EAGAN, Minn. -- The day after the Minnesota Vikings beat the Detroit Lions for a second straight win, coach Mike Zimmer went over the unit he deemed "a work in progress" with his defensive staff.

"We might be doing our best job coaching we've done, and we're still giving up 400 yards a game," Zimmer told his staff on Monday.

It's apparent to Zimmer how young players thrown into the mix are maturing and getting better with proper technique for the 3-5 Vikings. Their eyes are in the right place. They're learning to anticipate better and play the proper leverage.

And coaches have also excelled at modifying what they're asking of the players to make things challenging for opposing offenses.

The Vikings' defense has improved in two straight victories over the Green Bay Packers and Lions, but there is still a ways to go.

Preseason expectations pointed to a dropoff on defense after losing three starting cornerbacks and two defensive linemen in the offseason. Minnesota anticipated some growing pains with the amount of rookies and young players expected to take on starting roles but couldn't have foreseen the rash of injuries to Danielle Hunter, Anthony Barr, Mike Hughes, Holton Hill and the rest of the Vikings' secondary.

That led to a revolving door on the back-end of the defense with Minnesota signing a new defensive back about once a week. The Vikings have had eight different players at cornerback and four at safety, all contributing to their 30^th-ranked pass defense.

But the Vikings have managed to bend without fracturing completely in part because of the alterations they've made after a 1-5 start.

"We've had to change a lot of things because of our personnel, with what we've been trying to do defensively, and so part of it is narrowing some of the package down, some of it is adding some things that we feel like can help guys in coverage," Zimmer said. "Some of the things have been how we can add to some of the guys who rush ...

"There wasn't a lot of mistakes that I saw throughout the course of the ballgame, but I thought we played hard, and that's a big key to it."

The 20 points allowed to Detroit -- the fewest given up at home this season -- was just one mark of that progress. Eric Wilson, Eric Kendricks and Harrison Smith each had an interception. Rookie cornerback Jeff Gladney had one of the best games of his short career despite giving up five catches.

Next to Kendricks, who is following up his All-Pro 2019 with another strong season, it's Wilson who has routinely come through in taking on a bigger role in place of Barr. He leads all linebackers in 2020 in combined interceptions, forced fumbles and fumble recoveries.

"I don't know that anyone's playing at a higher level than Eric Wilson right now," Kendricks said. "That man's a walking turnover. It was great to get one and to share that with Harry as well. We just work so hard so it's cool that it pays off."

The defense has shown promise from where it started the season to now. From Weeks 1-6, the Vikings had a -0.15 in defensive EPA (expected points added) per play, which ranked 23^rd, and now have a -0.07 mark, jumping to 13^th, according to ESPN Stats & Information.

Minnesota has also shown considerable improvement in limiting explosive plays. The Vikings have allowed 14 plays of 30 yards or more (rushing and receiving), 13 of which occurred in their first six games.

Since the bye, that number has shrunk to one -- a 45-yard reception by Packers tight end Robert Tonyan in Week 8.

"I think part of it is trying to figure out why we're giving up the big plays. Then how are we going to adjust and adapt to it?" Zimmer said. "Quite honestly, [cornerbacks coach] Daronte Jones has done a great job of grinding these young guys and making sure everyone understands where they're supposed to be. Obviously, it took a little bit longer than we anticipated, but they're starting to get with it a lot better now."

This is not the first instance of Zimmer going back to the drawing board with his pass defense, but time has also been a factor in allowing improvement to run its course. A defensive reboot was bound to come with its share of ups and downs and rushing the growth process of young players often doesn't work.

But with time and small changes, the Vikings are starting to see the tides turn on defense.

"I think we've just started really focusing in on the little things," Kendricks said. "And obviously as you get more experienced you start to recognize little small things that the offense may give away or throughout the course of a game -- the communication on the sideline is a little bit more involved, everyone's a little bit more involved, everybody kind of knows a little bit more what's going on and how we make adjustments. Just moving forward, I feel like we're just all starting to work together a little bit more."