The way Jared Allen sees it the Vikings will know a lot more about themselves by late Sunday afternoon.
“We’ll find out what kind of team we are,” the Vikings defensive end told Sports Headliners. “We gotta bounce back. We gotta do something.”
An 0-3 start by next week doesn’t kill all hope for the playoffs, but it’s one hell of a threat. On Sunday the Vikings play their first NFC North game of the season − against the undefeated Lions. If the Vikings lose and go to 0-3 they would then be in a difficult spot playing catch-up in one of the NFL’s best divisions. Already the Packers and Lions are 2-0, the Bears 1-1.
What kind of team will the Vikings learn they are? Well, there’s plenty of criticism about the Vikings because they blew halftime leads in both their losses, showing everyone including themselves that a single half of productive football won’t win games. But those games were close, 24-17 and 24-20 losses, and came against the Chargers, a Super Bowl favorite, and the Bucs, a promising young team that’s made a reputation for fourth quarter comebacks.
The Vikings are far from ranking with the NFL elite but they’re no expansion team either. It’s too early to lose perspective on the positives of this team including a respectable defense with Allen, Kevin Williams (returns from suspension this week), Chad Greenway and Antoine Winfield, an offense that features two of the league’s most explosive playmakers in Adrian Peterson and Percy Harvin, plus a kicking game featuring Ryan Longwell and Chris Kluwe that can put points on the scoreboard and dictate field position. “We know we’re a good team and we’re gonna prove it,” said rookie Christian Ballard.
Greenway acknowledges the frustration of players and fans. “It’s early (in the schedule). We got a long ways to go but we know our fans are going to be frustrated,” he said. “We know they have a right to be. We’re all frustrated because we’re working. It’s not like we’re not trying to get anything done. We’re out there working hard every day. That’s what makes it even harder.”
The next few days will challenge the players and coaches a lot. “This is going to be a rough week, and we have to stick together, and hope you guys (media) aren’t too hard on us,” Greenway said.
The Lions have impressed not only with their record but by defeating a quality team in the Bucs on the road, 27-20, and destroying a faltering Chiefs team, 48-3. “They’re (Lions) very capable of coming here and winning,” Greenway said. “If we don’t play for 60 minutes we’re not going to beat anybody.”