Minnesota Vikings Power Rankings Roundup: Week 5

With their victory on Sunday over the Philadelphia Eagles, the Minnesota Vikings are back on the upswing in the Power Rankings across the internet. While we understand that Power Rankings aren’t gospel, or anything even approaching it, it is kind of interesting to see where the various pundits across these vast interwebs have our favorite football team ranked compared to the rest of the National Football League.

So, how far up the rankings have the Vikings climbed this week? Let’s take a spin around and find out.

Associated Press: #9 (Last week: #14)

No Vikings-centric commentary from the AP this week.

MMQB, Sports Illustrated: #7 (Last week: #10)

It didn’t exactly avenge the NFC Championship Game loss, but the win in Philly did halt a two-game skid and keep the Vikings firmly in the thick of the NFC’s crowded playoff picture.

SB Nation: #10 (Last week: #12)

No Vikings-centric commentary from the mothership this week.

Walter Cherepinsky, Walter Football: #12 (Last week: #15)

Look, it’s the same damn “overrated team” link that he’s had every other week. I won’t bore you with it.

Pete Prisco, CBS Sports: #13 (Last week: #20)

Was that a season saving victory against the Eagles? It might have been. Kirk Cousins is playing good football.

Elliot Harrison, NFL.com: #9 (Last week: #13)

Kirk Cousins is playing out of his freakin’ mind, man. No matter the pressure -- including a whole bunch right in his grill -- Cousins (30 for 37, 301 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT) delivered the ball on time and on point Sunday in Philadelphia. Along with the Vikings’ pass rush, he was the difference between Minnesota falling into season-on-the-brink territory and getting right back in the mix at 2-2-1. The Vikes are now a game-and-a-half behind Chicago in the NFC North, with a Cardinals home game followed by a roadie against the Jets. Both winnable games. Then again, so was Buffalo. Too soon?

Vinnie Iyer, Sporting News: #9 (Last week: #13)

The Vikings’ defense needed that get-well game in Philadelphia, and embracing their identity with Kirk Cousins as a quick, high-volume passing game is smart.

Bleacher Report: #8 (Last week: #8)

After falling on the road to the Los Angeles Rams a week ago, the Minnesota Vikings entered Week 5 facing a tall task. Travel to Philly for a rematch of last year’s NFC Championship beatdown staring at the possibility of a 1-3-1 start.

It was gut-check time. And when the bell rang, Minnesota answered. Despite having no ground game to speak of, the Vikings rode Kirk Cousins’ right arm and a record-setting performance from Adam Thielen to one of Week 5’s most important victories.

It wasn’t flawless by any stretch. The Vikings led 20-6 late but had to hold on to get the W. Though it was tough, the important thing is that the Vikings did hold on, and after a brutal stretch to open the season, they get a couple of tomato cans before hosting the Saints in a few weeks.

Of course, the last time the Vikings played a tomato can, the Bills beat the snot out of them.

But for now at least, Minnesota appears to be back on track.

”We may have declared them dead too early,” Gagnon wrote. “They hung with the NFL’s best team on the road in Week 4 before dominating the defending champions on the road in Week 5. Kirk Cousins has been somewhat quietly fantastic, and the Vikings are on track to make another run.”

Mike Florio, Pro Football Talk: #11 (Last week: #17)

How far can a team with no running game go?

ESPN: #11 (Last week: #13)

Rest-of-season SOS ranking: 26th. The Vikings will travel to New England in Week 13 for their toughest remaining game, in which they have a 30 percent chance to win, according to FPI. This is part of a four-game stretch in which the Vikings face their toughest tests of the season. Minnesota has a 45 percent chance to beat Chicago in Week 11, a 57 percent chance to win against Green Bay in Week 12 and a 41 percent chance to beat Seattle in Week 14.

Frank Schwab, Yahoo! Sports: #6 (Last week: #13)

Kirk Cousins’ numbers through five games: 1,688 yards, 11 touchdowns, two interceptions, a 71.2 completion percentage and a 105.1 rating. He’s off to a heck of a good start and looks like a fantastic free-agent signing.

USA Today: #12 (Last week: #17)

Clear solution to trigger league’s second-worst run game is giving 329-pound Linval Joseph, who averages 64 yards per “carry,” some work.

Yes, it’s quite a significant swing upwards for our favorite football team, folks. The purple moved upwards in 11 of the 12 rankings that we use to put together our roundup, and stayed even in the one where they didn’t move up.

The average ranking for the Vikings after falling to 1-2-1 last week was sitting at 13.75. With their big win on Sunday. . .a win that might have saved their season. . .they’re now back to being a Top 10 team with an average ranking of 9.75.

Here is the graphic representation of the rankings so that you can check out the rise and fall throughout the first five weeks of the season. As always, you may click to embiggen.

It would be nice to think that the Vikings have bottomed out as far as potential low points this season are concerned. However, we don’t have to look back that far to remember that neither the Vikings nor any other NFL team can take anything for granted in a given week.

We’ll be right back here in the same place again next week for another Power Rankings Roundup!