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Through their first eight games of the season, the Vikings have shown that they can play with anybody. One problem: Minnesota has not shown that it can consistently win those close games.
The team went toe-to-toe with top NFL teams like Arizona and Cincinnati early in 2021. The Vikings’ latest close game came in Week 9. Minnesota forced overtime on the road against one of the best teams in the league.
In true, poetic fashion that encapsulates the Vikings fan experience, Minnesota’s crucial game against the Ravens (6-2) came down to the final kick of the matchup. The Vikings, a team known for its lengthy history of disappointing field goal misses, faced one of the best kickers in NFL history on Sunday.
Ravens K Justin Tucker hit the field goal. The Vikings (3-5) lost again. Minnesota, through all its expectations and imperfections, can’t seem to overcome its lingering faults in 2021, a year where the Vikings desperately needed to contend.