My initial reaction from Buffalo, where the Vikings lost 17-16 on a 2-yard pass from Kyle Orton to Sammy Watkins with two seconds left?

When did I wake up in 2013?

The four-minute offense and the two-minute defense collapsed late in the same game and the Vikings walked off the field shaking their heads following a game-losing touchdown. Sounds like Chicago, Cleveland and Dallas from last season. And sort of like Baltimore, although that was the wildest scoring exhibition by both teams at the end of a game in the history of the NFL.

Because the Vikings couldn't close the deal, a lot of good performances get lost as the team falls to 2-5. For instance:

. Outside linebacker Anthony Barr took an even bigger step toward proving he's going to be one of the better linebackers in the league. His pass defense on Watkins on second-and-goal in the red zone was the kind of play that an instinctive, quick player with really long arms can make.

. Never have I seen two offensive linemen leave the game for good on the same play until center John Sullivan and right guard Vladimir Ducasse did so in the first half. That put second-string center Joe Berger and third-string guard Mike Harris in the game. They actually played pretty well, which helped Jerick McKinnon rush for 103 yards against the league's No. 1-ranked run defense. The Bills hadn't allowed a 20-yard rush all season until McKinnon broke two tackles during a 29-yard run.

. Teddy Bridgewater did a nice job bouncing back from two interceptions. But I fear that he is starting to sense pressure even when it's not there. I saw that on a deep incomplete pass to Cordarrelle Patterson in the first half. But who can blame him. The offensive line played better today that last week, when Bridgewater was sacked eight times. But back-to-back sacks after getting that first-and-goal at the 7 tells you the line — particularly the tacklwes — still has a long way to go to live up to expectations.

So where do the Vikings go from here now that they're 2-5. Well, the played well enough for most of today's game to make you believe they can win the next two games at Tampa Bay and home to Washington. If they can get to the bye at 4-5, they will have stabilized the sting that people are feeling after they botched a game they should have won today.