Minnesota Vikings' Top-Ranked Defense Dominating in All the Important Areas

Defense can be evaluated a million different ways in the NFL, but a few of the most important defensive statistics say the Minnesota Vikings have fielded one of the game's most dominant defenses through the season's first 10 weeks. 

Where do nearly all great defenses win consistently? On third down and in the red zone. Take care of business in those two areas and keeping teams off the scoreboard suddenly becomes less struggle and more routine. 

Mike Zimmer's Vikings are excelling in both statistical categories. 

After nine games, Minnesota is giving up conversions on just 32.2 percent of third downs, which ranks third in the NFL behind Houston (26.7) and St. Louis (32.0). In the red zone, the Vikings have allowed touchdowns on just 45.8 percent of opponents' trips inside the 20-yard line—the league's fifth-best mark. Only the Rams, Seattle Seahawks and Vikings rank in the top five in both areas. 

	Vikings	NFL Rank
Points Allowed/Game	17.1	1st
Third Down Conversions	32.2%	3rd
Red Zone (TDs)	45.8%	5th

The result for Minnesota has been the NFL's top scoring defense. The Vikings are allowing just 17.1 points per game, with no team scoring more than 23 in a single week against Zimmer's club. Every franchise but the Vikings has had at least one game with 24 or more points surrendered this season. 

Winning on third down and in the red zone has helped Minnesota get wins in each of the last two weeks. 

Against the Rams, the Vikings allowed two third-down conversions on 16 attempts, while holding St. Louis to one touchdown and five field-goal tries. The Raiders converted seven of 14 third downs last Sunday, but Minnesota toughened up in the red zone, using an interception from Terence Newman and a late fourth-quarter stand to keep Oakland out of the end zone on two of three trips inside the 20. 

But it's not just a recent trend. A look at the last five games helps show why Minnesota has been so good on defense over the last five games, all ending in Vikings' wins:

	Third Downs	Red Zone (TDs)	Points Allowed
vs. KC	3/12	0/2	10
at DET	1/10	2/3	19
at CHI	3/12	1/2	20
vs. STL	2/16	1/2	18
at OAK	7/14	1/3	14
Totals	16/64 (25%)	5/12 (41.6%)	81 (16.2/game)

The trends need to continue down the stretch when the Vikings will play a number of top quarterbacks. Among those on the schedule are Aaron Rodgers (twice), Matt Ryan, Russell Wilson, Carson Palmer, Jay Cutler and Eli Manning. The best way to combat a good quarterback is winning on third down and getting off the field. And while the best of the best will always move the football at some point or another, keeping offenses out of the end zone and forcing field goals are an underrated aspect of winning big games. 

The first test: Rodgers. 

Hannah Foslien/Getty Images

Sunday's NFC North showdown is an opportunity to show the rest of the league what their impressive numbers are made of. 

“He’s a very good quarterback, elite quarterback and in this league, you want to play against the best,” defensive tackle Linval Joseph said, via the Craig Peters of the team's official site. “That’s how you get recognition, how you come over the hump, so to come out and have a great game against this quarterback would be great for our team, the defense, the whole organization.”

The struggling Packers have scored just 18.3 points per game over the last three weeks, while converting under 35 percent of their third downs. On paper, the Minnesota defense against Rodgers and the Green Bay offense suddenly looks like a matchup the Vikings should dominate. 

But games aren't played on paper, and it stands to reason that Rodgers—the reigning NFL MVP—will eventually break out of his rare slump. He'll still need to be sharp on third down and in the red zone to win at TCF Bank Stadium, where the Vikings are a perfect 4-0 in 2015. 

Minnesota has ridden Adrian Peterson and a red-hot defense to the NFC's second-best record after 10 weeks. Peterson's resurgence is a topic for another day, but there's no secret to why the defense has been so good. While the Vikings haven't been superlative in every category (including takeaways), the important areas—on third down and in the red zone—have belonged to Zimmer's club. Continuing to win in both will ensure this ascending unit remains one of the NFL's best. 

Zach Kruse covers the Vikings for Bleacher Report. 

Follow @zachkruse2