Ryan Clark says the Vikings' defensive prowess is the reason why he views Minnesota as the NFC North favorite over the Lions. (1:08)

MINNEAPOLIS -- Over the course of the Minnesota Vikings’ four-game losing streak, a defense that had previously played with a cool self-assuredness was starting to blink. Players were trying to make game-altering plays rather than sticking to their assignments, and on top of it all, coach Mike Zimmer could feel himself exhibiting the same symptoms.

"When you’re struggling and you’ve got a bunch of really good guys, guys that really care, guys tend to try to do a little too much, including myself," Zimmer said last Monday. "Instead of allowing guys to make plays, you try to make plays for them. ... I’ve always said that if I’m going to lose, I’m going to lose my way. So we just get back to doing things my way."

That figured to be the way the Vikings would emerge from their stupor on Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals, and after giving up 261 yards in the first half, the league's third-ranked defense returned with a roar. The Vikings allowed only 29 yards in the second half, giving up just seven points after Chandler Jones’ strip sack of Sam Bradford, and saw cornerback Xavier Rhodes make a diving interception for his second pick of the day after his 100-yard interception return touchdown in the first half.

The Vikings sacked Carson Palmer four times in Sunday's win over the Cardinals. Hannah Foslien/Getty Images

Through it all, as the Vikings converged on Carson Palmer, they reminded their head coach to stay the course.

"There was a lot of times I wanted to blitz and they kept telling me, 'Just do what you’re doing. We’re rushing the heck out of the quarterback,'" Zimmer said. "So, I did."

A Vikings defense that left Aaron Rodgers, Cam Newton and Eli Manning battered and befuddled had wilted in recent weeks, as teams found ways to beat Minnesota's pass rush with quick throws. On Sunday, though, the Vikings pressured Palmer on 41.9 percent of his dropbacks, despite blitzing less than they had in any other game Zimmer had coached in Minnesota.

According to ESPN Stats & Information, the Vikings sent five or more pass-rushers after Palmer on just four of his 43 dropbacks, or just 9.3 percent of the time. It was the first time in Zimmer's 42 regular-season games that the Vikings had sent extra pressure on less than 10 percent of an opposing quarterback's dropbacks. But as the Vikings got to Palmer with standard pressure, they wore the Cardinals' passing game down.

Palmer averaged just 0.5 yards per dropback in the second half, taking all four of his sacks in the game's final two quarters. The Cardinals, who like to spread things out on offense, opted to keep fewer players in pass protection than many teams the Vikings have faced recently -- "They let us rush," Zimmer said -- and the Vikings had the luxury of playing much of the second half with at least a 10-point lead.

The Vikings' run defense, which had struggled in recent weeks, allowed 4.8 yards per carry on Sunday, and among their 10 penalties were two fouls in the secondary that helped Arizona convert a pair of third-and-long situations. But a defense that hadn't seemed at home in recent weeks looked closer to regaining its swagger on Sunday.

"This week, Coach said to play our defense, be aggressive and go out there and tackle," Rhodes said. "Tight coverage, sack the quarterback. And this week we did all of that. We accomplished all of our goals this week."