Vikings remain 6-0 despite fewest touchdowns since 1934

The Minnesota Vikings entered Week 8 as the only undefeated team in the NFL, holding a 6-0 record that stands out in a league with many struggles. They achieve this feat with an offense that has scored only 10 touchdowns, the lowest total for a team starting 6-0 since 1934.

The team's success relies entirely on its defense. Kicker Will Reichard has kicked more points for the Vikings this season, totaling 63, than every other player on the roster combined, who have 62. Defensive coordinator Brian Flores has implemented an aggressive strategy that involves blitzing on nearly every play. The Vikings recorded an 85.2% blitz rate in their recent win over the Colts, and their season-long rate remains above 70%.

This approach has worked against quarterbacks like Malik Willis, Tyler Shough, and Daniel Jones. However, the Vikings have faced the third-easiest schedule in the league through the first seven weeks. That streak of soft competition ends on Sunday when they host the Detroit Lions.

From Week 8 through Week 11, the Vikings face the most difficult stretch of opponents in the NFL, with a strength-of-schedule rating of .731. They will play the Lions, Bills, Packers, and 49ers in that span. Flores has coached in Minnesota since 2023 and holds a tactical advantage, as his defense limited Detroit to just 34 total points in their two games last season.

In other Week 8 matchups, the Buffalo Bills are favored to beat the Baltimore Ravens despite their defensive flaws. The Bills are allowing 28.5 points per game, the third-most in the league, and have given up 285.8 passing yards per game in their first six contests. Quarterback Josh Allen has kept the team at 4-0 in games where the defense surrendered at least 30 points, a mark shared by only a combined 8-47 record for the rest of the league.

The Cleveland Browns will aim to end a 38-year drought against the Pittsburgh Steelers. If Cleveland wins, it will be their first season sweep of Pittsburgh since 1988. The Browns have won their last three games via field goals in the final 10 seconds, a first in NFL history. Their first five wins all came by four points or less, a trend that has historically preceded playoff failures for other teams.

The Denver Broncos will face the Kansas City Chiefs after quarterback Bo Nix recorded a 62-yard rushing touchdown in Week 7. That run was the longest by a quarterback in Broncos history. Since being drafted, the Broncos have a 12-0 record when rushing for at least 125 yards and a 4-0 record when Nix rushes for at least 35 yards.