Those hot summer days in July and August provided the first sign that things might be different for the Vikings.

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – OCTOBER 15: Defensive coordinator Brian Flores of the Minnesota Vikings reacts against the Chicago Bears during the fourth quarter at Soldier Field on October 15, 2023 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

As the offense walked off the field during training camp at TCO Performance Center, many players shared a similar sentiment regarding the defense.

Everybody was glad they didn’t have to go against new defensive coordinator Brian Flores anywhere other than practice.

That momentum has carried over into this season as the Vikings have quickly turned it around on defense. They play with an aggressiveness under Flores that was sorely lacking under former defensive coordinator Ed Donatell. As a result, the defense has steadily improved, with seemingly a different player rising to the occasion each week.

That was on display on Sunday in Atlanta as the Vikings earned an improbable 31-28 win over the Falcons. Though journeyman quarterback Josh Dobbs emerged as the story of the game, and head coach Kevin O’Connell garnered high praise for his efforts, the Vikings wouldn’t have been in a position to win had it not been for the defense.

Whether it was pass rusher Danielle Hunter dominating on a goal-line stand, cornerback Akayleb Evans forcing a fumble that helped turn the tide, or cornerback Byron Murphy hauling in an interception late in the game, the defense kept the Vikings alive until the offense finally hit its stride.

“We made some big plays,” Flores said. “It was great to be a part of a game where everybody chipped in.”

It was exactly the type of showing Flores was looking for from his players. He knew the defense was going to have to lead the way with rookie quarterback Jaren Hall making the first start of his NFL career for the Vikings. It became even more incumbent when Dobbs got thrown into the fire less than 15 minutes into the game.

“My message to our guys was, ‘Look, we don’t have to play perfect, but we’ve got to play damn good,’ ” Flores said. “It wasn’t a perfect game. We just kept fighting and kept trying to play complementary football. It worked out for us by the skin of our teeth.”

That has been the story throughout this season for the Vikings as the defense has managed to put its stamp on every single win to this point.

In the win over the Carolina Panthers, pass rusher D.J. Wonnum returned a fumble for a touchdown. In the win over the Chicago Bears, linebacker Jordan Hicks returned a fumble for a touchdown. In the win over the San Francisco 49ers, safety Cam Bynum recorded a pair of interceptions to seal the deal. In the win over the Green Bay Packers, safety Josh Metellus literally ripped the ball out of an opposing player’s hands for an interception.

The list goes on. The group seems to be gaining more confidence with each game. Now the key for the Vikings is to keep it rolling.

“We know that there are challenges every week,” Flores said. “We know we’ve got to prepare a specific way and then we’ve got to execute.”

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