The Vikings were 6-2, winners of four consecutive games, going into their bye week. Four of their first five coming out of the bye were on the road against opponents ranging from decent to very good, while the other was at home against the surprising Rams.
I figured if the Vikings made it through the stretch with a 3-2 record, they would be ecstatic. Even 2-3 seemed an acceptable fate for a playoff berth.
Four games into that stretch, they are 4-0 — with the toughest win earned Sunday at Atlanta by a 14-9 score. That brings their record this season to 10-2.
This being the Vikings, I posed a question on Twitter immediately after the win, asking fans if the mounting win streak made them feel 1) emboldened or 2) terrified? In the early returns of the first several hundred votes, terrified was winning by a 2-to-1 margin.
This is how a fan base operates after losing four Super Bowls early and then suffering numerous gut punches in the past 40 years just trying to get back for another try.
Three things in particular seem to be concerning fans. Sure, they love winning, but …
• Case Keenum keeps playing brilliantly at quarterback, but how long will it last? Keenum has keyed all eight of these wins during the streak. He's played particularly well since the bye. So that's a half-season worth of credible play and a quarter-season worth of excellent play.
His track record suggests this could all come to a halt at any moment. His play suggests Keenum has found a groove and system that fits his skill set. In the playoffs, he undoubtedly would be matched against more accomplished quarterbacks. What if it all evaporates at the wrong time?
