Minnesota Vikings Show Their True Colors

On Sunday against the Cleveland Browns, the Vikings showed us their true identity.

In a game verse a team that was without their starting quarterback and their starting running back whom they traded earlier in the week, the Vikings had everything falling in place to pick up their first win of the season.

Yet once again, a franchise who has seen its fair share of collapses, witnessed one again on Sunday.

I know the Vikings forced three interceptions, but they also let some guy off the scrap heap named Brian Hoyer throw for 321 yards and three TD's including the one that won the game in the final minute.

Understanding the NFL is a long season and we only sit three games in, its clear to see though that the Vikings at this point just aren't that good.

Their fan base may hope on a dream that the season is turned around and that they salvage a season with lofty expectations to some degree with regards to a playoff berth in 2012, but reality will hit them soon when they realize 6-10 is more of a possibility than 10-6.

The blame game can go around as well.  It may start with Christian Ponder, but it certainly doesn't end there.

Obviously you have to look at the production or lack there of from one Adrian Peterson as a clear defining factor into the struggles of the Vikings.  Peterson wasn't shy in the off-season when discussing his own personal lofty goals and when defenses now face a "mouthy" AP, they seem to be even more committed to shutting him down.

Even more so, what is with the two critical fumbles from Peterson as well in the past two games?  When you are the franchise guy, you can't be part of the franchises problems as it pertains to wins and losses.

Don't get me wrong, I'm a huge Adrian Peterson fan and would love to see him carry the Vikings once again to the playoffs, but when the rest of the luxury car is missing parts and has body damage, sometimes the writing is simply on the wall.

Next up for the Vikings is a trip to London verse another bad NFL team in the Steelers. We'll see if the purple and gold continue to show their true colors as a bad team as well or if they begin the long and grueling road back to relevancy this season.

** YOU CAN EMAIL JEFF THURN AT JT@ESPN991.COM & FOLLOW HIM ON TWITTER @JTESPN991