Before Sean McVay, Kyle Shanahan and Matt LaFleur coached on that staff in Washington you've heard so much about, the latter two — Shanahan and LaFleur — first met in Houston under Gary Kubiak. They learned from one godfather, and then another with Mike Shanahan in Washington, of the offensive system that has shaped much of the modern NFL.
The ties that bind the Vikings' back-to-back opponents, LaFleur's Packers and Shanahan's 49ers, are strong. And Sunday's 34-31 win over Green Bay was a tale of two halves for the Vikings defense, which surrendered three straight touchdown drives to end the game.