Viking Talk: As it happens, the Vikings won and the Bears lost.

By Bronko Wilkinson
Sunday was the last regular season for the Minnesota Vikings. It could have had a couple of outcomes, one of which was the Vikings winning the NFC North Division championship. In order for this to happen, one of two things had to happen. In any case, the result had the aura of possibly being tainted. The Vikings were playing the New York Giants, who had already clinched not only their division championship but home field advantage throughout the playoffs. Since the game meant nothing statistically to the Giants, there is always the danger they would be accused of not giving a full effort in a meaningless game if the Vikings won. If the Vikings lost, they would still win their division if the Chicago Bears lost. But then the Vikings would have the stigma of "backing in" to their championship and, for that matter, the playoffs.

As it happens, the Vikings won and the Bears lost, so we can't accuse the Vikings of not deserving their title, at least not and make a strong case. The Vikings game was interesting, though, and they easily could have lost, having won
20-19. The Giants have been saying in the press all week how they were going to take this game seriously, wanted to head into the playoffs on a winning note, etc. And they did play well, at least their regulars did for the first half, after which the Giants back-ups took over, and some of them were injured, so presumably some of the players were back-ups for back-ups.

Ah, but on to the game, which was well played and hard hitting. The score at half-time was 10-9 Vikings, with the]
Giants, not known for run defense, limiting the Vikings to a 67 yard touchdown jaunt by Adrian Peterson, accounting for a good share of his 103 total rushing yards. Ryan Longwell contributed a 50 yard field goal, while the Giants got three field goals, so either the Vikings defense was doing something right or the Giants defense something wrong.

In the second half, the Giants back-ups managed a touchdown and a field goal, missing a field goal near the end of the game. Tavaras Jackson completed a long touchdown pass when the back-up Giant defender fell down. The appropriately named Longwell kicked another 50 yarder as time expired to give the Vikings the win.

I don't think the Vikings can take much pride in this victory, and next week play the red hot Philadelphia Eagles, who defeated Dallas 44-6. To win this wild-card game, I think the Vikings are going to have to play much better.