Vikings 2-0 but sit last in NFC North in PFF power rankings

Pro Football Focus placed undefeated Minnesota 16th, behind the Bears, Packers and Lions — the teams it leads or has beaten.

The Minnesota Vikings are one of eight unbeaten teams through two weeks of the NFL season, yet not every national outlet is sold on them. Power rankings released Tuesday showed most publications moving Minnesota up, but NFL.com and Pro Football Focus remain outliers.

PFF slotted the Vikings at No. 16, placing them behind both teams they have already defeated — the Chicago Bears at No. 10 and the Green Bay Packers at No. 14 — as well as the Detroit Lions at No. 11. That leaves Minnesota, the current NFC North leader, ranked fourth in its own division.

Minnesota's early résumé includes holding the league's highest-scoring offense from Week 1 to just three points in Week 2, a performance delivered with a backup quarterback under center.

PFF states its rankings are based on team quality as measured by Point Spread Team Ratings. By that model, the Vikings have a 59 percent chance of reaching the playoffs, trailing only Detroit's 61 percent in the division. Minnesota's projected average of 10.1 wins also ranks second in the North, behind the Lions at 10.3.