It did not feel pretty, and there are still a lot of issues to iron out. Even so, the Minnesota Vikings are 4-0 after a 15-10 win over the Miami Dolphins. Head coach Kevin O’Connell‘s offense had its struggles against Miami. However, it showed real growth, even if it didn’t feel like it.

That won’t be a popular opinion, but there were some serious improvements on offense. Reality and the vibes are often two very different things, though, so let’s dive in. Here’s what we learned on Sunday.

Miami Dolphins were never going to roll over

It shouldn’t be a surprise that this one came down to the wire. The Dolphins aren’t tanking or actively trying to lose for a better draft pick. They are carrying about $184 million in dead cap after moving on from players like Tyreek Hill, Jalen Waddle, and Tua Tagovailoa. They chose to absorb all of it in one year instead of spreading it out.

So many players on the Miami roster are on short-term deals, playing for their next contract, which makes this a feisty team that will play hard all year. The Dolphins took the Kansas City Chiefs to the wire last week, and they did the same to Minnesota.

Kevin O’Connell needs to clean up the little details

For starters, O’Connell still needs to adapt better to help quarterback Kyler Murray. That means more quick game. Run stick, mesh, slants, and speed outs a few times. The creative calls on short-yardage downs, like the one where Myles Price leaks into the flat wide open, are nice. Even so, there are simpler ways to get the ball into your playmakers’ hands quicker. To be fair, there is the element of trying to figure out chemistry between the two that often doesn’t come immediately.

The schematic side isn’t the biggest frustration, though. The procedural issues are.

With how much continuity is in key spots, having this many procedural issues is very frustrating. O’Connell and offensive coordinator Wes Phillips are going into their fifth season, quarterbacks coach Josh McCown is going into his third year, and offensive line coach Keith Carter is in his second season (first in his current role). Despite all of that, the Vikings continue having procedural penalties. Minnesota finished with 11 penalties for 85 yards, including multiple false starts, an illegal formation, and an illegal shift.

This is day one install stuff. High school and JV teams get it down. Why has it been a constant for all five years of O’Connell’s tenure?

A nice play to Jordan Addison came back on an illegal shift because he didn’t fully set after the pre-snap motion before starting his jet motion. If the Vikings can’t master those details, none of the scheme designed to generate open receivers will matter. Two false starts in a two-drive span at home against a top playoff team will end a Super Bowl run.

A couple of the flags were ticky-tack. The hit out of bounds on Dominique Orange stood out, since he started the tackle inbounds. That being said, the bulk of the penalties are self-inflicted, and that’s on the head coach.

Vikings offense showed real signs of growth

There were nice schematic wrinkles. Minnesota used return motion with Price in the first half and some orbit motion around the quarterback. Showing different looks puts more on tape for opponents to think about, and that effort will pay off.

Plus, the continued absence of Justin Jefferson mattered. Jauan Jennings is a power forward type who fits best in the quick game and the red zone, not as the No. 2 wide receiver. Right now, he has to be.

It was the T.J. Hockenson game, though. The veteran tight end caught all 13 of his targets for 119 yards. He isn’t washed; it was about opportunity. It’s amazing what happens when Hockenson doesn’t have to block every rep.

Murray wasn’t phenomenal, but he went 27-of-37 for 247 yards and no touchdowns. Those are solid numbers. He ripped a seam to Hockenson late with a defender draped on him and safety help over the top, and threaded the needle to Addison on an RPO in-breaker.

Unfortunately, the offensive line took hits, too. Christian Darrisaw left with a stinger and was later evaluated for a concussion. My guess is he sits next week against the New Orleans Saints and gets a couple of weeks to heal, especially after his multiple concussions in 2022. Donovan Jackson also went down with a knee injury, and there is concern that it’s serious.

Defense and special teams carried their weight

The Vikings allowed only 198 yards and held Miami to 2-of-9 on third down. Ollie Gordon did rip off 100 yards on nine carries, which was the only real issue for the Vikings. Minnesota appeared to blitz less, which makes sense given Miami’s lack of outside weapons and Malik Willis’ ability to gash you as a scrambler.

The Vikings got lucky on a near Chris Bell touchdown. Bell got behind Harrison Smith deep into a scramble drill, but his foot landed on the line. It’s not the first time this has happened, as Chris Godwin had a 77-yard touchdown called back last week due to a holding penalty. Scramble drills could be an issue for the Vikings.

On special teams, Price remains one of the best in the business. Kicker Will Reichard went 5-for-5 on field goals, Ivan Pace got a hand on a punt, and Malik Washington muffed two, resulting in a turnover.

The 2009 offense with Brett Favre needed time before it became explosive. Even the team that started 5-0 with Sam Darnold in 2024 took a while to ramp up. This offense is trending in the right direction, and coming out of the bye, it should look and feel different.