‘Star Tribune’ Says Offense & Defense Among…

Scoggins didn’t mince words, saying “the whole performance was predictably hopeless” against a dominant Packers squad.

The Vikings entered Sunday’s game ranked 12thin the NFL in scoring. An offense that features Justin Jefferson, Dalvin Cook, Adam Thielen and an accurate passer in [Kirk] Cousins should not finish outside the top-10 in scoring.

[General Manager Rick] Spielman has invested heavily in the offensive line in recent years, but the interior remains a liability.

While the Vikings boast a talented roster on paper, Scoggins opined that an expectation of returning to the postseason didn’t pan out for a few reasons.

Here’s the problem with that logic: The offense wasn’t nearly as good as he advertised — not top-10 in scoring last season either — and the defense made only marginal improvement. Zimmer’s unit ranks among the NFL’s worst in yards allowed and rushing defense.

The rebuilt secondary undercut the defense all season. Former first-round pick Jeff Gladney’s legal trouble cost him employment. Spielman’s offseason cornerback signings of Bashaud Breeland and Mackensie Alexander flopped, meaning the secondary needs to be reconfigured again this offseason.

There have been more disappointing Vikings seasons, but this has been one weird team. Something seemed amiss from the start.