The Minnesota Vikings have a five-game winning streak, despite having been without wide receiver Justin Jefferson for the entire stretch and quarterback Kirk Cousins for the past two wins.
Quarterback Joshua Dobbs, acquired from Arizona at the trade deadline, has led the Vikings to wins over Atlanta and New Orleans and become one of the best stories of the NFL season.
If the Vikings continue on their current path there will be plenty of credit to go around for a team that started 1-4. Much of that will go to players but there are others who will have turned the criticism they received in September and October into praise that could earn them postseason honors.
A few of the candidates.