In a 16-game NFL season, with games often determined by a few plays, luck doesn't always even out. A mediocre team can look good. A good team can look bad. Not everyone gets what they deserve.

Major League Baseball, on the other hand, either suffers or benefits from the distinct impression that luck eventually does even out during the regular season. Playing 162 games — roughly 10 times as many as NFL teams do — tends to do that. It certainly appeared to happen to the Twins this season. For a while, their run differential suggested the Twins weren't a very good team, but their record said they sure could make the playoffs. If this was the NFL and they sustained that level of fortune for as long as they did, we'd be talking about the playoffs instead of waiting until next year.

Maybe the Vikings truly will be good this season. Short of that, they could settle for lucky and — unlike the Twins — wind up just fine.

Read Michael Rand's blog at startribune.com/randball. michael.rand@startribune.com.