The outlook for the Vikings' 2014 season became clouded shortly after its onset, as they lost the face of their franchise and three other starters by the end of September.

Still, despite Adrian Peterson's suspension looming over Winter Park for much of another losing season, bright spots pierced the gloom and doom. Rookie quarterback Teddy Bridgewater inspired hope, and first-year coach Mike Zimmer demanded it. A soft defense found its backbone. Young players found their way.

And because of those silver linings amid a season filled with adversity, some Vikings can't help but wonder where the team might be right now if it had never lost Peterson.

"I really do believe if Adrian was here, we would be a contender," fullback Jerome Felton said. "We would definitely be playing for the playoffs right now."

Instead, the Vikings are 6-9 and playing for pride at TCF Bank Stadium as they close the season against Chicago, and as individuals they are trying to make a positive last impression on Zimmer and his coaching staff before the churning of the roster commences again in the coming months.

While Zimmer doesn't allow them to keep track of moral victories, when the Vikings reflect on this season after Sunday they will surely head into 2015 with plenty of hope.

Sure, so will the other 31 teams. But there is optimism the Vikings might have found the right combination of quarterback and coach to lead them into the future, and it also helps that the coach has proved he can build a top defense.

Quarterback to build with

It is funny to think that the Vikings might not have found their starting quarterback had he simply remembered to wear his gloves back in March.

OK, so ditching his signature gloves for his now infamous pro day at Louisville was a conscious decision. And so maybe some teams had doubts about his ability to be a franchise quarterback before that erratic morning. But there is enough reason to believe Bridgewater wouldn't have been there for the Vikings at pick No. 32 otherwise.

As soon as he arrived for spring workouts, the coaches were confident that they had something special in Bridgewater, now 22. But they didn't want to rush him into the lineup, and veteran Matt Cassel had a strong summer, so Bridgewater started the season on the bench. Then Cassel broke his foot in Week 3 and was lost for the season.

Zimmer admits that the on-field education was the best thing possible for Bridgewater, even though he had to run the offense without Peterson and three starting offensive linemen, and with his most reliable target being Charles Johnson, a receiver who started the season on Cleveland's practice squad.

"It's pretty incredible to me what he's done, how he's handled it," offensive coordinator Norv Turner said. "What he's really done is made everyone around him better, and that's a quality that you're looking for."

Bridgewater struggled early, throwing five interceptions in a two-game span and taking too many sacks as he got used to the speed of the NFL.

But it didn't take long for Bridgewater to show poise late in games, leading the Vikings on three fourth-quarter comebacks and another game-winning drive in overtime. He completed at least 70 percent of his passes in four consecutive games.

"Each week we've made improvements," Bridgewater said. "Coach Norv Turner said something to us back in training camp. He told us that, 'Hey, come December, you're going to be playing your best football.' You look at the numbers, I know we haven't gotten a win the past two games, but we've been playing at a higher level. It's a good sign for down the road."

A better defense

Another good sign is what Zimmer has been able to do with the defense.

Last season, the Vikings were victimized for a league-high 37 passing touchdowns and only Dallas allowed more yards overall. This season, the Vikings have climbed from 31st to 15th in yards allowed.

"He obviously likes to be aggressive and get pressure on the quarterback," safety Harrison Smith said. "And he's put us in great position to make plays and to get off the field."

The Vikings were unable to do that in a few losses. There was a fourth-and-20 conversion in the loss to Buffalo. The Packers ground down the clock in a three-point defeat in Week 12. And Miami scored touchdowns on four consecutive second-half drives.

Zimmer wasn't in the mood to take stock of the season yet, but his defense is confident it's the start of a turnaround similar to that the Cincinnati Bengals experienced under Zimmer before he came to Minnesota this January.

Defensive end Everson Griffen, defensive tackle Sharrif Floyd, cornerback Xavier Rhodes and rookie linebacker Anthony Barr took major strides forward in their development.

"We're definitely building to the future," said Smith, another who thrived under Zimmer. "We've made strides in the right direction. We've also done some things that [do not reflect] what we want to be as a football team. So I think we know how it should look. We just need to be more consistent."

Getting younger?

There will be change in the offseason as the Vikings look to surround Bridgewater with more talent and Zimmer brings in players who fit his scheme.

Plus, General Manager Rick Spielman has been trimming the age of the roster since the team's championship window closed when Mother Nature finally sacked Brett Favre in 2010.

Thirty-something veterans Felton and left guard Charlie Johnson are likely gone, and stalwart outside linebacker Chad Greenway could be, too. The Vikings also have to decide whether starters such as wide receiver Greg Jennings, defensive end Brian Robison and cornerback Captain Munnerlyn bring enough value to justify their contracts.

"[The Bears game is] important for the players and for myself that I find out each and every little bit about these guys as I can as we go forward," Zimmer said, "because it will help on a lot of decisions at the end of the season."

The toughest decision, though, will be how to proceed with Peterson, whose future beyond 2014 was already in question before he was banned from the league until April 15 for abusing his 4-year-old son in Texas last May.

Peterson is under contract through the 2017 season but will carry a cap number of $15.4 million in 2015 when he is 30. He recently told ESPN that he doesn't think he should have to take a pay cut to remain with the Vikings. A standoff seems to be looming, but tensions could ease before it's time for the two sides to talk money.

Trouble spots

The offensive line should be a priority after left tackle Matt Kalil regressed in his third season and the unit as a whole struggled to protect quarterbacks.

Bridgewater needs more reliable targets. Jennings has not lived up to his contract, though he does have four touchdowns in his past four games. Cordarrelle Patterson couldn't consistently get open this season and was benched. Tight end Kyle Rudolph missed half of the season because of injuries.

And if Peterson isn't going to be back, the Vikings must fill that void.

Defensively, the Vikings have needs at safety and middle linebacker, where they could really use another linebacker who can be trusted in passing situations. And the team must improve its depth in the secondary.

But the Vikings are also hoping for a boost from Spielman's Seven, the seven first-round picks that the Vikings drafted between 2012 and '14.

Smith and Kalil are heading into their fourth season. Rhodes, Floyd and Patterson will be in their third. Big things will be predicted for Barr and Bridgewater in their second.

"Any time you have a very young team, you want to see progress made. You know that with experience, they're only going to get better," Robison said. "That will be the case next year, with Barr and Teddy and all these young guys that we have on this team. They continue to just get better as the years go by."

The Vikings are banking on it — especially with Bridgewater, the biggest of bright spots — as they prepare for a future without Peterson, whether that begins next season or beyond.