Star Tribune columnist Patrick Reusse joins host Michael Rand for a look back at the weekend. The Vikings continue to insist they are a good team, even after they scored just seven points in a home loss to the stout Browns. But are they really a team that "has a chance to be pretty darn good," as Mike Zimmer said afterward, or are they just trying to talk themselves into that to avoid sinking their confidence levels? An offense that didn't score a single point and had a hard time moving the ball (or protecting Kirk Cousins) after a nice opening drive makes all of that questionable.
Reusse has questions about a bad loss by the 'pretty darn good' Vikings
Reusse also dissected what we know and don't know about the Twins as their season came to a quiet end. While Rand pointed out they were basically a .500 team after a disastrous 42 games and did manage to avoid a 90-loss season, Reusse was not in the mood for sugarcoating. The rotation is in shambles. Middle infield is a big question. And we still don't know which young position players will help them in 2022. All of that sits amid a backdrop of what should be a great postseason — followed by a tumultuous offseason.
The Gophers football team, meanwhile, picked up a much-needed win in the rain at Purdue. Looking ahead at the schedule after next weekend's bye shows a real opportunity for P.J. Fleck's team to get on a roll.
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Questions? Comments? Long-winded diatribes about nothing in particular? E-mail me at michael.rand@startribune.com. Follow me on Twitter @RandBall and Star Tribune sports @StribSports
Joe Flacco, an immobile 39-year-old quarterback, proved to be the perfect mark for a defense looking to get right. Now the Vikings face another stretch of games against young QBs who could struggle against Brian Flores’ scheme.