NFC Vikings seeking solace in standings

Despite a 1-4 record and a rash of controversies, they are just a game back in the division.
EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. (AP) -- As Minnesota's Matt Birk has often joked when his team is mired in the latest controversy or off-the-field trouble, the Vikings sure seem to put the "fun" in dysfunctional.
Usually they're at least competitive between the lines.
This fall, the allegations of sexual misconduct by several players on a boat party earlier this month have been compounded by a series of lopsided losses that have shoved Minnesota to the bottom of the worst division in the league.
Yes, the Vikings have gone overboard.
It's bad enough when performances on Sunday afternoon are difficult to stomach, but Minnesota fans are more disgusted by their team's behavior after dark. The charter-cruise gathering during the bye week that allegedly devolved into out-of-control, drunken debauchery with strippers and visible sexual acts is merely the most recent blemish on the franchise.
But it sure makes Onterrio Smith's possession of "The Original Whizzinator" and coach Mike Tice's $100,000 fine for Super Bowl ticket scalping seem kind of tame.
Is there anything this team could possibly do at this point to regain the public's respect?
Perhaps not.
"Right now, nobody thinks we have character," strong safety Corey Chavous said, "so who cares?"
Shocking collapse
At first glance, the on-the-field collapse is shocking. The Vikings were a trendy pick this summer to reach the Super Bowl, following a productive spring spent upgrading their defense and shedding the burden Randy Moss brought on top of his unparalleled talent.
Even the extreme cynic who criticized the team for trading one of the game's great receivers and questioned the age of some of the defensive additions could not have envisioned a 1-4 start. Nor being outscored 119-34 in those four defeats.
"We're still searching for a certain identity -- how to put things together and get moving," backup defensive back Ken Irvin said. "We need to do some soul-searching about what got us into this situation."
The seeds were planted over the past few seasons as frustrated owner Red McCombs responded to the lack of public support for a new stadium by tightening his budgets and refusing to pay market value for the coaching staff.
The Vikings had a long history of organizational problems even before McCombs bought the team in 1998, bad enough that the league has noticed. During an emergency meeting requested by Wilf on Sunday, NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue told the rookie owner he "inherited an organization that was inadequately structured and staffed."
Solace comes from the standings. Entering Sunday's game against the Packers (1-4), the Vikings are only one game behind the division-leading Lions and Bears.
That makes up for some of the ridicule they've endured after the wild boat ride -- and the taunting that's sure to follow them throughout the season, probably even at home.
"Fans are always going to take shots at you," linebacker Keith Newman said, "and they've got a great opportunity right now."