Embracing “Tanking” Doesn’t Make You A Bad Vikings Fan
Cole Smith
|
Talks of “tanking” began among Vikings fans in the closing minute of a maddening 30-24 loss to the Detroit Lions on Christmas Eve.
For the second consecutive week, quarterback Nick Mullens moved the offense up and down the field. And, for the second time in as many weeks, he put the football into harm’s way. He had thrown four interceptions while fumbling once. This was coming off of a two-interception performance at Cincinnati that allowed the Bengals to hang around before a fourth-quarter comeback.
The team sat at 7-8 with a Sunday night matchup against the hated Packers looming. If they were to beat the cheese heads and then follow that up with a Week 18 victory over the Lions, the Vikings would be almost assuredly be in the playoffs. One would assume that fans would root for the two victories and a playoff spot, right? Instead, it appeared that the fan base was divided.
Embracing “Tanking” Doesn’t Make You a Bad Vikings Fan
Although most fans wanted to get a season sweep of the Packers and sit within one win of a playoff berth, there was a faction of fans that wanted to lose the final two games. More losses would lead to a higher draft pick, and, with the Vikings on their fourth QB of the season, how far could this team even go in the playoffs?
It ended up not mattering who you cheered for on Sunday night as the Packers rolled the Vikings 33-10. The Vikings’ defense, which had become the team’s calling card for most of the season, looked lost and slow. Defensive coordinator Brian Flores’ scheme couldn’t mask the lack of talent. Rookie QB Jaren Hall was pulled at halftime for Mullens. And the Vikings’ run game, once again, was pedestrian.
Despite the haymaker punch from Green Bay, the Vikings enter Week 18 with a three percent chance of making the playoffs. Fans are once again arguing as to who to cheer for. As it stands right now, the Vikings would hold the 12th pick in the 2024 NFL draft.
With a loss, they could move up as high as pick No. 9. If they win, and get all the help that is needed to make the playoffs, they would be picking no lower than pick No. 19. But if the Vikings win and the teams that need to lose end up winning? The Vikings would then be picking as low as pick No. 16.
Even with an upset victory over the Lions, the Vikings would still only have an 11% chance of making the playoffs. They would then be tasked with traveling to Dallas (who is undefeated at home in 2023), Detroit (who will be hosting their first playoff game in 30 years), or Philadelphia (no explanation needed). If the Vikings were to beat any of these teams, they’d then be tasked with going to San Francisco to face a 49ers team that had two weeks of rest for their starters.
It wouldn’t be impossible to make a deep run, but it’d be hard to say that crazier things have happened. Can we really fault a fan who looks at the 2023 Vikings, with all of their injuries and talent deficiencies on defense, and call them a “bad” fan for wanting to maximize potential draft positioning?
What is there for the Vikings to hang their hat on heading into the playoffs? Their defense has allowed 90 points the past three games. The offense has failed to produce 300 yards in three of its last five games. The running game has virtually disappeared, racking up 84 yards the past two weeks combined. This isn’t a sleeping giant; this is a college student passed out in their dorm room after getting C’s all semester and celebrating by drinking a case of Keystone Light.
I don’t say this to bag on fans who are rooting for the Vikings to win, either. When I was younger, I would root for every last win, no matter if it was a preseason game or Week 17 of the 2005 season. The Vikings wound up with the 17th overall pick following that season and ended up drafting linebacker Chad Greenway, a Pro Bowler who spent all 11 of his seasons in Minnesota. Cheering for wins is never a bad thing.
But there is also value to having a higher draft pick. Although there are great players selected throughout the entire draft, the odds of getting one decreases as the process rolls on. This doesn’t mean that you’re guaranteed to pick the right player, but it does mean that your chances are better if you have a higher pick. Can I really fault a fan who is looking forward to this possibility as opposed to a playoff game that will likely end in a loss?
To me, the goal is to win the Super Bowl, and however you believe is the best path to get there is up to you. I can’t fault the eternal optimist, as I used to be that way. I also can’t fault the fan who is punting on a season that has quickly gone off the rails. As long as you’re still supporting in Week 1 of 2024, how you enjoy Week 18 is entirely up to you.
Vikings 3% Playoff Odds? Better Than You Think!