Vikings players returned to work Monday, following the off-week that bisected a loss to the previously winless Atlanta Falcons and a trip to Lambeau Field for the start of three straight division games.
The decisionmakers for a 1-5 team shipped defensive end Yannick Ngakoue to the Ravens on Thursday — six weeks after they’d acquired him from the Jaguars — and Sunday brought a series of results that left the Vikings at least two games behind each of their NFC North rivals, three games back of the new third-wild card spot and tied for the fewest wins in the NFC.