Dec 1, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Bradford (8) looks on during the fourth quarter against the Dallas Cowboys at U.S. Bank Stadium. The Cowboys defeated the Vikings 17-15. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

We have seen how the Minnesota Vikings can play when things are clicking. If they want a chance at the post season, they most likely have to win out for the rest of the season.

With a loss to Dallas, that most experts predicted, the Minnesota Vikings held their own. If it was not for some self inflicted mistakes, they could have won the most viewed Thursday Night Football matchup in history.

Most would complain about missed calls on the last play of the game. That was not the cause for the loss last Thursday. The main mistakes would easily be the Adam Thielen fumble and the Kyle Rudolph missed touchdown.

On the Thielen fumble, the ball was caught at the 10 yard line with defenders closing in on him. This should have been a fair catch. Instead, Thielen decided to try to run, having to head backwards towards the opposing goal line to get around defenders and ends up fumbling. Even though it looked like he regained possession of the ball, calls do not always go that way.

After the first 3 losses of this season, Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer said that players were “trying to do to much.” This was the case here. Instead of playing the game safe, Thielen tried to make a play and turn nothing into something.

Another key mistake was on third down just outside the redzone, Bradford threaded the needle and threw a perfect ball in between two Cowboy defenders right into Rudolph’s hands, but the ball was not brought down for the touchdown.

The Vikings defense is so stout, they will always be in position to win games, as long as the offense can play mistake free football and score between 17 and 21 points.

The best NFL scoring defenses every year give up about an average of 17 points per game. So the offense has to be able to put a few touchdowns on the board to be able to win. The Vikings can not always rely on the defense or special teams to score.

With the loss to Dallas, if the Vikings want a chance at the post season, they will most likely have to win out. With the remaining games at Jacksonville, at home against the Colts, at Green Bay, and at home against Chicago, there is a chance they could pull it off. They will just need some teams in contention to lose.

Hopefully we can find a path into the playoffs, because with a defense this good, they will put us in position to win almost every game. Who knows who can get hot at the right time?