Villaume: Bridge(water) to Hope

What does Andy Dufresne say?

"Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things..."

The chilling 17-3 loss last week left many purple fans without hope for the 2014 season. They never had much to begin with, but Teddy Bridgewater's play has excited them. And despite losing the best running back the franchise has ever had, their only veteran quarterback, and a tight end that was projected to be very good this season, fans had held on to hope.

The loss to a Lions team without Calvin Johnson or Reggie Bush meant no playoff dreams. A home loss to a divisional rival is the proverbial 'nail in the coffin'. Minnesota was now 2-4-0 and looking up at three teams in the NFC North, each presently playing better than our purple.

Or did it?

Hope never dies in the truest of fans. Until mathematical elimination, there always remains hope.

By now three-fourths of the loyal fans have resigned themselves to watching Bridgewater grow up. Their attention turned to an offensive line that was supposed to be one of the few known strengths this team had. After the Lions battered Bridgewater about, it became a realization that this offensive line is going to get someone killed. And while it is important for Bridgewater to show courage, we need him to stay healthy.

And the fingers are pointing all over.

Some are pointing at the two tackles: Matt Kalil and Phil Loadholt. Kalil was chosen with the third overall pick in 2012, and after an impressive rookie season, has been suspect. Loadholt, chosen 54th in 2009, is a running game stud, but when Adrian Peterson disappears, so does Loadholt's value. He is presently exposed as a poor outside protector.

Finger are pointing at the guards: Charlie Johnson and Vladmir Ducasse. A lot of blitzes from the interior have resulted in problems for Minnesota. Ducasse is filling in for injured Brandon Fusco, while Johnson starts another year at left guard while 2014 draftee David Yankey observes.

Even center John Sullivan is receiving criticism. Sullivan was drafted with the 187th pick in 2008, and had become a solid starter since 2009.

Whatever fingers are left are finding targets like wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson and friends, as difficult as they have been to find. Certainly the loss of AP has changed opponents' approaches to handling the Vikings' offense. Blitzing Minnesota and manhandling the receiving group appears to be a successful strategy.

Because we can.

I see Teddy Bridgewater carving up the Buffalo secondary like Tom Brady did a week ago. Did you know they have the same initials? I see two 1-5-0 teams on the horizon in Tampa Bay and Washington. And us staring at 5-4-0 before the bye.

I know that my my team needs to address offensive line.. but now is not the time. I would point to the great teams of the past being centered around great offensive linemen. From Ron Yary and Ed White, to Randall McDaniel and more. I would hope that Vikings' brass, now having found their savior at quarterback, will spend valuable draft choices on people to protect him.

But all that talk gets in the way of hope.

For those of us left.