In August, Minnesota Vikings fans looked at the 2018 schedule and were confident their team would not be playing football this weekend.

All likely assumed their budding NFC juggernaut-a team that won 14 games and advanced to the NFC title game in 2017-would have a first-round playoff bye locked up and would spend this Saturday and Sunday watching Wild Card games to find out which team they'd host in the divisional round.

Vikings players no doubt had the same mindset.

That's why Brandon Zylstra and his Vikings teammates are having a tough time processing the abrupt end to their 2018 season.

When the clock ticked to zero in a desultory home loss to Chicago on Sunday, reality hit: No Super Bowl, no NFC championship game, No Minnesota Miracle. No playoff spot, period.

"The season just had a weird turn at the end," said the New London-Spicer grad on Wednesday as he recollected his first NFL season. "We didn't bring it together. All the hard work we put in and we have nothing to show for it. It took us all by surprise. We're all in shock."

For that reason, Zylstra hasn't had the time to properly take stock of his rookie NFL season. Being new to it all, he expected some sort of exit interview with wide receivers coach Darrell Hazell or special teams coach Mike Priefer. Instead, Hazell told Zylstra to take a break.

"(Hazell) said he'd be in touch in a few weeks," Zylstra said. "He said, 'I don't want to talk about football right now. Get away from it and take some time off.' It's a time to exhale, to de-stress, see our families."

Zylstra signed with the Vikings in January 2018 after playing two seasons with Edmonton in the Canadian Football League. He earned a Vikings roster spot in Organized Team Activities last spring and training camp last summer.

He played sparingly-one reception for 23 yards, a handful of punt and kick returns and a couple of kick coverage plays-but did draw some praise from head coach Mike Zimmer about his work and performances in preseason workouts. Zylstra fielded punts when regular return man Marcus Sherels missed most of the final two games with a foot injury.

That would please many players seeing their first NFL action. Zylstra was not.

"I had high expectations going in," said Zylstra, who rose to become one of the CFL's top receivers in his final season with the Eskimos. "I feel I fell short of the goals I set for myself. But it was a big learning year for me. How you are coached, how you approach everything. Now I want to apply what I learned."

Zylstra is living in St. Paul and again plans to work out with fellow Vikings receiver and small-town Minnesotan Adam Thielen at ETS Performance in Oakdale. ETS has trained thousands of athletes and hundreds of pro and college athletes.

"I'll do what I've got to do and be ready when OTAs start in April," Zylstra said.

Zylstra won't spend a lot of time trying to make sense of his team's 2018 season. Instead, he's looking ahead at what he can do to improve and earn a spot on the 2019 team.

"I want to have more confidence going into camp," he said. "I want to make the plays I know I can make and be more of a leader instead of just being an observer. But I'll still be a student of the game."

Zylstra has a couple years left on his deal but he plans to dedicate himself this offseason like everything is still on the line, which, in the NFL, it always is. Players come via the draft and free agency while others depart. Personnel and plans can change in an instant.

"Even with the contract, you're not secure," Zylstra said. "Your job could be here today and gone tomorrow. I don't have that sense of comfort. I have to keep working, moving forward and getting better."