This Minnesota Vikings defense is exciting to watch, and it needs a nickname.

Paul Zimmerman of Sports Illustrated once lamented that NFL defenses don’t have nicknames anymore.

The Vikings defensive players seem to have true camaraderie, are hard-working and delight in their job of shutting down offenses. Fans of teams in the Black and Blue Division appreciate quality defense.

Sure, the statistics say a lot about the Vikings defense. The Vikings lead the NFL in rush defense, holding opponents to an average of 71.2 yards in rushing. The Vikes are eighth in overall defense. The Steelers are first.

But the performance of the team Nov. 30 in stopping the Chicago Bears in a goal-line stance sent a message through the NFL that these Vikings were to be taken seriously. Don’t rush on these guys.

And they have been skilled in disrupting offenses, as seen in the headaches — and all kinds of aches — the team caused Sunday for Kurt Warner and the Arizona Cardinals.

The vaunted defense for the Vikings in the Bud Grant era was nicknamed the Purple People Eaters. The main four of the Purple People Eaters were Alan Page, Carl Eller, Jim Marshall and Gary Larsen.

The Vikings publicity machine in the off-season called Pat Williams, Kevin Williams, Ray Edwards and Jared Allen the “Purple People Eaters of the 21st Century.” That’s a nice sentiment but the Purple People Eaters is legendary and deserves its own term.

Sports writers and broadcasters have called the two Williamses the Williams Wall. That’s start, but it leaves out the rest of the guys.

How about the Northern Invaders? How about the Wall of America? How about the Purple and Gold Rush? How about the Minnesota Tackle Box?