It was business as usual on Sunday at US Bank Stadium. The Minnesota Vikings defense dominated, the special teams unit excelled, and the offense stuttered. Then the Vikings won again, moving to 4-0.
One man not stuttering on offense was TJ Hockenson.
TJ Hockenson Provides Late Offensive Spark
Minnesota beat the Miami Dolphins 15-10 with placekicker Will Reichard scoring all of the team’s points.
Hockenson could have had a touchdown but decided to slide at the one-yard line so the Vikings could kneel out the game, rather than letting the Dolphins have the ball back needing two scores in two minutes with no timeouts. It was unlikely Miami would win, but it was impossible for them to do it without ever receiving the ball again.
Hockenson deserved a touchdown for a display that saw him wind back the hands of time to the TE he was before his devastating knee injury in 2023. He has never found the same production he was having before that injury, but it returned at an opportune time for Minnesota. With Kevin O’Connell cutting a frustrated figure on the sideline, the so-called operation “get Kyler Murray comfortable” was failing miserably.
Despite good field position thanks to the defense’s dominance and a couple of long returns from Myles Price, the Vikings offense couldn’t get out of its own way. With Christian Darrisaw and Donovan Jackson knocked out of the game with injuries, the patched-up Vikings offensive line was struggling to contain the Dolphins’ pass rush. Murray couldn’t find any rhythm and Aaron Jones was ploughing a lonely figure trying to get the offense going on the ground.
The Vikings led throughout thanks to Reichard’s right foot, but when the Dolphins scored the only touchdown of the game to narrow the score to 12-10, the alarm bells were ringing.
Minnesota had to muster some offense and thankfully they did as the Murray and Hockenson connection that had been growing throughout the game stepped up in the final two drives to secure another three-points on an eight-minute drive and then the game sealing 5-minute drive to see out the clock.
Hockenson Becomes Vikings’ First 100-yard Receiver of 2026
Hockenson caught all 13 of his targets for 119 yards, which made him the first Vikings receiver to top 100-receiving yards this season. Both Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison made it into the 90s, but neither managed to break the 100-yard mark. It was the first time since Week 12 of the 2024 season that Hockenson managed to secure 100 yards and the first time since Week 10 in 2023 that the Vikings TE had double digits in both targets and receptions.
The hope will be that it was a breakthrough moment for both Murray and Hockenson. Their connection was a rare bright spot on offense for the Vikings this season. Every quarterback, especially one in a new system, needs to find a favorite target to get comfortable with. You’d expect that to be Jefferson in Minnesota, but with his absence due to an ankle injury, Hockenson stepped into the role and it could suit the Vikings offense even when Jefferson returns.
Vikings Must Build On the Late Offensive Flurry
The job Brian Flores and his defense had done on Miami was so good, that a little bit of offense at the end of the game was enough to secure the win. That has been the story in all four games so far, but at some point the offense is going to have to do more. With high-powered offenses on the horizon like the Buffalo Bills, Detroit Lions, and San Francisco 49ers, the offense is going to have to start putting points on the board.
The way the Vikings finished the game provides a glimmer of hope, but the pressure is on O’Connell to make sure his offense can keep up with the team’s defense. We are in the strange scenario where the home crowd are booing their offense with the team unbeaten on the season. A return of Jefferson and RB Jordan Mason in the coming weeks would provide a boost, but now we have the fitness of two starting linemen to sweat on. There has been a lot of criticism of O’Connell’s playcalling and he has to lead the turnaround of the offense.
Hockenson provided a spark on Sunday but we are long overdue for some fireworks from the Vikings offense. A Week 5 trip to New Orleans is the next chance for the Vikings offense to get going.