The Minnesota Vikings are undefeated so far this season — and undefeated in international games in franchise history.
Don’t tell coach Kevin O’Connell, though.
“A lot of people have taken note of the start that we’re off to,” he said. “As I tell our guys every single time I get to stand in front of them, that means absolutely nothing.”
The Vikings (4-0) arrived in London on Friday and will try to improve on their perfect record when they face Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets (2-2) on Sunday at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
“We’ve got to go out for four quarters this week and re-establish ourselves — our identity, our play style, our football philosophy — it’s got to be re-established on a week-in week-out basis,” O’Connell said. “That’s how you win consistently in this league.”
The team has had “a chip on our shoulder since the very beginning of the season,” he added.
The Vikings are 3-0 in the regular-season games they’ve played abroad — all in London.
As planned, two-time Pro Bowl tight end T.J. Hockenson returned Friday after the team opened his practice window. He tore his ACL and MCL in his right knee last Dec. 24 in the Vikings’ Week 16 game last season.
“It was great, honestly, to see him in that helmet, to see him running around, to kind of be with the team, it’s great,” star receiver Justin Jefferson said. “To see him happy out there running routes and being with the team again, I can’t wait until he’s fully back out there with us. That’s another dynamic force that we’re going to add to our offense.”
Hockenson, who started the season on the physically unable to perform list, will have 21 days to continue ramping up before the Vikings must add him to the active roster. He was limited in practice and officially ruled out for Sunday’s game.
O’Connell said Hockenson “looked really good.”
Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold says revenge is not on his mind when he faces his old squad.
“I wouldn’t say so, being pretty far removed from the Jets organization,” he said of the team that drafted him third overall in 2018.
He’ll probably say hello to a few former teammates — defensive lineman Quinnen Williams, linebacker C.J. Mosley, safety Ashtyn Davis and long snapper Thomas Hennessy are the only players remaining from Darnold’s last Jets team in 2020 — and some of New York’s backroom staff.
“Other than that, for me, it’s just a really good opportunity to play solid football,” he said.
Besides, Darnold has beaten the Jets before. In the 2021 season opener, after being traded in the offseason to Carolina, he led the Panthers to a 19-14 victory over the Jets.
Reporting by The Associated Press.
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