Vikings grind past Dolphins 15-10, stay undefeated at 4-0
Minnesota won without a touchdown, leaning on five Will Reichard field goals and a 13-catch day from T.J. Hockenson to beat winless Miami at U.S. Bank Stadium.
Three points at a time
The Vikings didn't score a touchdown. They didn't need one. Will Reichard made five field goals, from 47, 50, 33, 41 and 29 yards, and that is how Minnesota put up all 15 of its points. The Vikings led 9-0 at halftime and Miami didn't get on the board until the third quarter.
Head coach Kevin O'Connell summed up the approach plainly afterward: "If we want to score, we should do it earlier."
Hockenson carries the offense
Kyler Murray threw for 247 yards on 27 of 37 passing with no turnovers, though he took four sacks for 34 yards. His main target all day was T.J. Hockenson, who caught 13 passes for 119 yards, his highest yardage total since Week 10 of the 2023 season.
The biggest catch came on third-and-5 from the 10-yard line. Hockenson hauled in an 8-yard pass and had a clear path to the end zone, but slid down short of the goal line to run the clock toward the two-minute warning instead. "Once you get the first down, you've got to get down," Hockenson said.
Dolphins fall to 0-4
Miami finished with just 198 total yards and was flagged nine times for 55 yards. Quarterback Malik Willis went 9 for 17 for 85 yards and lost a fumble on one of two sacks by Vikings linebacker Dallas Turner.
Running back Ollie Gordon II scored the Dolphins' only touchdown, a 12-yard run in the third quarter that cut Minnesota's lead to 10-12. Wide receiver Malik Washington caught five passes for 67 yards, and linebacker Jacob Rodriguez led all players with 18 tackles. At 0-4, Miami is off to its worst start since opening 0-7 in 2019.
Defense sets the tone
Minnesota outgained Miami 336 yards to 198 and finished with 20 first downs to the Dolphins' 8. Linebacker Blake Cashman led the Vikings with 8 tackles, and Turner's pressure off the edge kept Willis uneasy most of the afternoon.
The Vikings had their own penalty problems, 11 for 85 yards, but it didn't cost them against a Miami offense that couldn't sustain much. Minnesota is 4-0 for the second time in three years, and it got there this week without scoring a touchdown.
Facts per ESPN box score. Opinion is the taproom's.