Yes, Virginia, the Vikings can go to the Super Bowl

The Minnesota Vikings meet the Chicago Bears in a week 17 game at U.S. Bank Stadium on Sunday. In the NFL playoff picture, it’s a clear “win and in” for the Vikings to grab the sixth and final seed in the NFC.

The 2018 season for the Minnesota Vikings is a story that is not yet finished. It could be described as a drama with equal parts of tragedy, comedy, and success in its chapters.

But how will this story conclude after week 17? With a simple ending–or a new beginning altogether?

A loss to the Bears and we all throw our hands at the TV and again move onto things most likely more important in our lives; our families, our chores, our responsibilities. It’s been a long season and one we could probably easily forget about.

Meanwhile, this team, its coaches, players and front office could take an extra period of time to contemplate how they failed to reach such high expectations in 2018.

Or–the Vikings might win on Sunday and be faced with playing the Bears again, this time in a Wild Card playoff return to Chicago.

Football fans (perhaps all true sports fans) are an imperfect bunch. We seek an intangible personal value in the colors of our team.

Though we may recognize clearly the inadequacies and vulnerabilities of the squad we have painstakingly watched and examined, we hold out hope that there may come the spirit, the fire, the unlikely or nearly impossible series of events that may bring the ultimate redemption to a long-suffering fan, a world championship.

So, yes, Virginia, there is a Super Bowl run for the Minnesota Vikings in 2018. All they have to do on Sunday is beat the Chicago Bears.