It’s been a slow and steady burn for the Vikings all year.
Some preseason power rankings had The Purple as high as 11, while we destroyed Football Outsiders for their rankings, which put Minnesota as the least likely team in the NFL to make the playoffs.
Ugh, here’s an unfortunate and unofficial apology to Football Outsiders, because as of right now, the Vikings are trending way more towards worst team in the league than 11th best team on the gridiron.
Heck, they might not even be the 11th best team in the NFC.
Here’s what the experts think:
ESPN has the Vikings as the best 0-3 team in football, HOORAY FOR MORAL VICTORIES. That puts them above this week’s opponent, winless Pittsburgh (28), but still gets them no higher than 26.
CBS Sports has the Vikings lower still, checking in at No. 28, with Pittsburgh 27. Pete Prisco wisely notes that the Vikes and Steelers aren’t the only 2013 playoff teams struggling, with last season’s NFC Championship Game participants, San Francisco and Atlanta, both with just one win.
Minnesota was 26 in NFL.com’s power rankings last week, so here’s another moral victory: they only slipped one spot this week, falling to 27.
Finally, the Chicago Tribune’s Brad Biggs rubs salt in the gaping wound that is the first three weeks of the 2013 season, slotting Christian Ponder (Matt Cassel?) and Co. at 29. Whatever Brad, total Chicago bias and Minnesota hate. You’re just mad because the Bears are undefeated and a legitimately good football team. Wait, what?
