The Vikings lead the NFL in turnover margin at plus-8 after forcing four turnovers against the Rams on Sunday, including three inside the 10-yard line.

The Vikings finished 24th in turnover margin last season at minus-6. That's a big swing and a key reason the Vikings are 5-0. "Whether you say that they come in bunches or what have you, we've been opportunistic on the defensive side of the football when there is a ball laying around or stripping or raking or arriving when the ball arrives and knocking it out with force," Coach Brad Childress said. "We're going to do some kind of takeaway drill every day. It just seems to be manifesting itself a little bit more. Then offensively, guys are doing a nice job of catching it, tucking it, carrying it, tucking it high and tight. [Brett Favre] had one probably misstep yesterday. It was a bad read and then a bad decision to throw that ball, but he's doing a pretty good job of taking care of the football by and large. Just being intentional about it. Talk about you're going to be in every game that you win that turnover battle and particularly on the road. The road statistics speak for themselves." Childress said turnover margin is one of the first statistics he looks at each week because it is such a big indicator in whether a team wins or loses. "It's usually the first one that you're looking at and it usually tells a lot of tale," he said. "Those free ones, those free points. That and explosive plays I think is about 98 percent, 99 percent win if you're winning that daily double – if you're winning the turnover battle and the explosive plays. It's usually undefeated." Childress also talked about his players mindset at being 5-0. "They're really pretty good about taking that in," he said. "It's a fine line between being cocky and having a swagger and being beaten down and not thinking you're any good. You're always balancing that. I want them to think they're good because they're a good football team. Can we be a better football team? We absolutely can."

  • Childress said punt returner Darius Reynaud will rejoin the team today after spending time away dealing with a private family matter last week.
  • Childress said Artis Hicks did a good job filling in for injured right tackle Phil Loadholt considering Hicks had very little practice time at that spot last week. "I thought he did a decent job. I thought he did a decent job for not having practiced there the whole week. We bounce him around a good bit because he does bounce around if we need him up, and so only really having Friday of full practice at the right tackle position, I thought he did a nice job for being on that side. He's a natural left side, left-handed guy, but I thought he did a good job for lining up there."