Each Wednesday, we highlight five Vikings stats that really mean something.
16 — passes of 10-plus yards thrown by the Vikings on Sunday
In the win over the Chiefs, quarterback Teddy Bridgewater pushed the ball downfield more often than he did in the first quarter of the season. In the first four weeks, Bridgewater attempted just 37 passes 10 or more yards beyond the line of scrimmage, completing 21 for 357 yards, according to Pro Football Focus. Against the Chiefs, Bridgewater threw 16 passes at least 10 yards downfield, competing nine for 190 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. It's too soon to say whether this was a tweak made by the coaches or just the Vikings taking advantage of a favorable matchup.
six — red-zone touchdowns allowed by the Vikings in five games
Last season, the Vikings ranked 18th in the league in red-zone defense, allowing their opponents to score touchdowns on 54.2 percent of their trips inside the 20-yard line. This season, the Vikings have been much better in this important area. After shutting out the Chiefs in their two red-zone trips last week, the Vikings rank third in the NFL, behind the Jets and the Rams, with a red-zone touchdown percentage of 40 percent.
41 — QB pressures generated by Everson Griffen and Brian Robison
The Vikings have gone up against some formidable pass-rushing duos in their past couple of games, but they have one, too. Griffen and Robison, the starting defensive ends, both rank in the top seven among 4-3 defensive ends in total pressures, according to Pro Football Focus. Robison only has one sack, but he has 21 total pressures in five games. Griffen, who sat out last Sunday, has 20 pressures in four games. Only the Seahawks, with Michael Bennett and Cliff Avril, have a more productive pair of 4-3 ends.
321 — snaps played by all five starting offensive linemen in 2015
