As the Minnesota Vikings have clinched the NFC North and a spot in the playoffs, they remain one of the NFL’s most fraudulent teams. Not only have the Vikings failed to scrape up a clean win against any of their opponents, they have gotten blown out three times by non-counterfeit playoff teams in spectacular fashion. And if we know anything about the Vikings, they are not purple for nothing; choking is their tradition.

The first of their flaws lies in none other than the sheer patheticness of their defense. While defense is often a staple of the Vikings in years past, both the run and the pass have been struggles for them in the current season. Injuries have been a problem for a thin secondary and Pat Pete has not played up to his potential this year. While the pass rush has been decent with the addition of Za’darius Smith, they have constantly allowed teams to pass the ball as they please. While their run defense is average, teams have managed to pick them apart which is one of the reasons every game they play seems to be a struggle to come out with the win.

If one thing about the Vikings is for sure, it is that Justin Jefferson is easily the most dominant wide receiver in the NFL. One hundred and twenty-eight receptions for 1809 yards is an incredibly productive season for a wide receiver, yet Justin Jefferson has hit this mark with the playoffs in front of them. While he has only found the endzone eight times, he has been a significant reason for Kirk Cousins’ success and the success of the entire offense. He draws coverage, allowing for other receivers to get open as well as producing more than his fair share of catches. However, dependency on a singular player can be dangerous no matter how dominant they are, as seen clearly this past Sunday as Jefferson was shut down by the Packer’s defense.

While the Vikings have overall been quite impressive relative to what fans are used to, there is one conclusion that can come from a team that has an abysmal defense, a singular player carrying the majority of the offense, and a barely winning team; this team is primed for –yes, I will say it– another choke. As unfortunate as this is for Vikings fans, it only seems right that the heavens have chosen to condition the poor souls with seasons of torment in order to ensure their sadness after the current season does not last until soon before the NFL draft, in which hopes can be risen and brought to life to once again endure the suffering.