A happy cartoon dog sits dutifully on a wooden chair, the surrounding room engulfed in flames. His world may be in chaos, but he’s perfectly content to remain seated. “This is fine,” he thinks, as the temperature rises and the fire take its toll.

This nameless pooch has become the face of self-denial and blind optimism; an oft-referenced meme in times of dire straits and despair. If you’ve logged onto Twitter during any Vikings game the past few years, you’ve likely seen his empty smile and blank stare on your timeline.

When news of Sam Bradford‘s knee injury broke, I’m sure I wasn’t the only one to panic, then find reassurance, and hope for the best. “This is fine,” I thought, rationalizing the team’s best-case scenario — Case Keenum leading the Minnesota Vikings to a Week 2 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers.