They wonder how a team can hold the Miami Dolphins to negative yardage and still lose.

They wonder how a team can hold Chicago Bears quarterback Rex Grossman to a 1.3 passer rating and still lose.

The offensive line and running backs wonder how the running game can do so well &8212; 35 attempts for 192 yards against the mighty Bears &8212; and still lose.

Might we offer up a few thoughts?

Many people compared Brad Childress to Bud Grant because of his hard-nosed attitude. Let&8217;s remember that Hall of Fame coach Grant went 3-8-3 his first year in the NFL. You can&8217;t build Rome in a day.

But, if you are going to build a successful team, you need an offense that can score.

In a season where sports pundits questioned the age of Green Bay quarterback Brett Favre, they lauded Brad Johnson&8217;s skills as a longtime quarterback. Until now. The fact is, Johnson has grit and he did well at the start of the season. He was rested.

However, he doesn&8217;t have the wherewithal that younger quarterbacks have to make it through the tiring NFL season.

Like Favre was at the end of last year, Johnson is making awful decisions. Benching him was the right thing to do.

Also, for as much as the Vikings are doling out for its offensive line, you&8217;d think they could block a little better, especially when the backup quarterback steps in. It&8217;s a shame that Brooks Bollinger was injured in his first game this season as a result of lousy blocking.

The veterans on the team need to realize the season is practically over. It&8217;s a tough pill to swallow. Childress needs to keep Johnson benched and play Tavaris Jackson if Bollinger can&8217;t play. The minutes will be valuable. He could be a surprise asset.

Grant went 8-6 his second year. Coaches today are paid a heck of a lot more money comparatively than in the 1960s and 1970s. Childress has a higher turnaround time expected of him.