Though he's only in his second season, Patterson is a legitimate big play threat when the ball is in his hands. Patterson has scored a touchdown in his last six games dating back to last season, including the 67-yard touchdown run against the Rams on Sunday. He's got incredible vision when he's out in open space. Just look at his previous five touchdowns to end last season:

Week 13: 33-yard run against the Bears
Week 14: 79-yard bubble screen against the Ravens
Week 15: 5-yard catch against the Eagles
Week 16: 35-yard run against the Bengals
Week 17: 50-yard run against the Lions

None of these touchdowns are 15-yard routes that Patterson's breaking for big gains, though he has improved as a route runner. Patterson is a threat in the end zone, the backfield and on screens because of his height, speed, vision and elusiveness. It's why he says it often – give him the ball and watch him make a play. He says it often because it's true. Patterson is a playmaker.

That's still difficult to process after just one game. But in that one game, the Vikings defense looked better than anything we saw last season. If that was a product of facing an offense with Shaun Hill at quarterback remains to be seen, but the Vikings were able to stop running back Zac Stacy and bring pressure on pass situations. They've already surpassed their win total on the road from last season, and it's really all due to their defense.

Cornerback Josh Robinson had two plays, a third down stop that resulted in a missed field goal that the Vikings eventually scored three points on and an interception right before the first half, that helped produced 10 points. Safety Harrison Smith also returned an interception for a touchdown. It's the biggest thing I took away from the game when the defense can contribute to half the points scored in that manner.

We'll have a better understanding of where the defense stands over the next two weeks facing Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and Saints quarterback Drew Brees. It was a good game, but it's only one game.

It depends on the situation and the personnel inherited and obtained. The Vikings did a good job in the offseason identifying players that fit head coach Mike Zimmer's scheme, especially the acquisition of nose tackle Linval Joseph and cornerback Captain Munnerlyn and re-signing defensive end Everson Griffen.I'll be completely honest here by saying I didn't expect rookie linebacker Anthony Barr to make an immediate impact when he was drafted. I don't want to overreact, but based off what we've seen in training camp, preseason and now Week 1, he looks like the face of this Vikings defense down the road. Barr embodies that aggressive style Zimmer likes, and it was a treat just to watch him in pursuit on plays.

Even with some of the pieces the Vikings have, everything is still new to them at this point. It could take a year, could take two years, but I think by Year 3 the defense should be capable of functioning to the highest expectations Zimmer has if the front office continues to build on the pieces in place.

Using Zimmer's tenure as a defensive coordinator with the Cowboys as an example, head coach Bill Parcells waited until his third season in Dallas to switch to a 3-4 defense because the team had enough pieces to make the transition. I'm not saying Zimmer will follow suit with the same plan in Minnesota, but developing a scheme to produce a consistent defense takes time.

This isn't the Champ Bailey you're thinking of anymore. That guy is in the history books. You can go ahead and temporarily remove that perception, just for a brief period, until Bailey retires and eventually gets into the Hall of Fame. Bailey's prime is in the rear-view mirror and doesn't look closer than it appears.

While there are depth issues at the position, especially if Xavier Rhodes (groin) can't play on Sunday, Bailey played five games last season in Denver and dealt with a foot injury during training camp with the Saints before he was cut. I'm not sure how a 36-year old cornerback that can't stay healthy and has never played under Zimmer would be a good fit for the Vikings.