The Minnesota Vikings have a huge problem to deal with defensively. They lost a lot of talent from an already shaky defense this offseason and through the first three weeks of the season, the same issues are being exacerbated.

Kirk Cousins and Justin Jefferson are doing everything they can to produce offensively and keep the team in games, but it isn’t enough to get victories. A lot of that falls upon their defense, which is currently ranked 26th in points allowed and 27th in yardage surrendered.

When taking a deeper dive into the unit, things look even worse. As pointed out by Doug Clawson of CBS Sports, there are fundamental issues that cannot be overcome. Their biggest issue is a lack of success putting pressure on the quarterback.

As Clawson shared on X, formerly known as Twitter, the Vikings are blitzing a ton to try and compensate for their lack of a pass rush. Unfortunately, they still aren’t getting home even when they bring extra rushers, as only two teams have a lower pressure rate than them.

That is leading to some ugly pass-defense numbers when bringing the blitz as cornerbacks are being left on an island. As shared by Clawson, the Vikings have allowed opponents to complete 75 percent of their passes for 8.8 yards per attempt with five touchdowns and zero interceptions against the blitz.

Against the Los Angeles Chargers this past weekend, that blitz percentage reached an eye-popping 82 percent. To the surprise of no one, it didn’t translate to success on the field as Justin Herbert torched them, going 40-of-47 for 405 yards and three touchdowns with zero interceptions and only one sack.

Climbing out of a 0-3 hole is a near impossibility in the NFL. Rumors are swirling about the availability of Cousins, who could be on the move if the Vikings accept the harsh reality that their season is already over.

The front office should already be scouting defensive help in the 2024 NFL Draft and free agency as this team needs an overhaul on that side of the ball.