Sunday’s three most valuable Vikings? Blake Brandel, Garrett Bradbury and Ed Ingram

Real quick, name the three most valuable Vikings players for Sunday’s season opener at the New York Giants.

Quarterback Sam Darnold, receiver Justin Jefferson and running back Aaron Jones?

Nope.

Center Garrett Bradbury, left guard Blake Brandel and right guard Ed Ingram?

You betcha!

This premise is based on the belief that the Vikings desperately need to transition from a team that talks about running the football to one that actually can run the football. And that starts with an interior line that’s been maligned and is aiming to prove us wrong with Brandel as the new face and bigger body, Bradbury looking stronger and Ingram entering Year 3 as the most tentative starter on the team.

This premise was taken for a test drive around the Vikings locker room on Wednesday. It got some laughs and some nods.

“I would not say I’m more important than Justin Jefferson,” Bradbury said with a laugh. “He’s pretty important.”

C’mon, Garrett. Work with us.

“Obviously, we feel that individually, me, Blake and Ed,” he said. “But it’s an all-22 thing. If we do our job and they don’t outside, we’re not going to be worth anything, and vice versa.”

Point taken, but the Vikings have one of the better tackle tandems in Christian Darrisaw on the left and Brian O’Neill on the right. Fewer skeptical eyeballs are upon them.

For the Vikings to have any chance of bucking their skeptics, the running game can’t have a repeat performance of 2023. The seven touchdowns were tied for worst in a non-strike year. The 1,553 yards were eighth fewest. And the 393 carries were seventh fewest as coach Kevin O’Connell lost faith in calling runs.

Ingram was OK with our premise.

“Personally, you talk to any coach, they’ll say you win games with your O-line,” he said. “Putting the team on our shoulders and establishing the run game is a big emphasis this year, especially with the way we started out last year with the run game. It starts between the tackles.”

The Vikings started last season 0-3. They had 41 rushing yards on 17 carries (2.4) in Week 1 and 28 yards on nine carries (3.1) in Week 2.

“Week 1 is always such a big game,” Bradbury said. “I think about two years ago, beating Green Bay. That was huge for our season.”

The Vikings ran for 126 yards on 28 carries (4.5) that day.

Next up for the Vikings is a Giants defense that was terrible against the run a year ago, but has switched coordinators from Wink Martindale to former Titan Shane Bowen. They still have one of the NFL’s bigger, more dominant and versatile nose tackles in Dexter Lawrence II.

“Last time I played against Dexter was the playoff game two years ago, right after taking six weeks off for my back,” said Bradbury, remembering how Lawrence posted four QB hits and a tackle for loss in the Giants’ upset.

“I’d like to have that one back.”

Last year, the Giants’ run defense ranked 29th in yards allowed per game (132.4) and 31st in yards allowed per attempt (4.74).

“But their schemes are different this year,” Bradbury said.

With Bowen as coordinator the past three years, Tennessee ranked first in run defense in 2022 (76.9), second in 2021 (84.6) and 13th (107.7) last year.

Brandel wasn’t in the locker room the day our premise was shared with the players. His proxy was given to the guy who needs Bradbury, Brandel and Ingram most of all:

Jones, the former Packer getting set to make his Vikings debut.

“You’re right!” said the agreeable back. “Those guys are the engine. That’s where the game is won and lost.

“If our interior offensive line is having a field day, we are probably going to win the game. And the same thing can be said about the Giants’ interior defensive line.”