nbcsports
Week 8 of the NFL season kicks off on Thursday night with the Packers hosting the Panthers. A year ago, Week 8 began with the Chargers hosting the Vikings, and the game did not go well for the visiting team. The Chargers dominated the Vikings, 37-10, outgaining Minnesota 419 to 164. The Chargers went on to make the postseason, while the Vikings found their stride after being eliminated, winning five consecutive games to end the season.
Now, 370 days after that Week 8 game in which the Chargers dominated the Vikings, one team is 6-0 and the other is 0-6. In the aftermath of last year's game, no one would have expected the Vikings to be the unbeaten team and the Chargers to be winless. But that is where we are. Whether the trend continues for Minnesota remains to be seen; a four-game gauntlet is coming (at Lions, Bills, at Packers, 49ers in Mexico). Regardless, the turnaround has been stunning for both teams.
Key Analysis
Minnesota has won 11 in a row, the second-longest winning streak in franchise history. The Chargers have lost nine straight games, dating back to last year tied for the second-longest losing streak in franchise history. The reversal of fortunes is stark: the Vikings, who were dominated in that Thursday night game, have become one of the league's hottest teams, while the Chargers, who looked like a playoff contender, have fallen into a deep slump.
Originally reported by nbcsports.