Vikings win showdown, grab NFC North lead

By: Larry Fitzgerald
Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder
Originally posted 12/04/2008

 For the Minnesota Vikings, it’s not how you start but how you finish. After starting the season 0-2, then switching quarterbacks, and Sunday night trailing 7-0, the Vikings (7-5) have come roaring back to seize control of the NFC North with a dominating 34-14 win over the Chicago Bears (6-6).

 The game was highlighted by spectacular plays on offense and defense and the power running of Adrian Peterson. The Bears were in position to extend their first-half lead to 14-3 when the Vikings, before a sold-out Metrodome crowd of 63,722 and a national NBC television audience, stuffed the Bears on four consecutive plays at the one-yard line.

 The Dome then exploded when, on the next play, Gus Frerotte threw a 99-yard touchdown pass to Bernard Berrian to complete the 14-point swing and give the Vikings a 10-7 lead.

 “It feels good, it really does,” said Jared Allen. “Coming into this game, we figured this would be as close as you could get to a playoff game. This late in the season with four games left, to be in sole possession of first place is great. However, we have to take it for what it is. We have to keep winning games if we want to stay in this situation.”

 The Vikings have won two in a row and seven of their last nine games. This week they travel to Detroit to play the 0-12 Detroit Lions and former Viking Daunte Culpepper.

 “It blew me away,” Allen continued. “I’m a fan of this game, so when you see a 99-yard pass play, that’s incredible, and the momentum just kept building. It all started with Madieu Williams coming over and knocking Matt Forte out of bounds on the one-yard line. And then they go for a play action pass on the first play. And then we were begging for it on fourth down, and we got what we wished for, and we were able to stop them.”

 Allen had three sacks as the Vikings put sustained pressure on quarterback Kyle Orton, getting three interceptions that led to the Vikings extending their lead. Peterson again was sensational with his power running, rushing for 131 yards and a touchdown.

 “We definitely wanted to establish the run,” said Peterson, “and we did that. Me and Chester Taylor, following those guys up front, were able to establish the run game and were able to hit them with some big passes.”

 The next two weeks, the Vikings are on the road at Detroit and then at NFC West-leading Arizona. Then they finish up at home against the Atlanta Falcons (8-4) and the defending Super Bowl Champion New York Giants (11-1).

 Fitz Notes & Quotes

 Vikings safety Darren Sharper leads all active NFL players with 54 career interceptions; he grabbed number 54 in Sunday’s win. He is now tied with Darrell Green, Eric Allen and Willie Brown for 18th place on the NFL’s all-time list.

During halftime ceremonies, the Vikings honored one of their all-time greats, John Randle. The defensive star wore number 93 with the Vikings from 1990-2000 and was one of the toughest defensive lineman to ever play the game.

 Randle is now in the Vikings’ Ring of Honor. He finished his Vikings career with 114 sacks and trails only Carl Eller (130) and Jim Marshall (127) on the team’s all-time list.

 Larry Fitzgerald can be heard weekday mornings on KMOJ Radio 89.9 FM at 8:25 am, and on WDGY-AM 740 Monday & Saturday mornings at 7:50 am and Fridays at 3:50 pm; he also commentates on sports 7-8 pm on Almanac (TPT channel 2). Larry welcomes reader responses to lfitzgerald@spokesman-recorder.com, or visit www.Larry-Fitzgerald.com.