EAGAN, Minn. — The bye week seems well-timed for Minnesota after its successful but tiring trip across the pond.

The team will rest for a week then return to normal activities in preparation for perhaps its toughest test yet against reigning NFC North champion Detroit (3-1). The divisional game will be followed by a quick turnaround, when the Vikings (5-0) travel west to play the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday Night Football.

That means there's this bye and a mini-bye – a lot of starting and stopping – in a very short stretch.

"We've got to be exactly where our feet are planted and attack each challenge as its own," Vikings Head Coach Kevin O'Connell said Tuesday. "But I do think it's important for our staff and players to recharge."

The Vikings enter their idle week with an imprint all over league leaderboards. They boast the No. 4 scoring defense (15.2 points per game) and No. 6 scoring offense (27.8 ppg). Brian Flores' unit leads the NFL with 11 interceptions – already as many as Minnesota had in 2023 – and is second with 20 sacks. The Vikings have the second-best rushing defense in terms of yards per carry (3.6) and per game (67.2). Offensively, the Vikings are fifth best in the red zone, converting 68.8% of chances into touchdowns.

"Really proud of the results," O'Connell shared, "but it's never really been about that."

Since training camp the messaging, the team's focus has been centered on one thing: the process.

That's what O'Connell will worry about staying true to as he and his staff self-scout, stay on top of improvement and take a moment to recover mentally and physically during Week 6.

Here are four other takeaways from O'Connell's Tuesday press conference, which was held virtually:

1. T.J. Hockenson's impending impact

Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson's window to return from short-term Injured Reserve opened last Friday, which means he's likely going to factor into the offensive game plan at home against the Lions or on the road in L.A.

The addition of Hockenson to this year's group is highly anticipated.

"He just provides such an incredible asset in the interior of our pass game," O'Connell explained. "How he works in conjunction with our wide receivers, or maybe Aaron Jones and out of the backfield."

Hockenson was targeted 19 times across his first two games in Purple in 2022. Last season, he set career highs in catches (95) and yards (960) in 15 appearances. The former Lion's impact on the 2024 offense could be huge.

"I've been very vocal about my confidence in that tight ends room, not only as we've been operating, but getting one of the top players, in my opinion, at the position back is always going to be a jolt," O'Connell said. "Especially with how we've built our system, really, since T.J. arrived here, going back to 2022 when he arrived mid-season, like he did, and immediately made an impact – was a huge part of our offense."

O'Connell shouted out Josh Oliver and Johnny Mundt for their performances in Hockenson's stead. Oliver has been a consistent force in the run game, O'Connell said, and Mundt's pass-catching has been critical.

2. Intelligent defenders

There's layers to the splash plays and repetitive stretches of total domination by the Vikings defense.

"We just have a complete group – a complete group with some really, really high-level coaching going on with Flo' and his staff," O'Connell highlighted. "And then those players [are] making it all come to life with the adjustments we've kind of made year-over-year, from Flo's first year to year two."

Smart players and smart coaches. Simple enough, right?

O'Connell praised what's been a recurring element of the blazing start by Minnesota's record-setting defense: Players are driving Flores' vision with a blend of intelligence and communication.

"The impactfulness of a lot of smart football players shows up with being in the right place at the right time," said O'Connell, crediting cohesion. "It's not just luck that you fall into some good plays and some spots where you can get your hands on some footballs. It's all 11 working together within the call, within the system, and making some huge, impactful plays throughout the course of these first five games."

The most exciting aspect, O'Connell expounded, is that there's so much more to tap into. Players' comfort in Flores' scheme is going to increase, and the coaches' tactics will become more meticulous.

3. Sam Darnold's poise

Sam Darnold didn't waver when he regained the ball with a slim 3-point lead late in the fourth quarter against his old team, which future Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers had on the brink of a comeback.

The Vikings were up 20-17. Darnold was intercepted on his previous attempt. But he kept slinging it.

On second-and-9 with 5:42 left, the Vikings QB dropped back, stood calm in the pocket and went through his reads. He spotted the best receiver in football spring free on a deep corner-post and let it fly.

Boom. Twenty-five yards to Justin Jefferson. Minnesota's offense was alive. Darnold was fighting.

"What I was proud of with Sam was it was another example of when momentum had kind of turned in many ways by our own doing," O'Connell said. "He was able to jog back out on that field, walk into the huddle and move the team. [He] found the big play to Justin down the middle, finds Mundt once we got behind the chains again on another early-down penalty; He's able to find Justin on first, at first-and-20, whatever it was, and then find Johnny for a big conversion, and then put the ball on the money."

Darnold completed three passes in a row when the Jets' odds of winning were peaking. His poise positioned kicker Will Reichard to hang his third field goal on New York, strengthening the Vikings belief.

"That was him dealing with adversity when his team needed him, and he made it," O'Connell commented. "He made some plays there that gave us a better opportunity to go win that football game.

"There's going to come a time this season where momentum is lost and our offense might need to be the group that moves it and gets us the lead back, goes and finishes a close game in the end and finds a way to win a game. We'll be prepared when that moment comes," O'Connell confidently added.

4. Offensive struggles against Jets

O'Connell knew Sunday's game in London was going to be a challenge.

New York's defense has difference-makers at all three levels, impactful players up front and great speed in the backend. Its coverage was tight, making life more difficult for Darnold than we saw in Weeks 1-4.

But the Vikings also missed during situations they should have executed.

"I think the thing that was frustrating is just as you look back on it, there were some opportunities," said O'Connell, emphasizing there were several instances the pass game could have staved off frustration by hitting open guys and creating YAC (yards after catch) chances. "Then when you are attacking the top shelf sometimes – it's not necessarily always the top shelf – it might be Mundt on a crossing route. It might be, maybe a lack of coverage, resources sent toward players like that, that there could be some ops, but it's an all-11 thing."

It doesn't all lay on Darnold's arm or decision-making, though those are parts of the equation.

O'Connell noted the details – the protection needs to hold up against a good defensive front; receivers need effective release plans versus sticky coverage; rhythm and timing of routes has to be synchronized.

A change in weather made footing conditions a bit sloppier in the second half, as well, O'Connell said.

"Our offense will get back on track with really focusing on the little things that are required to make some of those bigger plays happen in a game like that," he said, "where you're going to be fighting and scratching and clawing for every yard. When you get some ops, you've got to take advantage of them."