Chip Scoggins: Vikings are an ugly 8

If Sunday's 23-13 win over the Titans was graded on style points, the Vikings would've been docked on cleanliness. But NFL games are decided on the scoreboard, not by optics, and finding a way to win on imperfect days reveals something about a team's makeup along with its flaws.

The Vikings have played 10 games and won eight. And even though they cause fans to reach for the antacid and grumble in frustration, winning ugly is a lot more appealing than losing ugly.

"It's great to have blowout wins, but two-score wins in the NFL are fantastic," veteran safety Harrison Smith said. "You obviously can watch the game and say we can do a ton of stuff better. But don't forget about all the good stuff we did."

The NFL consists of only a few truly elite teams, a few truly bad teams and then everyone else. The difference between good teams and mediocre ones is a narrow line that comes down to the ability to win close games and overcome mistakes.

Sunday's win was a prime example. The Vikings couldn't run the ball. The offensive line struggled in pass protection. The defense gave up big plays. The Vikings benefited greatly from penalties and questionable officiating.

The final score was closer than it should have been. Same as last week in Jacksonville . And the game before that against Indianapolis .

The Vikings could have and should have made those games far less stressful by putting away inferior opponents with a cleaner performance. But the Vikings can continue to chase improvement while still putting themselves in playoff position by winning games.

Said Smith, a 13-year veteran: "There are no homecoming games out here. It doesn't matter what people's records are. Everybody has Pro Bowlers. There are no easy buckets."

The tone and message inside the locker room reflected a mature understanding of how to process a less-than-dazzling win. The Vikings were happy with the win but also realize the bar is much higher than what they delivered.

"I know that it would probably be really fun for us to just steamroll the NFL every single week," coach Kevin O'Connell said. "It's just not the way it's going to go, which also, in my opinion, provides a lot of opportunity to grow and get better ... and improve, and just constantly chase that progression, knowing that we're a good football team."

"I'm old enough to remember when nobody thought we were very good," O'Connell said, sarcastically. "So, the same way that I answered that question, I'll answer it now: We just got to continue to get better and prove it."

Aaron Jones' mishandling of a pitch on the opening series went on Darnold's turnover ledger, but the quarterback answered with clutch plays when momentum could have pivoted. He passed for two touchdowns, ran for one and looked like a pedestrian dodging traffic in Times Square to turn potential sacks into positive plays.

The Vikings aren't content with winning ugly, nor should they be, because they can play much better. The Titans are a two-win team that had 13 penalties, including a few of the most back-breaking ones you'll see. The fourth quarter did not need to be suspenseful.

The optics of the performance didn't create a wave of overconfidence. Fans probably felt more relieved than giddy, which is understandable given the opponent. A similar performance against a playoff-caliber team won't be as forgiving. The good news is the Vikings see the picture clearly.

"We definitely have room to improve," Justin Jefferson said. "We're 8-2, which is great, but going into these next few games and, of course, leading into the playoffs, we got to change a little bit of things around."

The record says the Vikings are one of the NFL's best teams. They might not resemble it at times, but winning while trying to fix problems sure beats the alternative.

The Vikings currently are tied for the fourth-best record in the NFL. Does that say more about them or the league? Does it matter? Enjoy it, Vikings fans.