Any win in the NFL is a good win. The Vikings head into their bye week after two straight wins, and both came in dramatic fashion with late drives and big plays.

Washington was coming off a big win against the Cowboys on “Monday Night Football” and getting back its star quarterback.

Teddy Bridgewater had a rough first half. He missed some open throws and failed to convert a fourth down when he had open field ahead to run. But every quarterback is going to miss receivers, and he came back from that to play much better and lead the comeback.

After the Vikings got the ball back on Captain Munnerlyn’s interception, Bridgewater completed some big passes to put Minnesota on the board. In the second half, he made some very good runs and, most important, avoided taking big hits as he helped move the ball. And then he led two big fourth-quarter drives to earn the win.

He also did a good job of moving in the pocket, limiting the sacks that have been such a problem all season long.

The Vikings defense, on the other hand, put a lot of pressure on Robert Griffin III. They sacked him five times, and I don’t care if you’re Peyton Manning, Tom Brady or RGIII, if you’re under constant pressure, you’ll struggle on offense.

Heading into the bye, it’s a good time to look at how the season has gone so far.

I’m glad to see Bridgewater out there. He’s going to have struggles — all quarterbacks do, whether they’re rookies or 15-year veterans. And while I’ve been impressed with him so far, none of us knows what his career ultimately will look like.

But for him to be successful, he has to develop the ability to make plays when the team needs it. To get something out of a broken play. To get that extra first down to put the team in scoring range. To get a touchdown instead of a field goal after a long drive.

To develop that, you have to play. You don’t get it by watching games from the sideline; it comes from experience in all the different game situations. Playing quarterback is a never-ending process of learning and getting better — every year, every week, every play.

GM Rick Spielman also deserves a lot of credit for doing a good job of picking the players for this team. The Vikings replaced what seems like the entire defense, and that unit is playing great. Rookie linebacker Anthony Barr is playing great, Everson Griffen is everything the Vikings hoped for rushing the passer, Munnerlyn has made some very clutch plays, and so on. Even when the offense has struggled, the defense has kept the team in almost every game. After the Vikings struggled so much on that side of the ball last year, it’s incredible to see the transformation in just one season.

And offensively, any time you lose the premier running back of his generation, you expect it to have a big impact on your offense. But with the combination of an undrafted free agent (Matt Asiata) and a third-round rookie (Jerick McKinnon), the Vikings have run the ball very effectively. Another undrafted free agent, Chase Ford, has done a solid job filling in for Kyle Rudolph as a pass-catching tight end.

The best teams don’t just win with first-round draft picks. There aren’t enough of them to build a team! Great teams find valuable contributors anywhere they can, whether it’s middle picks, late picks or undrafted free agents.

Mike Zimmer is a football guy, and he’s an excellent coach. Watching this team play, he has had a big impact. They are disciplined, and it’s clear that he is the leader of the team.

After a 4-5 start, will the Vikings get into the playoffs? Time will tell. What’s more important is that they build a strong foundation of team over individual. Of playmakers instead of play stoppers. Of learning and getting better every week, every quarter, every play. The team has overcome adversity and played well in the first half of the year. Now it’s time to build on that down the stretch of the 2014 season.

Fran Tarkenton is Minnesota Vikings analyst for TwinCities.com and the Pioneer Press. He is a former Vikings quarterback and a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He also is an advocate for small businesses and the founder of www.GoSmallBiz.com. Follow Fran at twitter.com/Fran_Tarkenton.