Mailbag: When will the Vikings win a game? What were Wilf's expectations?

You've got plenty of questions and concerns amid the Vikings' 0-2 start, and we'll attempt to answer in the latest mailbag. Check out our twice-weekly Access Vikings podcast, where we also open up the Twitter mentions to see how you're holding up. This week, Ben Goessling, Andrew Krammer and Michael Rand discussed fixing the Vikings offense, Sunday's game vs. the Titans and more.

— AK: I do not think the Vikings will be 0-6 heading into their Week 7 bye. But the fact that question is plausible enough to answer does not bode well. They've got the Titans on Sunday, followed by the Texans, Seahawks and Falcons in that stretch. Any game outside the trip to Seattle is winnable. That's assuming this Vikings offense doesn't continue to lay flat. Here's some fun with early-season numbers: the Vikings are among the NFL's most efficient red-zone offenses in two games, because they've made just FOUR trips deep into opponent territory in 20 drives. But, hey, they've got three touchdowns (two in garbage time). What was the question? Oh, yeah, maybe the NFL gets weird and they find a way to stop Derrick Henry enough and get Dalvin Cook going enough for a win on Sunday. But my pick for the first win is the Texans game. Deshaun Watson is amazing, but that offense hasn't emerged yet without DeAndre Hopkins, and then there's Bill O'Brien. — AK: An 0-2 start while allowing the second-most points in the NFL is as bad as it gets. Mark Wilf was asked about 2020 expectations on Sept. 7: "Our expectations are always to win a Super Bowl championship – that never changes. We know as ownership and as stewards of a great franchise, and we know what our fans want, and I know that's how coach Zimmer and Rick Spielman and the entire football organization are striving for every day. Really excited about the moves we made in free agency and the draft, and we're looking forward to – listen, this week we're just focusing on a really challenging team, the Green Bay Packers, and opening our season at home with a victory, hopefully." The Wilfs doubled down on Spielman and Zimmer with contract extensions this offseason, and Mark Wilf reiterated confidence in the team's leadership before the season opener. He also said he expects the Vikings to remain "consistently strong" when asked about patience and chasing an elusive Super Bowl. "Well, that's a good question. That's something you're always judging. You have to balance the fact that you want to have stability in an organization, you want to make sure that the systems are in place, the comfort level is in place, but everybody knows you're only judged by your wins and losses. That's a fine line we judge every day, like I said. We took a look in this offseason, and I said early on in the offseason, we feel really good about the football organization we have in place, that they can get the job done. Right now that's where we're at. Again, as ownership you balance those things, but to be knee-jerk and to be too impulsive – our goal is to get to the playoffs, achieve sustained success and keep knocking at the door, and eventually that door will come down. I think we've proven over these past few years that our football success has improved, but again, we know what our ultimate goal is. But you can't get to that goal unless you're consistently strong, consistently in the playoffs, consistently winning divisions, and those are our goals to leap off and eventually get to the championship."

— AK: This has been general manager Rick Spielman's clear approach in drafting, developing and paying the roster. There have been close calls, leading to a larger offer for linebacker Anthony Barr, who still left money on the table in New York. There have been prolonged and sometimes contentious contract talks like with tight end Kyle Rudolph or, more recently, the pay cut for left tackle Riley Reiff. But even while missing on bringing back Everson Griffen, or retaining nose tackle Linval Joseph or cornerback Xavier Rhodes, the Vikings have largely kept the core intact from assistant general managers down to running back Dalvin Cook. They aren't in the business of shedding trusted players a year or two than what may be deemed too "early" in their careers. And they've supplemented 'homegrown' talent with calculated veteran additions from Kirk Cousins to Yannick Ngakoue. Doubling down on previous decisions, as the Vikings approach often is, means those re-signed draft picks and few free-agent signings better be right. Obviously, the most important decision has been made regarding Cousins and quarterback. — AK: If the Vikings entertain moving on from Barr, whose 2020 season is over due to a torn pectoral muscle suffered in Indianapolis, they'd have to make the decision before March 15, when another $7.1 million becomes fully guaranteed in his contract. A cut before March 15 could save the Vikings more than $7 million, but would leave nearly $8 million in dead money against the 2021 salary cap. A restructure, at this point, may be more likely if there's a move at all with Barr, who is one of the more well-respected players in the locker room and is still 28 years old. —