Staring down the barrel, Blake Cashman says Vikings have to 'nut up'

The way Minnesota was bulldozed by the Chargers, there's nothing to suggest that Kevin O'Connell has his team going in the right direction. The passing game is a mess, the run game doesn't exist, and the defense hasn't handled mobile quarterbacks while struggling to get off the field on third downs.

ESPN's matchup predictor gives the Vikings a 29.2% chance to beat the Lions next week. The machine's confidence in Minnesota from there doesn't get much better.

• Week 10 vs. Baltimore: 41.1% chance to win
• Week 11 vs. Chicago: 49.8%
• Week 12 at Green Bay: 28.3%
• Week 13 at Seattle: 36.2%
• Week 14 vs. Washington: 41.1%
• Week 15 at Dallas: 34.5%
• Week 16 at New York: 37.8%
• Week 17 vs. Detroit: 35.9%
• Week 18 vs. Green Bay: 37.7%

"When you look at a competitive division, competitive conference, we have a decision to make," Vikings linebacker Blake Cashman said. "You feel like you're staring down the barrel, but you can't panic. You gotta stay connected. Continue to go back to work and improve on the simple things."

What are the simple things? "For lack of a better term, nut up," Cashman said.

The game against Chicago in Week 11 is a toss-up, per the predictor, which means the Vikings are not forecast to win any of their remaining 10 games.

Detroit seems like a lock to crush the Vikings next week. If the Vikings couldn't handle Jalen Hurts and Justin Herbert, just imagine what Lamar Jackson could do to them.

The Vikings could be 3-6 in a hurry, and it won't get easier from there.

The Bears should've beaten Minnesota in Week 1. They would've if it weren't for a heroic fourth quarter by McCarthy, as he led the Vikings on three touchdown drives to overcome a miserable three quarters to begin the season.

Games at Green Bay and Seattle are the first of four road games in five weeks, with the others being at Dallas and New York. That's really tough.

How bad might it get? Are we talking about a Vikings team that finishes 4-13? 5-12? 6-11? What's the best-case scenario at this point?

After getting crushed by the Chargers, it's hard to imagine there is a best-case scenario. But there is, and it's McCarthy putting on a cape to erase the memories of Carson Wentz holding the ball too long and throwing inaccurately all over the field.

If McCarthy and the offense can sustain and finish drives, the pressure will come off the defense and the ship might be righted.

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