Improved Defense Keeps The Minnesota Vikings' Playoff Hopes Alive

The Vikings news cycle has been full of controversy during the 2014 NFL season, with the shadow of Adrian Peterson's legal troubles casting a pall on the team for a time.

However, the Vikings are still hanging around at 4-5 and have a chance to make some headway in playoff positioning with four of their last seven games played against NFC North foes.

As a recent AP report points out, "the Vikings would not have this opportunity were it not for their defense, a group that gave up more points last year than any other in the league and is now 13th in that category. They’ve jumped from 31st to fourth in the NFL in passing yards allowed and from 13th to first in sacks. They’ve stayed steady in the middle of the pack in takeaways and yards rushing allowed."

The Minnesota Vikings underwent a complete defensive overhaul via both free agency and the 2014 NFL Draft in the offseason, turning a porous unit into the strength of the entire team.

Now with a chance to prove its mettle against the high-powered offenses residing in the division, the Vikings' defense seems poised to keep Minnesota in the conversation as the weeks roll along.

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