What now for the 2-10 Vikings?
With four games remaining on the schedule none of the players and coaches will probably talk about anything but competing and trying to win, but the best long range benefit for the franchise could be extending the team losing streak to eight straight games. The Vikings lost their fourth consecutive game yesterday to Denver, 35-32 in the closing seconds.
It was the seventh loss by seven points or less. The defeat left players frustrated and critical of their own misdeeds. “I am trying to win games,” Jared Allen said. “I don’t want it (the season) to end at 2-11 or whatever the hell we are. …”
Three of the Vikings four remaining opponents have winning records. The Vikings probably won’t even be favored on the road against 4-8 Washington. A 2-14 final record would position the Vikings near the top in the 2012 NFL draft order and that’s a reward which figures to be more valuable than winning a couple more games.
Other than Indianapolis (0-12), no team has a worse record than the Vikings (St. Louis is also 2-10). The Vikings have painful personnel needs at wide receiver, along the offensive line and in the secondary. They could use a top five draft choice to improve themselves, either drafting a college player or perhaps even leveraging their pick in a trade.
The irony about the Vikings is that even with a bad record, this team has exceptional players in certain positions, starting with Allen at defensive end and all-world running back Adrian Peterson. And certainly the Vikings saw into their future during the Denver loss with rookie quarterback Christian Ponder throwing for 381 yards while tossing two touchdown passes to third year receiver Percy Harvin and one to rookie tight end Kyle Rudolph.
Everyone who cheers for the Vikings wants to see young players like that trio develop in the four remaining games, but those with a long term perspective are just as open to L’s as W’s the rest of the way.