Vikings' rushing attack showing massive growth behind Aaron Jones, Ty Chandler

EAGAN, Minn. — The longest run of this season for the Minnesota Vikings tells you everything you need to know about their improvement on the ground through two games.

It was the second quarter of Sunday’s heavyweight fight against the San Francisco 49ers, and the Vikings had just crossed midfield. In past years, this might have been prime territory for coach Kevin O’Connell and company to take a shot down the field. Had quarterback Sam Darnold faked a handoff and planted with his eyes downfield, nobody would have batted an eye.

Instead, he turned and placed the ball into Ty Chandler’s chest. The third-year running back eased forward and watched as the Minnesota offensive line bulldozed into the 49ers front. While Vikings left guard Blake Brandel and center Garrett Bradbury flattened Javon Hargrave, right guard Ed Ingram and right tackle Brian O’Neill steamrolled Maliek Collins.

Chandler pressed forward and appeared to consider making a beeline right up the gut. Noticing all-world linebacker Fred Warner waiting for him at the second level, Chandler hop-stepped right and looped around the right edge of the line, partly because receiver Jalen Nailor cracked 49ers safety Malik Mustapha. Chandler galloped toward the right sideline for 25 yards.

After two games played in 2024, the Vikings are averaging 5.1 yards per carry, ninth best in the NFL and more than a yard better than their average in 2023. Their improvement is even more stark when considering the advanced metrics. The Vikings rank fourth in the NFL in rushing success rate and third in explosive rush rate. Each marks a major year-over-year leap. For perspective, the Vikings already have 10 runs of 10 yards or more this season. Last year, the Vikings only had 11 runs of 10 yards or more entering Week 7.

This group is special.#Skol pic.twitter.com/IqmVH9iJAH

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) September 15, 2024

The point is that Minnesota’s ground game has been efficient and explosive to the degree O’Connell and the Vikings offensive staff have long envisioned. The early production raises two questions: What’s changed? And will it continue?

The short answers are enough and it’s a safe bet. The longer versions of those responses live in Chandler’s run.

Let’s begin with the offensive line. Sunday, the Vikings averaged 4.05 yards before contact, the most any NFL team has generated in a game this season and the most a Vikings team has averaged with O’Connell as the coach. That wouldn’t have happened if players like Brandel, Bradbury, Ingram, O’Neill, left tackle Christian Darrisaw and tight ends Josh Oliver and Johnny Mundt hadn’t dented the opposing front.

Chandler’s run is a guide to how effective Minnesota was at establishing a different line of scrimmage Sunday.

Here is the pre-snap picture with the ball situated at the San Francisco 46-yard line:

And here is the post-snap picture with most of the Vikings offensive linemen stationed closer to the 43-yard line:

Push the defensive front backward 3 yards, and your running backs will have ample room to work.

Then, of course, it’s on those running backs to visually identify green grass and accelerate toward it. Chandler displayed this ability in the back half of the 2023 season, but he was not the Vikings’ primary running back.

Alexander Mattison occupied that role, and his numbers matched the eye test in that he rarely scooped up more yardage than was available to him. Next Gen Stats suggested Mattison ran for 45 yards fewer than expected throughout the season.

Aaron Jones, meanwhile, averaged a half-yard more than Mattison after contact last season. That’s why, once the Green Bay Packers let Jones walk, general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, executive vice president of football operation Rob Brzezinski and O’Connell pushed aggressively to sign him.

Jones has only validated their pursuit through two games, averaging 4.17 yards per rush after contact, the third-highest mark among 33 qualified NFL rushers behind only J.K. Dobbins and Brian Robinson.

The third and final layer of growth lies in O’Connell’s scheme and process. More than ever, the Vikings have leaned into downhill vertical runs. Chandler’s 25-yarder is an example, but here is another from earlier in the game with Darrisaw wrapping around to the right as a puller on a power play:

Offensive coordinator Wes Phillips has worked with O’Connell and offensive line coach Chris Kuper to pair these downhill runs with play-action concepts. A first-and-10 call in the first quarter of Sunday’s game embodies this play-building progression.

The Vikings had neared the red zone, and it felt like another take-a-shot opportunity. Darnold was lined up in the shotgun with Jones to his left. Before the snap, Mundt motioned from his tight end spot on the right side of the line of scrimmage to the left. Ingram looped alongside him indicating a counter run, which caused Warner to pause on the second level. Darnold floated behind them, almost making it seem like he was going to run it himself. Smoothly, he then stopped, swiveled back toward the right and dumped off a screen pass to Jones, who watched the sea part ahead of him and picked up 15 yards.

Here is the initial horizontal movement of the play:

And here was the pass toward the opposite side:

Add all of this up — notable run blocking, more dynamic backs and heightened schematic intentionality — and you wind up with results like this. That said, this analysis wouldn’t be complete without noting that Minnesota’s first two opponents, the Giants and 49ers, ranked in the bottom third in success rate at stopping the run last season.

This weekend, the Vikings face off against a Houston Texans defense that was exceptional at stopping the run last season. Run well against DeMeco Ryans’ crew, and it will be hard to deny that this facet of the Minnesota offense is a force to be reckoned with.

(Photo of Aaron Jones: Adam Bettcher / Getty Images)