Heading into week six of the NFL season and the Vikings find themselves 4-1, with a whirlwind of ugly wins. When looking at their record, it looks great on paper, but some people feel as if the Vikings are not as good as their record shows.
Three out of the four Vikings victories have been decided by one possession and have come down to the last seconds of ball games. Now, it may seem as if I am bashing the team for winning this way, but honestly I am all for it and here is why.
A Win is a Win
Not every team can in the NFL can say they are in the position the Vikings are in to start the year. Many teams find themselves struggling to find the win column, while the Vikings find ways to win in any fashion. This may be considering a little bit of luck, but as always, good teams need luck on their side in sports.
The Vikings currently sit atop the NFC North with a 4-1 record and have the second best record in the NFC, behind the Eagles, who happen to be their only loss thus far.
There is a saying as old as time and it goes: “They don’t ask how, they ask how many.” This is totally relatable for the stage that the Vikings have been put on this season. The one possession games can be stressful for Vikings fans, but what matters is the end result.
This is why the team should embrace the ugly wins because it doesn’t matter how it gets done, it just matters if there is a “W” in the win-loss column.
Resiliency is Shown
The biggest takeaway from the first five weeks of the season is that this team has heart and grit to grind out wins. Some teams hang their head when they blow a lead late, but this team has shown there can still be life in those situations.
In week one, the Vikings put on a show against the Packers, which seemed to be their “easiest” win of the year.
Week three, the Lions battled hard to take a third quarter lead, but the Vikings were able to score 14 points in the fourth quarter, while allowing zero.
Week four in London, the Saints clawed back into the game with a game-tying field goal from Wil Lutz from 60 yards out and 1:51 left on the clock. The Vikings drove down the field and Greg Joseph nailed a 47-yard field goal with 24 seconds to go. The ugly part of this win is that it could have been sent to overtime, but Lutz reminded Bears fans of the double doink, from 61 yards out as time expired and the Vikings came back home with a win.
Last week, the Vikings lead the Bears 21-3 at one point in the first half. Fast forward to the fourth quarter and the Vikings trailed the Bears 22-21. A nice late-drive resulted in a Kirk Cousins touchdown, along with a two-point conversion. Let’s not forget the star of the game was Cam Dantzler, sealing the victory with a stripped ball on former Viking, Ihmir Smith- Marsette.
https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1579197990681694215
As I type this out, it seems atrocious, but it’s not. Is the play sloppy at times? Of course it is, but as long as the leaders step up and the coaches adjust their gameplans, winning will always be most important.
Moving Forward
Looking ahead, the Vikings will try to find themselves with a 5-1 record going into their bye week. The Vikings bye week is considered a bit early compared to other teams, but it could be just the right time to have the week off.
There is no guaranteeing that every Vikings game will be the same as most of their victories this year, but it is important to know that ugly wins are still wins.
If the Vikings are able to sustain the lead in the division while winning games in a gross manner, this could mean something going forward. The identity of the team can revolve around it and it could even propel them into later success as the season comes to a fold. First we must see what week six entails and if ugly wins are truly the identity of the team.