. The third-best coverage performance for Minnesota occurred Oct. 3, 1971, during a shutout of Buffalo and future league MVP running back O.J. Simpson. In that contest, Bills QB Dennis Shaw had as many completions (12) and interceptions (2) as Vikings QB Norm Snead but passed for only 67 yards and lost 59 via seven sacks. (FYI, Snead aided a 19-nil thumping with a rush TD.)
And that returns us to Week 16 this season, the fourth-stingiest effort all-time by a Vikings pass defense.
Incredibly, sheer intimidation seemed to impact the feat as much as four total pass breakups and five sacks courtesy Jonathan Allen, Jalen Redmond, Levi Drake Rodriguez, Andrew Van Ginkel and Eric Wilson.
Here's a telling "Stat to Know" shared by ESPN's Kevin Seifert in the outlet's weekly review of games:
The Giants didn't hire Flores as their head coach after interviewing him in 2022, but they paid the Vikings defensive coordinator a massive compliment Sunday. Knowing that Dart would likely struggle to identify Flores' complex coverages and schemes, the Giants did not attempt a pass until their 17th offensive play.
According to ESPN Research, that hadn't happened in the NFL since 2017 when a tilt between Buffalo and Indianapolis took place "in a wintry, white-out setting best suited for snow shoes and sled dogs" and the Colts opted for 17 runs in a row by Frank Gore or Marlon Mack before Jacoby Brissett's first attempt.
Good luck finding a greater sign of respect for Flores' exotic looks and Minnesota's heater on defense.
Read Seifert's takeaways, plus Eric Woodyard's thoughts on Detroit after the Lions lost to Pittsburgh — and what's plaguing them — as the division rivals prepare for Thursday's game in Minnesota, right here.
View the Vikings in Big Head Mode following their Week 16 win over the Giants.
JJettas: Fashion icon
Justin Jefferson is famous for his football feats — his record-obliterating pace at 26 years old, his nonpareil highlight playlist 92 games into his NFL career and, of course, his silky-smooth route running.
The phenom is famous for his style off the field, too.
At the tail end of last week, Emily Leiker of the Minnesota Star Tribune addressed Jefferson's budding superstardom in the fashion world. The glitz and glamour of the Vikings WR complement his play style, and his willingness to step outside his comfort zone has sparked opportunities reserved for few athletes.
Leiker noted that in the past 18 months, Jefferson has served looks in Vogue World 2024 in Paris, rocked an Off-White outfit for the 2024 season opener at the Giants — the same day the collection debuted on a New York Fashion Week runway — and was a featured model in collaboration between GQ and Vogue.
The peak for Jefferson, as Leiker pointed out, occurred in May when the charismatic team captain with more catches than anyone in history through a player's first six seasons made his debut at the Met Gala.
Jefferson is one of 13 current or former NFL players to grace the gala's red carpet since 2015. Only three NFL players have been invited more than once: Odell Beckham, Jr. (four times), Tom Brady (three) and Colin Kaepernick (two). Among athletes from any sport, Jefferson is one of 79 to make at least one appearance — and he looks like he belongs, with a blend of bling and swagger and innate fashion sense.
In addition to delving into Jefferson's buffet of fits for his game-day tunnel walks and exploring how he got connected to Vogue Global Editorial Director Anna Wintour, amongst other tidbits, Leiker highlighted two of Jefferson's accessories that "play a role in projecting confidence outward and securing it inward."
You have probably noticed his necklaces and sunglasses. Leiker wrote the following:
His big chains, from his jet-shaped pendant by Lakeside Diamond to the simpler-by-comparison tennis necklaces he wears even during games, draw attention. On gamedays, it seems as if they could catch one's eye even from the 300 level of U.S. Bank Stadium.
The sunglasses are a protective layer, literally and figuratively.
"I always feel like whenever I put the shades on, no one can see me," Jefferson said. "I feel like no one can. It's just feeling like I'm in my comfort zone and to myself."
You can check out Leiker's colorful examination of Jefferson's foray into the global fashion arena here.
