Bye week has no impact on Vikings in consensus power rankings

Vikings return from the bye with two massive showdowns just four days apart.

Oct 6, 2024; Tottenham, ENG; Minnesota Vikings mascot Viktor the Viking poses for pictures after the 17-23 win against New York Jets at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Shaun Brooks-Imagn Images / Shaun Brooks-Imagn Images

The Vikings were off over the weekend and the rest of the NFC North showed just how tough it will be to win the division with commanding wins across the board. In all of our collected power rankings, the Vikings didn't move up or down at all over their bye week.

NFL.com - No. 1 (Last week: No. 1)

Eric Edholm noted the need for the Vikings to "clean up the offensive turnovers and special teams mistakes" ahead of a big run of games that raises the stakes on Minnesota's perfect, so far, season.

The Athletic - No. 1 (Last week No. 1)

Josh Kendall's 'one big question' for the Vikings coming out of the bye week is whether QB Sam Darnold can "keep it up?" Kendall noted Darnold had previously thrown for over 1,300 yards in the first six weeks of the 2018 season, but the difference was that in 2018 he threw just nine touchdowns and had seven interceptions. This season he has an 11-to-4 touchdown-to-interception ratio, as well as one of the best offensive coaches in the league.

CBS Sports - No. 2 (Last week: No. 2)

Pete Prisco said the Vikings' big test coming out of the bye week will be the "challenge" Brian Flores' defense faces against the Lions offense.

ESPN - No. 2 (Last week: No. 2)

Kevin Seifert said the biggest lesson learned after the first six weeks of the Vikings' season was to "wait until the Vikings play the games" to judge the squad. Seifert noted the overall consensus that Minnesota would finish last in the NFC North and with a sub-.500 record, but that has been the exact opposite in their perfect 5-0 start.

Yahoo! - No. 2 (Last week: No. 2)

Frank Schwab called it a "great fortune" that the Vikings got their bye week right before they take on a mighty Lions squad that just wrecked the Cowboys.

FOX Sports - No. 2 (Last week: No. 2)

David Helman said after the 5-0 start, the Vikings don't need to prove anything else. Though, another chance to "make a huge statement" faces them this weekend against the Lions.

SI.com - No. 3 (Last week: No. 3)

Connor Orr, like most NFL fans, is disappointed this weekend's showdown between the Lions and Vikings won't be at full strength, after the season-ending injury to Detroit pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson. Orr expressed interest in what Kevin O'Connell and Flores have "cooked up" for a huge matchup right out of the bye week.

PFT - No. 3 (Last week: No. 3)

Mike Florio says that Vikings are "about to be tested" with both the Lions and Rams just four days apart, right out of the bye.

Division Watch

The NFC North came out of Week 6 being labeled as the best division in the NFL after three big wins from the Lions, Packers and Bears. As such, each of the three active squads in the NFC North moved up in the consensus power rankings, with all four teams averaging top-12 rankings.

Below shows where NFC North teams rank in the compilation of power rankings. We've averaged out the rankings into one number for clarity.

Detroit Lions

Average ranking: 3.25 (Last week: No. 3.5)
Highest ranking: PFT - 1
Lowest ranking: NFL - 5

Green Bay Packers

Average ranking: 7 (Last week: No. 7.875)
Highest ranking: SI - 5
Lowest ranking: FOX - 9

Chicago Bears

Average ranking: 12.875 (Last week: No. 15.875)
Highest ranking: CBS - 9
Lowest ranking: ESPN - 16