Minnesota started off the 2020 season with a 1-5 record. The Vikings dropped to there when the team was routed by the Falcons at U.S. Bank Stadium right before its bye week.
It seemed like Minnesota was in the midst of a down year. Then, something happened.
The Vikings have won five of the last six games. If the team keeps winning, they will be in the playoffs. It’s crazy to think that Minnesota has put itself back in postseason contention after how bad it started the year.
Vikings running back Dalvin Cook added perspective:
“Once you look back and see where you came from, you get to the point of ‘I didn’t get here just to stop here. I got here to get to the ultimate goal,'” Cook said, via the Vikings’ periscope. “And that’s whatever it is: beat this team this week, get into the playoffs, whatever it is. …. “Once you set your mind in that right mindset, you go out there and you just find yourself making plays and doing things and winning football games and having fun.”
The Vikings have one of their tougher matchups of the season in the Buccaneers this week. A win puts them in driver’s seat for the playoffs. A loss, however, complicates the playoff picture. Minnesota needs the version of itself that beat the Bears and Packers to show up. If not, the team could be looking at a costly loss.