The Minnesota Vikings are set to take on the Green Bay Packers this Sunday afternoon, and the excitement is real.

U.S. Bank Stadium is going to be rocking, especially with the debut of Kyler Murray. There is a lot of intrugue with how that will end up going. Head coach Kevin O’Connell has never had anyone who has the ability of Murray, and that unique talent creates interesting elents to the discussion.

We broke down the bold predictions on offense earlier this week, and now we have our defensive ones.

Elijah Williams will lead the interior defensive line in sacks

Elijah Williams has been somebody I have talked about extensively over the course of time, and I love what he brings to the table. He’s a plus athlete who has put on good weight this offseason. The question has always been how he gets onto the field. It felt like he was fighting for a roster spot half the time.

So why is Williams going to lead the interior in sacks? Simply put, rookie defensive tackle Caleb Banks isn’t ready yet, as he’s still working back in multiple ways from his foot injuries. Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins will probably get the start, but Williams will earn playing time and keep earning more of it. He’s likely going to get more opportunities than a Levi Drake Rodriguez or Dominique Orange in pass rush situations, because those guys are going to play nose tackle. Williams is going to play 3T, 4i, and 5T. Those are the alignments where sack opportunities come.

Even on something like 300 to 400 snaps, which I think he’ll end up getting this year, Williams is the kind of guy who can maximize them and take it to a different level. He’ll have to beat out Jaylen Redmond’s 6.5 sacks from last year, and Banks will probably chip in a few. Even so, Williams leads the interior.

Dallas Turner is about to have a breakout season

We’ve all talked about it and understood that Dallas Turner was drafted as a raw prospect. I wanted Chop Robinson at the time, and I still love what he brings to the table. I didn’t think Jared Verse really fit how Flores was trying to build the defense and still do. Plus, Verse is already about to turn 27. Turner is going to turn 24 in February. That age gap matters.

Turner is an incredibly explosive, powerful athlete on the edge who is taking advantage of things on a multitude of different levels. He can bend the arc, and has developed enough power to be strong at the point of attack. You’re not going to wash him off the ball. With his 34.5-inch arms, he’s going to get his hand in your chest and keep you at bay. He can throw a bunch of different moves, and his ability off the ball to move in space elevates him to a different level.

This is the time for Turner. If you haven’t gotten on the train yet, it’s time, because he is ready to become that Jonathan Greenard-type player for Minnesota.

The Vikings will record 60 sacks this season

Andrew Van Ginkel brings a lot to the Vikings, and the overall ability to generate sacks is where this prediction comes into play. Minnesota had 49 sacks two years ago and 49 again last season. This year, the jump to 60 makes sense because the secondary is significantly better.

Byron Murphy Jr. is still a very good player who can work inside and out, Isaiah Rodgers is a quality corner, James Pierre looks good, and Charles Demings arguably had the best camp of anybody on the Minnesota Vikings. When you pair that kind of secondary with the reemergence of Harrison Smith, sacks happen quicker because coverage on the back end holds up longer. The pass rush and coverage are simpatico.

The way Flores likes to draft up his pressures, 60 sacks is a possibility. It’s a hefty number, and the Vikings may not even be the No. 1 team in sacks, but this is bold predictions. That’s why we’re here.

Minnesota finishes with a turnover margin of +8 or higher

When you look at the last two seasons, there’s a 21-turnover differential between them. The Vikings’ success in 2024 was fueled by a +12 turnover differential. Sam Darnold, even with all those interceptions, did a good job of taking care of the football, and the defense found ways to force turnovers.

This year, with better personnel at cornerback, I think you’re going to see an uptick in interceptions. The pressure packages will be there, and Harrison Smith and Josh Metellus remain on the back end. Metellus continues to do Metellus-type things, and there’s improvement at linebacker.

Let’s also be real: the Vikings had terrible interception luck last year. I counted at least half a dozen where the ball popped in the air, and a defender was within two feet but couldn’t quite get there. Interception luck is a real thing, and I think it bounces back in their favor.

A +5 turnover differential makes a lot of sense for a defense poised to get the Vikings in position to win the NFC North and potentially even more.